GUILTY IL - Katrina Smith, 30, beaten to death, Machesney Park, 23 Oct 2012 - #2

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Yes, southernnana I do believe you're right in that it was neighbors/friends that were either jogging or bikeriding in the morning hours of Tuesday October 23 when they saw Katrina's blue Chevy Cruz parked there off the side of the road..and later these same friends/neighbors relayed that info to LE after learning.g Katrina was missing..
 
Friends mentioned after the fact they saw her car at 7:30 that morning but didn't realize she was missing. Articles say that family knew something was wrong when she didn't go to work. My question is what family are they talking about and when were they aware she didn't make it to work.
 
southernnana said:
BBM

Maybe they did tip off LE. It must be good for jogging, as early on in the case, a jogger reported seeing the car abandoned in early morning.
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SmoothOperator said:
Yes, southernnana I do believe you're right in that it was neighbors/friends that were either jogging or bikeriding in the morning hours of Tuesday October 23 when they saw Katrina's blue Chevy Cruz parked there off the side of the road..and later these same friends/neighbors relayed that info to LE after learning.g Katrina was missing..
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The car was on a residential street, just south of the park. Please keep in mind that the park features on off leash dog area, a track, a path that is often frequented by joggers/bikers/walkers and there are also BMX trails in the area. However, in order to get from the car to the Smith residence one would need to cross Ralston Road/173 and N Second Street (251). Granted one could choose a less conspicuous route to travel Ralston Road/173 and N Second Street (251) but it is impossible to get from point A to point B without crossing these two roads.
 
mama2one said:
From what I have heard from friends on my FB, again this is just RUMOR,
the police were the reason why the door had to be replaced. It wasn't the actual mechanical garage door, but door from garage to house(service type door). When they were notified that Katrina was missing and once the car was found, they entered the home without asking. As in they did a check to make sure she wasn't being held there. I asked why Todd just wouldn't let them in, and have been told he wasn't there & they didn't wait for a key.

I personally think the whole think is just rumor.
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So, it wasn't the door where you drive your cars through. It was a regular door. I misunderstood. Thought is was the main garage door that folds up...
 
Kweenahartz said:
Can any locals confirm whether or not the garage door was changed out at the house the same day that Katrina was reported missing?
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My understanding is that the service door to the garage was kicked in by the police. They suspected that Katrina may be inside, no one was home apparently and chose this method to gain entry.
 
I wonder how much evidence LE could have found with Katrina's body after so much time in the water. They said (I believe) they are awaiting results of testing, which makes me think they have items to test from the search of the home, more so than her remains, only because I can't imagine what they would have found of use. They did say decomposition was quite advanced.
 
LunaLight said:
The car was on a residential street, just south of the park. Please keep in mind that the park features on off leash dog area, a track, a path that is often frequented by joggers/bikers/walkers and there are also BMX trails in the area. However, in order to get from the car to the Smith residence one would need to cross Ralston Road/173 and N Second Street (251). Granted one could choose a less conspicuous route to travel Ralston Road/173 and N Second Street (251) but it is impossible to get from point A to point B without crossing these two roads.
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There was the Dara Watson case local to me here back in February where the boyfriend/fiance murdered Dara and burned her car and buried her body in the forest about 10 miles from their home. A witness came forward later (days after the searching) to say he had seen Hedrick walking out of the forest.

My point is that in the heat of a crime there is no telling what one might do.
I do believe its possible and probable that sometime in the early morning hours TS left Katrina's car in that spot and walked home. It would be pretty quiet after midnight there wouldnt it? I am assuming this all occurred under the darkness of night.

Is 251 4 lanes running north and south with a divided median in the center?
Is the speed limit on 251 45 mph or 55 mph there?
How long would it really take to hop skip and jump across 251 in the middle of a weeknight?

I am only somewhat familiar with that area and drove 251 from Beloit to Rockford late night several times this summer while visiting. I moved away years ago and there has been much growth and building since that time. It was pretty dark and quiet from my experience.

Also, we think that just because we are aware of a missing person that everyone else must be as well. Someone may have seen something and have no idea it was part of an investigation. I talked to some of my friends and family around there and they were not even aware she was missing let alone found.

jmo
 
I keep logging on and hoping to see an arrest has been made in this case. I still have the feeling that LE know EXACTLY who did this and are just in the process of collecting evidence and building their case. Katrina needs and deserves justice as does her family, friends and all that loved and knew her! I hope and pray that justice is coming soon! :please:
 
IF (big IF) there is an accomplice in this case, that means at least two people know exactly what happened to Katrina....and it gives us a better chance of someone breaking down during questioning.
 
Kweenahartz said:
So, it wasn't the door where you drive your cars through. It was a regular door. I misunderstood. Thought is was the main garage door that folds up...
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Thank you for pointing that out... I was still picturing the big garage door used for car entrance, too!
 
Could the person responsible have called someone to pick him up from the park where the car was found, and the person, at the time not knowing what happened, did so without knowing? Now that they do, could they be too scared (for their life, their family) to come forward? Just some thoughts I have after reading all of this (and watching one too many crime shows).
 
LWoods said:
Could the person responsible have called someone to pick him up from the park where the car was found, and the person, at the time not knowing what happened, did so without knowing? Now that they do, could they be too scared (for their life, their family) to come forward? Just some thoughts I have after reading all of this (and watching one too many crime shows).
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Good point, I also wonder about this possibility and it would not surprise me
 
katrinas car is fairly small, but would a bike fit in the back seat or trunk? im thinking it would not...but im not familiar with the make...a friend of mine had an aveo and could fit a surprising amount and type of things in that car???

also, *if* there was an accomplice and depending on what the *errand/plan* was could have been in the area with a truck handy...moo...just throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks...lol

eta: considering the river was something like 100 yards from the car, getting her in the river wouldnt have posed a huge problem assuming she drove to the area and then was attacked. this doesnt really make much sense tho.. more likely that she was attacked and transported to the river, the killer/accomplice then dumped her car and took off either walking or was picked up by someone. or had placed a bike somewhere prior to the crime...moo...just more spaghetti throwing on my part....
 
nervous_nellie said:
katrinas car is fairly small, but would a bike fit in the back seat or trunk? im thinking it would not...but im not familiar with the make...a friend of mine had an aveo and could fit a surprising amount and type of things in that car???

also, *if* there was an accomplice and depending on what the *errand/plan* was could have been in the area with a truck handy...moo...just throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks...lol

eta: considering the river was something like 100 yards from the car, getting her in the river wouldnt have posed a huge problem assuming she drove to the area and then was attacked. this doesnt really make much sense tho.. more likely that she was attacked and transported to the river, the killer/accomplice then dumped her car and took off either walking or was picked up by someone. or had placed a bike somewhere prior to the crime...moo...just more spaghetti throwing on my part....
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I like the way you throw spaghetti at walls, Nellie! :smile:

these are good ideas! :thumb:
 
I thought of the bike angle also. I wonder if anyone in the neighborhood had a bike reported stolen that night.

Also from TS small frame I wondered if he is a runner. My son was a hefty young teen but in high school he joined the cross country and slimmed down to a thin frame. I don't run but should.

I am hoping there is an arrest soon, preferably before the funeral.

jmo
 
LOL @ Post 437 - LunaLight, great find! Well now, that answers a few more of our questions!
 
jeeze, with that trunk a killer could have been in the trunk when she left to run the "errand"...
 
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