My first post here, and first of all, many condolences to Katrina Smith’s family and friends. I do not know the family, but I live in the community and had been following her disappearance and prayed for her safe return, like many others in the community. A horrible and tragic ending for a woman with a very beautiful smile. May she rest in peace and I hope closure and justice comes for her and her family.
It is very apparent that everyone is pointing the finger at the husband, myself included. But somehow, I have a twinge of doubt unless there is some very incriminating physical evidence against the husband or a confession from him. Yes, his past is shady, and sends all sorts of red flags.
I still can’t get past the fact that this could still have been an affair that went bad. A summer affair that was getting too serious? So I put myself in Katrina’s shoes...and I can tell you that I have possibly walked her shoes 10 years ago. Not many people will openly admit their own infidelity, but I come here to tell you that having an affair, while being married, is kept an absolute secret. Let me stress that again……An absolute secret! A secret from family, from co-workers, from friends, even from your bestest of friends. Affairs are filled with shame, guilt, and embarrassment if ever found out. Look at all the high profile cases of infidelity. People that you would never think could have one, certainly do…ie. Tiger Woods.
With that being said, I believe Katrina was ready to leave her marriage. Something that she probably was struggling with internally for some time and her husband knew it. Maybe it was brought up six months ago and the husband begs her to stay…”whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you”. Hence, the new car. He thinks all is better. The car purchase is actually a passive-aggressive abusive technique that keeps Katrina in the relationship, tying up the finances so she can’t leave him. (Been there!) Katrina was taking all the right steps to position herself for a break from him…she gets a new job breaking away from working with her husband. She is doing very well there I assume, people like her, she’s interviewing for another position. She joins the church, volunteers, making new friends, expanding her circle of support. Kudos to this woman! This woman was in transformation and was on the brink of leaving for good, in my opinion. But that damn expensive car payment! She doesn’t think she can do it alone.
I really think the house sitting was a chance for her to be alone to think what she wants, avoid her husband for the weekend, and was meant to be a possible hookup place. Here’s where I think it goes all wrong…her affair doesn’t show all weekend long due to his family commitments. There is a part of me that thinks that if there was someone else, it was a married man, a family man, someone who has young children and is unhappy with his relationship. But I’m sure his wife hasn’t got a clue. Katrina goes out shopping Monday night, possibly picking out a new outfit for her interview the next day, but also uses shopping to avoid going home to her husband. I bet shopping late at night was used as an excuse in the past. She’s waiting to hear from her affair, he can’t get free until he helps puts the kids to bed (8:30/9:00pm) or waits for his wife to go to bed. I am also guessing there is probably a second prepaid cell phone for communication (probably in the river). i.e. exactly how Katie Holmes breaks from Tom Cruise. (Please forgive me, I read too much WonderWall) Katrina gets tired of waiting, goes home to her husband, and last minute gets the call that he can meet her, and she runs back out. The guy probably uses the excuse to his wife that he is going to work out (24-hour gyms) (been there!). I can only imagine what happens from there.
I question the neighborhood where her car was found. Was the car parked normally on the street? Or parked in a haste? No one has really commented on this…neighbors reported seeing her car parked there earlier in the day. Did they mean earlier in the day on that Tuesday after she disappeared Monday night? Was her car EVER seen in the neighborhood on an earlier day? Like ever? In the last couple weeks? In the last couple months? Over the summer months at all? I recall a comment mentioned that neighbors were shocked, it’s a quiet neighborhood, most are retirees, etc… What if any of these “retirees” have a son in the 30-40 age bracket that Katrina could have been meeting with? WHO did she know that lived in that area? Someone or a relative of someone in that neighborhood must have seen her before. Or maybe saw her previous car…what did she drive prior to the new car?
I think what becomes clear to Katrina over that tragic weekend is that her fling has no intention of leaving his wife and young children. He didn’t show up to spend time with her at the condo over the weekend. She’s upset and doesn’t want to be second place anymore. I think she learns or realizes on that Monday evening that she is being used. If only she would have turned around that night and went back home or went back to the condo. I think Katrina was ready to expose the affair, maybe wants to tell his wife. The affair has no intention of making it public, or leaving his wife and kids, he doesn’t want to be nailed for a lifetime of child support payments, he gets angry, fight persists, etc. and it gets out of hand.
From Todd’s perspective, if he truly is innocent, he waits at home, probably goes to bed thinking Katrina will be back after her errand. She doesn’t return. He thinks she still needs some more time away, he doesn’t want to press the issue with her, wants to give her space, and figures that she decided to stay another night at the Roscoe condo. This is why I think he called Roscoe to report a check on the place where she was staying, instead of the Loves Park dept.
Please, these are my own observations of this case based on what has been reported, combined with my own personal life experiences. I don’t want to discredit Katrina’s character in any way by giving this theory, and may her blessed soul rest in peace. I understand how easily extramarital affairs can happen. It’s very clear to me that Katrina wanted out of this relationship and was taking all the proper measures to prepare financially, and with the newfound strength she found in God through her baptism (family posted a beautiful baptism picture) to carry her through this event, that unfortunately never got a chance. As a bright, beautiful, thirty year old woman, the attraction to a forty-something year old dwindles significantly, especially with the financial hole her husband got himself into with his business. She wants no part of his dishonest dealings. I hold this woman in very high character, who just needed to know that she could have made it on her own with her new job, trade or sell the new car, break off the possible fling who really was only concerned with his own self-gratification, and start over with someone new. If there was another guy involved, both men were abusive to her emotionally, and in the end, physically, resulting in her death.
I pray that whoever did this to her comes forward and justice is served!!!