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

[WideOpen]

Sniped

Also, I am really bothered by the fact that the actual news would give the time of day to an "estranged brother" that does not even know Katrina or her family. A person that admits he has had absolutely no contact with his half brother in many many years. To me and this is just my opinion I find the fact that someone would use a tragedy such as this to come on TV to just air dirty laundry without having anything useful to say about what happened is disgusting. The fact that the actual news reported this made them appear desperate and a bit like a tabloid.

Anyway, thanks for giving me the opportunity to post and allowing me to become a member I really enjoy this site :gthanks:

Welcome Whispers!:welcome:

Thanks for your local opinion and views.

I especially want to agree with you on the "trashy" reporting angle this station chose to air. It really angers me that Katrina has not even been laid to rest yet. Let Katrina's family and loved ones mourn.

The children do not deserve this public airing of their family feud and dysfunction. Kids can be so deeply affected by the adults behaviors and actions. Teens and young adults just self destruct without a very strong network of positive people surrounding and guiding them-everyday, every step of the way.

On a positive note for TS/Katrina -someone must have been nurturing his daughters for them to have been moving forward in a healthy way and going off to college. It takes more than money to achieve that. The girls looked happy and healthy- Katrina's murder must be devastating for them. They must be hurting more than anyone knows. I hope someone is there for them.

just my thoughts tonight/jmo

 

[Seajay]

Todd Smith has to be the unluckiest man in the world. Living in a house that has a loose gas cap that blows up??? Working for a company that bilked elderly people out of millions of dollars??? Having a wife he was separated from found murdered after he was the last one to see her????

Most people never have ONE of these things happen to them, poor Todd has had all of these things happen to him. I sure hope his luck changes soon. Seems he was born under a dark cloud.

 

[sleuthin4fun]

Sniped

Welcome Whispers!:welcome:

Thanks for your local opinion and views.

I especially want to agree with you on the "trashy" reporting angle this station chose to air. It really angers me that Katrina has not even been laid to rest yet. Let Katrina's family and loved ones mourn.

The children do not deserve this public airing of their family feud and dysfunction. Kids can be so deeply affected by the adults behaviors and actions. Teens and young adults just self destruct without a very strong network of positive people surrounding and guiding them-everyday, every step of the way.

On a positive note for TS/Katrina -someone must have been nurturing his daughters for them to have been moving forward in a healthy way and going off to college. It takes more than money to achieve that. The girls looked happy and healthy- Katrina's murder must be devastating for them. They must be hurting more than anyone knows. I hope someone is there for them.

just my thoughts tonight/jmo

THese girls have wonderful support from their school, and that also have a mother. Let me say though from what I have been told from someone very reliable, they were "emotional train wrecks". Not bashing these beautiful young ladies, but things are not always as they appear>

 

[FBEye]

"Hundreds Turn Out to Say Goodbye to Katrina Smith"
Article and Video from Katrina's Visitation
http://mystateline.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=365442

:ROCKFORD - Friends and family of Katrina Smith gathered Friday night to say goodbye to her, along with hundreds from the community who Smith had never met. Her face became familiar to many when she went from being a missing person to a murder victim.

No one at Heartland Church wanted to be there on Friday. It was the location of Smith's visitation and will be the location for her funeral on Saturday. Smith went missing nearly three weeks ago on October 23rd and her body was discovered in the Rock River south of Byron.

Anybody with a connection to Katrina Smith came out to say goodbye to her Friday night. Many claimed their kids played sports together; some said they went to school with her. Cynthia Abruzzo is a former neighbor of Katrina's family.
"Just a very sweet little girl, very neat, very girly," Abruzzo said as she described the little girl who grew up in the house next door................Many people in attendance didn't even know Smith, but all who said they've never met her say they wish that they had...............
"We didn't understand the impact that it had on the community until the vigil," said Tammy English, a spokesperson for the family.
English says that the support the community has shown over the past several weeks has really helped the family through this extremely difficult time......" snipped

 

[FBEye]

Community shows support at Katrina Smith's visitation

http://www.wrex.com/story/20123818/community-shows-support-at-katrina-smiths-visitation

WREX13

 

[B4igo2it]

Like what, a weapon? Sheets or blankets, plastic sheeting? Blunt force trauma: baseball bat, golf club?

It is my opinion LE believes she was placed in the water at or near that location. Fisherman have stated there is no way a body could pass through three dams to reach the location of where she was found.

The trail of discarded personal items leads to this location; as if thrown out of a vehicle on their way to this location. I am found wondering who's vehicle were they discarded from. :waitasec: Is it just a coincidence that relative(s) live in this vicinity and would that not make this a familiar area to the POI as a favorable location to dispose of her?

I think it was NOT pre-meditated and IS a "crime of passion" as there are many locations to place a body that would remain un-noticed, and possibly never located. Was she hurridly disposed? I think so. JMO

RIP Sweet Katrina. You have touched us all

 

[B4igo2it]

Justin's own words...

"The minute that I heard he was trying to blame my father and they were trying to blame me for *these fires*, pushing the blame all around, I immediately felt very confident that he had something to do with this," said Raprager.

http://mystateline.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=365202

So, is it possible Todd has caused other fires? Some believe someone else is responsible, but does a lifelong vendetta exist? One does not have to live in an area to visit it.

30 years with no suspicious activity? Maybe he just wasn't under the radar :waitasec:

 

[OtherEyes]

May you Rest Peacefully this day Katrina:rose:
May your family and loved ones also find peace and healing.

 

[scadder21]

It also is reflected in the comment in the Sheriff’s Dept Press Release dated Oct. 24, as “At this point it is unknown if Ms Smith left on her own or if she is the victim of foul play.”

This statement by the Sheriff is key. It essentially means that they don't know if she did actually leave that night or if she was killed at the house and then the body taken.

 

[winningx3]

So, is it possible Todd has caused other fires? Some believe someone else is responsible, but does a lifelong vendetta exist? One does not have to live in an area to visit it.

30 years with no suspicious activity? Maybe he just wasn't under the radar :waitasec:

I "think " he is referring to his grandmothers house burning down and aunts car- rumored or maybe confirmed to have been done by his father, herb.

 

[ladyhoops]

"It appears that LE was aware of marital problems and of the separation between Katrina and TS prior to her being missing. So, she must have been insecure enough regarding her safety that she contacted LE. This would allow for the immediate search of the house on Tetterhall when LE broke in the garage door to look for her or her body while TC was being questioned."

If the above is true and the le knew there was a problem going on prior to her missing, then why wasn't there an order of protection against ts in place? Kinda feels like nobody counselled her on what her rights were on getting him removed from the home and getting some safety. Why didn't she just kick him out? It was HER home, right? Get the divorce filing on record, give him a bag of his clothes, change the locks, and arrange a time with le present to get the rest of his things. I know, it's much simpler to say it, then actually do it. There is no worst feeling in the world than not feeling safe in your own home.

TS played her emotional side...please let's not tell the kids yet, yada yada yada. Yes, the kids would be affected, but they are college age, practically adults themselves. Just goes to show how kind of a person Katrina was, and how emotionally abusive ts was to her, clinging and controlling.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

I have linked it here often, but the case archive is not getting much notice, so here it is...

Katrina Smith case archive, updated as often as possible:
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Katrina%20Smith%20%20-IL-/

 

[nervous_nellie]

I have linked it here often, but the case archive is not getting much notice, so here it is...

Katrina Smith case archive, updated as often as possible:
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Katrina%20Smith%20%20-IL-/

i have been browsing thru is there anything that you can recall of any friend or family member stating that katrina was terrified of todd? im not trying to be nitpicky....i just have not found anything that definitively states this. it would go a long way in knocking me off the fence about todds possible involvement....tia

 

[B4igo2it]

" snipped for space
why wasn't there an order of protection against ts.

... Just goes to show how kind of a person Katrina was, and how emotionally abusive ts was to her, clinging and controlling.

I 100% agree, she should have done so! - Filing an Order of Protection for Domestic Violence is very easy to do!
http://www.illinoislegalaid.org/ind...ontentID=5177&zipcode=61101&criteria=domestic violence#a=questions

Although it may seem easier to just move out until you can get the legalities in order and reduce contact with one another, the odds for something like this to occur (her murder) increase without an O.P.

Amen to your last statement - he may have been alot worse than we could ever imagine.

 

[Knox]

Amen to your last statement - he may have been alot worse than we could ever imagine.

Respectfully snipped-

Hi B4igo2it, where is this information coming from? TIA

 

[Annie1004]

I 100% agree, she should have done so! - Filing an Order of Protection for Domestic Violence is very easy to do!
http://www.illinoislegalaid.org/ind...ontentID=5177&zipcode=61101&criteria=domestic violence#a=questions

Although it may seem easier to just move out until you can get the legalities in order and reduce contact with one another, the odds for something like this to occur (her murder) increase without an O.P.
Amen to your last statement - he may have been alot worse than we could ever imagine.

Hum, was there a protective order filed? Where is the legitimate information that Katrina suffered domestic violence? While I agree Todd looks guilty, he has not yet been arrested, and I prefer to wait for LE and not hop on the "guilty as sin" bandwagon. jMHO.

 

[B4igo2it]

Respectfully snipped-

Hi B4igo2it, where is this information coming from? TIA

"he may have been alot worse than we could ever imagine" - I base this upon:

1) Wearing a Mask In Public: He may have 2 sides to him (like my X did) - what was on the outside known to others was not even close to the type of person he really was. I only knew, what others knew, until I married him

2) Wearing a Mask In Business: Katrina worked with him - it may have taken her awhile to see & understand what he was actually doing with his business and its clients. Why did she leave this "partnership" and go to work @ Camryn? I suspect when Katrina was no longer under his total control (financial & emotional) is when a turbulent relationship evolved. If the partnership was failing as I suspect due to SEC & lawsuit involvement, it is understandable Katrina would do whatever to save HER house, her financial dignity, and meet financial obligations. Was Todd in a depressed state of mind due to his troubles ... I suspect he would be. Was he becoming violent, short-tempered and difficult to be around ... I suspect this could be very possible. Was he afraid he would lose her due to his "business shortcomings" ... I suspect so.

3) Who was that person distributing flyers at Camryn? Was this the act of a jealous man or woman? No accusations here, just wondering if this too is related because we know for a fact this person was indeed wearing a mask.

I don't know whether the husband murdered her or not, however, based upon the evidence presented and historical evidence from other cases, it would not surprise me at all. When people become desperate to hold on to things they believe are "theirs," and they begin to feel it is all slipping away the end result is often a "crime of passion." JMO

 

[Knox]

Just to clarify, it's not that I don't think it's possible Katrina could have been afraid of Todd, or that he was extremely controlling.

But there is a disconnect between what I am seeing with Katrina's family. Usually in that situation, the victim's relatives are the first to suspect something?

ETA- Thank you B4igo2it. I see your train of thought now and the reason for your opinion. Where did you read that the person was wearing a mask? I missed that I guess.

 

[B4igo2it]

I think reporter Whitney posted for anyone with any information to contact her. This was all later retracted. (It is documented here on WS).

 

[SmoothOperator]

It also is reflected in the comment in the Sheriff’s Dept Press Release dated Oct. 24, as “At this point it is unknown if Ms Smith left on her own or if she is the victim of foul play.”

This statement by the Sheriff is key. It essentially means that they don't know if she did actually leave that night or if she was killed at the house and then the body taken.

To be honest IMO the above LE quote cannot be assumed to mean this..

In fact this statement is not at all a situation specific statement but rather is seen in a large percentage of cases that have media attention.. While it "could" possibly mean the above ..IMO more often than not it means that LE at that point in time cannot say for certain whether Katrina had left and disappeared herself intentionally(which is not a crime).. Or whether in fact she had become a victim of foul play(which we know is a crime)..

IMO that is the standard statement that LE will issue at the beginning of these type investigations when they do not yet have proof one way or the other (left of her own free will and is continuing to choose to stay away...or she has become a victim and is not of her own free will)..

Jmo, but definitely something easily verified in looking at missing person cases of adults within the initial investigation phase when LE are not even certain a crime has actually occurred..

Therefor IMO seeing as how LE made this particular statement the day after she was reported missing its my strong opinion that LE are meaning this in the standard, general way of their uncertain whether she has left and of her own free will is choosing to stay away... Or whether an actual crime has occured with her meeting with foul play..

I honestly do not believe that the statement meant either she left Todd's home alive..or never left from Todd's home alive.. At 24hrs in even if LE believed that there's no way they would have publicly stated such..jmo, tho.