NC - Kathy Taft, 62, Raleigh, 6 March 2010 - #1

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

Status
Not open for further replies.
Police Can’t Provide Reassurances In Taft Investigation

Published: March 11, 2010

Raleigh, N.C. - Raleigh Police finally spoke Thursday about their investigation into Kathy Taft’s death.

However, they didn’t say much.

Chief Harry Dolan met the media two days after the state board of education member died and five days after her sister found her beaten inside her boyfriend’s house.

Detectives seem to be having a hard time putting together what happened.

Kathy Taft’s death is a high-profile crime.

Police say it’s getting all the attention they can give.

“We are working around the clock, presently we have a great deal more work to do,“ said Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan.

Dolan did not deliver a lot of specific information about what they found inside the home on Cartier Drive where Taft was beaten.

Detectives also can’t pin down exactly when she was attacked.

They only say that it happened sometime late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

That wide gap seems to be keeping them from honing in on the killer.

“We can’t assure the public with information that we don’t have,” Dolan said. “And, we have been very clear in saying that we can’t determine if this was, at this stage in the investigation, if this was random.“

That uncertainty means police haven’t been able to determine if there’s a connection to a recent attempted burglary in the neighborhood.

more here

http://www2.wnct.com/nct/news/local...de_reassurances_in_taft_investigation/119219/
 
crocus said:
And what's truly puzzling is how fast everything was hushed up and sealed. I don't understand this at all. It's almost as if they wish it hadn't been made public at all.

Troubling..........
Click to expand...

They've clamped down pretty tightly, haven't they? And they can't say if it was a random break-in or not? Bull! I'm not buying that. They know...something's not jiving right with them, either.
 
diphi said:
They've clamped down pretty tightly, haven't they? And they can't say if it was a random break-in or not? Bull! I'm not buying that. They know...something's not jiving right with them, either.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the "can't say" means can't say because they don't want to harm the investigation...vs can't say because they don't have a working theory about who the Perp(s) could be.

JMOOOC.
 
Could "Can't say" = "Won't say" because sister may be suspect and that is just too much to bear for the family and too much to disclose right now.
 
Just a coupla things are bothering me....besides the fact that a lovely woman is no longer here to enjoy her life and her loved ones. If I was staying with my sister, to help her out after some cosmetic surgery, and I couldn't rouse her up in the morning when i checked on her. I would call 911, screaming for them to come, and due to my panicky state, i would not be suggesting ANYTHING, i would just be saying," COME RIGHT NOW!! MY SISTER IS NOT ACTING RIGHT! I'm gonna start CPR!." Click. And my sister and I loved each other very much, but i distinctly remember that there was sometimes jealousy between us. Here's another scenario: Perhaps the patient had a great deal of pain. Too much medication may have been given. The caregiver, upon finding the patient doing poorly, panics, and tries to deflect blame for the patient condition. Like a snowball rolling downhill, the lie becomes too big to stop. I am sure the police will have the answers. They may be answers no one wants to believe.
 
I drove past the house today about 5:30 pm. Crime scene tape is still up and an RPD car with officer inside was located out front. I wonder if they are keeping an officer there all the time...
 
this is a really weird story, i have a feeling the police know what happened and just need to be able to prove it. it does seem strange thatg house is still a crime scene at this point, though...
 
Ok, let me get this straight. This woman, KT, was staying at her ex-boyfriend's (who was out of town) house with her sister while she recuperated from surgery on her leg. Sometime during the late night or early morning hours, an intruder enters, beats her unconscious, and escapes without rousing the sister. In the morning, the sister finds KT and thinks the injuries are a result of the surgery.

Several things don't make sense. I assume that since KT died from her injuries, the beating must have been particularly brutal and focused on her head and/or torso. If she had surgery on her leg only, why would her sister assume blood/bruises/wounds on KT's head and/or torso were a result of the surgery on her leg? How does that work? I'm just trying to imagine the scene of a fatal beating - it couldn't have been pretty. That the sister didn't immediately realize something else had occurred and call 911 is confusing to me. That said, I can't imagine the sister is involved, at least directly - mainly because I can't imagine a female beating her sister to death. I don't want to imagine that. Also, that house, from the thumbnail picture posted on the first page of this thread, looks pretty tiny. What kind of medication was the sister on that prevented her from waking up when this intruder entered and beat KT unconscious? I guess it's also possible, to be fair, that KT was so heavily medicated on painkillers and whatnot from the surgery that she didn't wake up during the beating (which would be a blessing) and therefore very little noise was made during the attack (no screams, cries for help, etc.).

Was anything taken from the house? I haven't read if this is so or not, and I wonder, because one of the avenues LE seems to be exploring is that it's related to a burglary that happened nearby on the same night. But if nothing was stolen from the house, then that theory goes out the window. IMO, I don't think it's a valid theory anyway - burglars don't just suddenly decide to beat someone to death, especially a medicated, recovering/bed-ridden woman who couldn't have been much of a threat and likely wasn't even conscious when the 'burglar' entered.

No, I definitely think the sole motive of this crime was the beating itself. Scary to think it could have something to do with KT being on the school board. Would anyone really be that upset over something she had done/voted on on the board that they'd want to kill her? Seems farfetched, and also a beating is a very personal kind of attack. I'd say it was done by or ordered done by someone who knew KT on a personal level, beyond work/her position on the school board.
 
Mia said:
Ok, let me get this straight. This woman, KT, was staying at her ex-boyfriend's (who was out of town) house with her sister while she recuperated from surgery on her leg. Sometime during the late night or early morning hours, an intruder enters, beats her unconscious, and escapes without rousing the sister. In the morning, the sister finds KT and thinks the injuries are a result of the surgery.

Several things don't make sense. I assume that since KT died from her injuries, the beating must have been particularly brutal and focused on her head and/or torso. If she had surgery on her leg only, why would her sister assume blood/bruises/wounds on KT's head and/or torso were a result of the surgery on her leg? How does that work? I'm just trying to imagine the scene of a fatal beating - it couldn't have been pretty. That the sister didn't immediately realize something else had occurred and call 911 is confusing to me. That said, I can't imagine the sister is involved, at least directly - mainly because I can't imagine a female beating her sister to death. I don't want to imagine that. Also, that house, from the thumbnail picture posted on the first page of this thread, looks pretty tiny. What kind of medication was the sister on that prevented her from waking up when this intruder entered and beat KT unconscious? I guess it's also possible, to be fair, that KT was so heavily medicated on painkillers and whatnot from the surgery that she didn't wake up during the beating (which would be a blessing) and therefore very little noise was made during the attack (no screams, cries for help, etc.).

Was anything taken from the house? I haven't read if this is so or not, and I wonder, because one of the avenues LE seems to be exploring is that it's related to a burglary that happened nearby on the same night. But if nothing was stolen from the house, then that theory goes out the window. IMO, I don't think it's a valid theory anyway - burglars don't just suddenly decide to beat someone to death, especially a medicated, recovering/bed-ridden woman who couldn't have been much of a threat and likely wasn't even conscious when the 'burglar' entered.

No, I definitely think the sole motive of this crime was the beating itself. Scary to think it could have something to do with KT being on the school board. Would anyone really be that upset over something she had done/voted on on the board that they'd want to kill her? Seems farfetched, and also a beating is a very personal kind of attack. I'd say it was done by or ordered done by someone who knew KT on a personal level, beyond work/her position on the school board.
Click to expand...

I don't think her surgery was on her leg -- that was just more bad reporting, IMO.......just like the mixed up stories about Kathy's sister taking her to breakfast.

If Kathy had bandages on her head, I can't see them going out for breakfast.

I do wonder about a burglar coming in -- someone who may have seen Geil leave or overhead him saying he was going to be outta town.

It doesn't make sense to me tho, that if her sister was in the house, how she couldn't have heard a fight....would a burglar brutalize someone (Kathy) who was sleeping heavily (e.g., because of pain meds)?? If Kathy was awake when attacked, surely she would have been screaming in horror & pain.

And if it was someone who had a vendetta over an SBOE issue, why attack her w/ the sister in the home?

I can't make sense of this right now, but LE isn't talking about a madman on the loose so they must think this is targeted attack, but just not saying it. (??)
 
This brings to mind that awful attack on the mother and young daughter a few months back. Random break-in by 3 horrible teens who just wanted to kill and cause havoc....the mother died but the daughter survived somehow. Awful story that sure sounds familiar to this.
 
We all need to be praying for the children of Kathy Taft...their sleepless nights will last long after the law enforcement officers, the detectives, the surgeon, the healthcare workers, the 911 operator, all the neighbors and friends, the beloved ones...But i have no doubt that many are waking in the night these past days, wondering, pursuing shadowy thoughts that don't make any sense. When the truth arrives, will it really make anyone feel better? Does justice take away sadness or loss? It might be a tiny jumping off point to step into the future, but it does not bring back the loved one. The love cannot be destroyed, though, thank God! Sometimes the guilty take justice into their own hands, when they cannot accept the truth of what they have done, leaving an avalance of unanswered questions. We may hear the truth of what has happened in days to come. What we will not hear is how to accept the truth, or how to have peace in our hearts when a death makes no sense.
 
Hundreds Gather at Kathy's Funeral

The funeral was a traditional Episcopal service of Holy Eucharist in "thanksgiving for the life of Kathy Arnold Taft," Rev. Bob Hudak said.

"We come with all of our emotions to grieve the reality of Kathy's death. To celebrate the mystery and gift of her life, a life that continues in the spirit of each of her children, and in the light that shines through her grandchildren's eyes,” Hudak said.

Taft's four children spoke to the more than 700 people in attendance at the funeral service.

"On our Earth, what happened was a senseless act upon a wonderful woman. In God’s kingdom, however, an angel was taken into heaven in a way that will be remembered, and therefore should motivate all of us to his service,” son Thomas Taft said.

"I don't understand why she was taken from us so abruptly and probably never will. I can only try to live my life in a manner that brings a smile to her face, honors her vision and life's work, and brings comfort to my family,” son Johathan Taft said.

Taft served on the state school board for 15 years, the longest tenure of any current member. She also ran for state Senate in 2008.

Several sources told WRAL News that Taft's sister called 911 last Saturday morning from a home at 2710 Cartier Drive, indicating that she thought Taft was experiencing complications from a minor surgical procedure she underwent a day earlier.
Click to expand...

Snipped from http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7227042/
 
I am working on compiling information and if anyone finds out the sister's name, please let me know. (NOT in Websleuths)
ETA
Never mind, I found it in the obituary.

I'm interested in the burgarly of the house a block away ...
 
diphi said:
Raleigh PD just held a presser. Not much information provided.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7215230/


They have made "considerable progress" in the investigation.

They still cannot rule out a random act.

They cannot determine if the nearby attempted breakin is related.

The attack occured either late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

The family is offering a $25K reward.

They could not specify the type of person that would do this.

The news article said, "Taft's sister, who also was staying in the home, went to wake her for breakfast Saturday and called 911 upon finding her unresponsive and her bandages bloodied."
Click to expand...

Police were called only after Taft had been taken to WakeMed, where her surgeon examined her and realized she had been assaulted, sources said. Surgical bandages on her face likely concealed the wounds, they said.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7215230/

Just thinking that she had some kind of plastic surgery on her face.
 
Noway said:
I am working on compiling information and if anyone finds out the sister's name, please let me know. (NOT in Websleuths)
ETA
Never mind, I found it in the obituary.

I'm interested in the burgarly of the house a block away ...
Click to expand...

Noway - regarding the attempted break in near by, here's an article.

Attempted break-in could be related to Taft homicide
Published Wed, Mar 10, 2010 11:10 AM
Modified Fri, Mar 12, 2010 12:57 AM

Raleigh police are trying to determine if there's a link between the assault on Kathy Taft on Saturday and an attempted break-in reported a block away that evening. Taft was found badly injured in the home of a friend on Cartier Drive, off Oberlin Road, late Saturday morning and later died of her injuries.

The attempted break-in was reported on Wayland Drive on Saturday evening, when a resident returned home and found signs that someone had tried to get into her house. It's not clear when the attempted break-in occurred.

snipped.....
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/10/380469/police-look-into-possible-link.html
 
laces said:
Just a coupla things are bothering me....besides the fact that a lovely woman is no longer here to enjoy her life and her loved ones. If I was staying with my sister, to help her out after some cosmetic surgery, and I couldn't rouse her up in the morning when i checked on her. I would call 911, screaming for them to come, and due to my panicky state, i would not be suggesting ANYTHING, i would just be saying," COME RIGHT NOW!! MY SISTER IS NOT ACTING RIGHT! I'm gonna start CPR!." Click. And my sister and I loved each other very much, but i distinctly remember that there was sometimes jealousy between us. Here's another scenario: Perhaps the patient had a great deal of pain. Too much medication may have been given. The caregiver, upon finding the patient doing poorly, panics, and tries to deflect blame for the patient condition. Like a snowball rolling downhill, the lie becomes too big to stop. I am sure the police will have the answers. They may be answers no one wants to believe.
Click to expand...

Laces, how do we know the sister did not act that way on the 911 call?
It seems very obvious the sister is a 'person of interest' & the cops must eliminate her before they can consider this to be a random crime.
 
Ok, does this add up?

The sister was seen at Glenwood Grill (in center near house)in the evening hours.
She told others she locked her keys in the car and walked back to the house.

"Taft's sister, who also was staying in the home, went to wake her for breakfast Saturday and found that she had been attacked. A dispatcher with Raleigh's emergency communications center said emergency medical workers were dispatched to 2710 Cartier Drive at 11:38 a.m. Saturday."

Kathy had 'day surgery', a minor facial procedure on Friday.
Would you not be alarmed if your 62 year old sister was not up by 11:30AM on Saturday?
This whole timeline makes no sense. :waitasec:
 
What article is that from JTF? I know I read in more than one article that her sister thought that it was complications from her surgery the day before when she tried to wake her.

I don't know if I would be too alarmed that she wasn't awake yet. I might be of the mind that she would still be groggy sleepy from pain meds.

How far is this restaurant from the house that her sister walked back from after locking her keys in her car?
 
Glenwood Grill is right behind, very close to the house.
Unless Kathy was up and went back to bed in the AM, I find it very odd the encounter with her sister was after 11:30 am. This was day surgery, not a major procedure.
Well we know she was not up earlier because the cops don't know if she died Friday night or Saturday am. (per RPD presser).

11:38 911 >>>>

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/06/374674/state-board-of-education-member.html
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

DNASolves

Who is Fairfield County Jane Doe (1993)?

Members online

... and 76 more.
Total: 277 (members: 77, guests: 200)

Online statistics

Members online
77
Guests online
200
Total visitors
277
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
609,577
Messages
18,255,763
Members
234,696
Latest member
Avangaleen414
Back
Top