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

[Just the Fax]

Were the doors locked?

They seem to have a false sense of security (walking the dark bath) ... so there may not have been a need for there to have been a "break" in.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ETA
If her sister locked her keys in the car, how was she going to get back into the house? Did she expect Kathy to come to the door? Was there a hidden key somewhere?

GG closed at 10PM, so we can assume she walked home shortly afterwards, if not before. I doubt she had the house key on her key chain. That area has low crime and I would not be surprised if the door was unlocked while the sister was out that evening However, I would be very surprised if they both went to bed w/o locking the doors.

 

[Just the Fax]

I wonder whether her sister was familiar with the path that went to the restaurant. After all, this was not her house, and although Kathy stayed there when she came to town, I wonder whether her sister had ever done so.

Since she apparently drove there in the first place, she may not have known there was a shortcut through the woods.

 

[laces]

that is a GREAT compilation of information, especially the pictures. Thank you so much ...

 

[Just the Fax]

Update on the Glenwood Grill.
I just learned she may have actually driven to the Harris Teeter grocery store (next door to GG) to buy dinner for the 2 of them. She did lock the keys in her car and walked home, apparently in the late afternoon or early evening hours.

 

[diphi]

Here we go with Harris Teeter, again (Nancy Cooper). I wonder what else she bought. If she went there in the late afternoon, early evening, I can definitely see her taking the path back.

I agree with JTF; I can't imagine them leaving the door unlocked at night.

I know the neighborhood is supposedly low-crime and near a very desirable area, but I must admit I would think twice before living there. Just me, I suppose, since I live out in the suburbs. The area is heavily wooded with small homes built in the 40s (?) and, what appears to be a diverse group of people. Some of the houses seem a little run-down and unkept (could be just their age) but a few are very well kept. There is new construction being crammed in there somehow.

This whole situation is just not looking good...

 

[zelmajane]

Here we go with Harris Teeter, again (Nancy Cooper). I wonder what else she bought. If she went there in the late afternoon, early evening, I can definitely see her taking the path back.

Snipped


Oh wow I didn't link that in my head. Good call.

 

[diphi]

Great work, Noway! Thanks!

KT had just gotten back from visiting her daughter in Florida. I wonder if she talked to or saw JG while she was down there.

 

[laces]

Is an autopsy always done in a case like this one? After all of the invasive procedures done in the hospital, would it still be done? I am not sure I heard of an estimated time of the assault. This would possibly be determined by the color of any bruising, although with her medical procedure, and any subsequent bruising, this would be difficullt to pinpoint. I am also interested in knowing who the surgeon was. (Like everyone else!) I am sure toxicology tests were done on her admission to the hospital, as well as x-rays, CT or MRI scans. I think the Raleigh PD have done a great job of keeping the lid on things, despite people like me who want to sort out every possible piece of the puzzle. Is anyone else out there having a problem with motive? I know it is not needed, if a crime is proven to be committed by someone, but I am always intrigued by what it might be. So, while I am appreciating the intelligence of the investigation, I am also one of those "pain in the neck" types who wishes she had all of the information that is being kept quietly covered.

 

[zelmajane]

Is an autopsy always done in a case like this one? After all of the invasive procedures done in the hospital, would it still be done? I am not sure I heard of an estimated time of the assault. This would possibly be determined by the color of any bruising, although with her medical procedure, and any subsequent bruising, this would be difficullt to pinpoint. I am also interested in knowing who the surgeon was. (Like everyone else!) I am sure toxicology tests were done on her admission to the hospital, as well as x-rays, CT or MRI scans. I think the Raleigh PD have done a great job of keeping the lid on things, despite people like me who want to sort out every possible piece of the puzzle. Is anyone else out there having a problem with motive? I know it is not needed, if a crime is proven to be committed by someone, but I am always intrigued by what it might be. So, while I am appreciating the intelligence of the investigation, I am also one of those "pain in the neck" types who wishes she had all of the information that is being kept quietly covered.

If the police are involved, I'm sure there is an autopsy.

There are all kinds of options for motive right now.

-Jealous ex husband/boyfriend
-Sister- (which I hope isn't the case)
-Maybe KT was always the perfect one and she was over it
-Maybe she shared a lover
-School board related, she'd made a lot of people unhappy on decisions
-Random (doubtful)


I agree, I am proud of Raleigh PD.

 

[Noway]

GG closed at 10PM, so we can assume she walked home shortly afterwards, if not before. I doubt she had the house key on her key chain. That area has low crime and I would not be surprised if the door was unlocked while the sister was out that evening However, I would be very surprised if they both went to bed w/o locking the doors.

*Edited because I saw the change in the time of day she walked home.

If the door wasn't locked while Dina was out, then is it possible that the killer got in the house then?

But then, why not attack both of them?

So ...
The killer didn't know Dina was there.
It was Kathy the killer wanted.
ETA: Dina was not there when the attack happened.
ETA: Dina was the attacker/was a partner in the attack.
???? Any other scenario???

Police News Release
The Raleigh Police Department continues to investigate the assault of Kathy Taft that resulted in serious injury. At this point, the investigation has not determined whether or not the assault, which occurred at 2710 Cartier Drive, was a random act. The department is reminding the public to remain alert and is asking residents to report any suspicious activity by immediately calling 911. Police patrols have been increased in the area.
Anyone with information pertaining to the assault of Kathy Taft, or anyone who believes they may have seen or heard anything unusual in or near the 2700 block of Cartier Drive between Friday night and Saturday morning, is asked to call Raleigh CrimeStoppers at 919-834-HELP.

http://www.witn.com/wakecountytriangle/headlines/86752047.html

 

[Noway]

School Board To Honor Taft
The Pitt County Board of Education is scheduled to vote to formally honor the late Kathy Taft Monday.
Posted: 4:25 AM Mar 15, 2010

Reporter: Heather King

The Pitt County Board of Education is scheduled to formally honor the late Kathy Taft Monday.

Taft was buried in Greenville Saturday, one week after she was found badly beaten at the home of her friend, John Geil, in Raleigh. She died at the hospital Tuesday. Taft served on the Pitt County Board of Education from 1990 to 1996 before her appointment to the State Board of Education.

The resolution the board will consider Monday notes that at her final meeting on the Pitt County Board of Education, she challenged fellow board members to remember that "nothing was as important as the children."

Police in Raleigh continue to investigate Taft's murder. Detectives say they are still working to determine whether the attack was a random act of violence.

http://www.witn.com/education/headlines/87638737.html

 

[Just the Fax]

Is an autopsy always done in a case like this one? After all of the invasive procedures done in the hospital, would it still be done? I am not sure I heard of an estimated time of the assault. This would possibly be determined by the color of any bruising, although with her medical procedure, and any subsequent bruising, this would be difficullt to pinpoint. I am also interested in knowing who the surgeon was. (Like everyone else!) I am sure toxicology tests were done on her admission to the hospital, as well as x-rays, CT or MRI scans. I think the Raleigh PD have done a great job of keeping the lid on things, despite people like me who want to sort out every possible piece of the puzzle. Is anyone else out there having a problem with motive? I know it is not needed, if a crime is proven to be committed by someone, but I am always intrigued by what it might be. So, while I am appreciating the intelligence of the investigation, I am also one of those "pain in the neck" types who wishes she had all of the information that is being kept quietly covered.

I heard she had the facial surgery in Durham, not Raleigh.

 

[zelmajane]

http://www.reflector.com/content/kathy-taft-hospitalized-raleigh-26125

Found this message board from the Greenville paper with some pretty brazen comments on it. Thought y'all would find it interesting.

 

[zelmajane]

I bet she had eyelid surgery. Look at her right eye. It is very, very common. My own mother will have to have it soon, and she isn't quite Ms. Taft's age.

Long time contact wearers tend to have problems from years of eyelid stretching. I have no idea if she wore contacts.

It would also make sense that she went to Durham to have this done (As Just The Fax suggested). Duke Eye Center possibly?


Picture from the N&O

She was beautiful

Edit: Also, in my experience with this class of people in NC, they tend to hide their surgeries from friends. Personally, I'd have surgery in Greenville, because it is one of the best hospitals to keep from getting later infections (unlike Duke and UNC hospitals), but she knows too many people there and her ex husband has probably sued half of them. Therefore, you go somewhere else to have surgery.

 

[Noway]

I heard she had the facial surgery in Durham, not Raleigh.

They are not that far from each other. When I suspected she'd had plastic surgery, I started looking at plastic surgeons in the Raleigh area and saw that some referred to their "Raleigh / Durham practice". (See all 727 results for plastic surgeons with office in/near Durham, NC )

Her surgeon examined her at WakeMed ...

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7205601/

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.

 

[Noway]

I was reading the guest book entries at the obituary website -- she seemed to be very well-liked. It's hard to imagine someone she knew doing this.

 

[zelmajane]

They are not that far from each other. When I suspected she'd had plastic surgery, I started looking at plastic surgeons in the Raleigh area and saw that some referred to their "Raleigh / Durham practice". (See all 727 results for plastic surgeons with office in/near Durham, NC )

Her surgeon examined her at WakeMed ...

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7205601/

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.

I forget everyone in this thread doesn't know where we're talking about!

Sorry.

Durham and Raleigh are often called Raleigh-Durham by people not from the area. The airport is Raleigh-Durham Airport, or RDU.

If you live there, no one says they live in Raleigh-Durham. You live in Raleigh, or Durham, or Cary, even now I hear people say they live in "Brier Creek," which is a community between Raleigh and Durham on Hwy 70. (Glenwood Ave is also Hwy 70)

The triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) has some of the best hospitals in the US.

 

[Noway]

I now live in a rural state in a rural area, and there are miles and miles of empty spaces between cities/towns.

But I used to live in the D.C./Virginia area and wonder if the Raleigh-Durham area is like that -- where you wouldn't realize you left one city and entered another if it weren't for a sign saying Welcome to _________?

LOL considering there are over 700 plastic surgeons in that area (Raleigh-Durham) I imagined that it was.

 

[Noway]

Just the Fax, in your post 118, you mentioned "2- Nothing stolen and purse in plain view" and I wondered if you had a source for that information. TIA

I'm watching videos now and noted that 2710 Cartier does not have a door that opens onto Cartier, but the backdoor leads into the wooded area and the path.

Description of 2710 Cartier

The house that was broken into on Wayland backs up to Cartier.

Break-in on Wayland

 

[zelmajane]

I now live in a rural state in a rural area, and there are miles and miles of empty spaces between cities/towns.

But I used to live in the D.C./Virginia area and wonder if the Raleigh-Durham area is like that -- where you wouldn't realize you left one city and entered another if it weren't for a sign saying Welcome to _________?

LOL considering there are over 700 plastic surgeons in that area (Raleigh-Durham) I imagined that it was.

Yes. Exactly like this.

There is a fairly seamless transition between Raleigh > Durham > Chapel Hill. Also Raleigh/Cary (I only point out Cary because of its recent high publicity crimes).

Now if you go east of Raleigh, it becomes obviously more rural.

A side note (funny at that): A lot of people in Eastern NC still refer to Raleigh like they do on "The Andy Griffith Show." "I have to go to Ralllleeee this week." The big city. Where you get business done. It is really funny.