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

[Just the Fax]

I have been following along here also... searching for reasons, explanations, and answers for such a tragedy. Hearing very little about the investigation, many are searching. Knowing Kathy and her family makes it even more difficult to understand how/why it happened. Word was spread around here (eastern NC) on Monday that her sister was going to be charged, but the week is ending and that hasn't happened. That is a horrible rumor if not true but how could the truth..no matter what it turns out to be..be anything but horrible?

Based on what I have been hearing, I would not be the least bit surprised if her sister is eventually indicted. Did Kathy's neck lift to enhance her already good looks send Dina into a jeolous rage?

Per family friend: "A huge section of her skull was severed to tiny bone fragments and the blow was so severe that it penetrated the brain to the core(the brain stem)"

 

[crocus]

Well, really, this is just stunning if suppositions about the sister prove to be true. But......it's really disconcerting that LE and the State has slammed the door shut on this case so fast so as to keep everything silent and under wraps. Is it because of KT's position and her connections to the political community? If I were living in that neighborhood, I would be very disturbed, and pizzed that no info was forthcoming.

 

[SuziQ]

Sounds like this is going to be more tragic than it already is. I send prayers and strength to all that loved Kathy.

 

[SuziQ]

Thank you to all locals joining us to share their experiences.

 

[diphi]

Well, really, this is just stunning if suppositions about the sister prove to be true. But......it's really disconcerting that LE and the State has slammed the door shut on this case so fast so as to keep everything silent and under wraps. Is it because of KT's position and her connections to the political community? If I were living in that neighborhood, I would be very disturbed, and pizzed that no info was forthcoming.

BBM

IMO, most definitely. She was very highly connected. For example, the wife of Wake County's DA served on the state board with KT.

 

[Just the Fax]

Hi everyone. I have been following along here. I joined Websleuths.com after the Nancy Cooper tragedy and I headed right back here once I learned of the Kathy Taft murder. My Mom lives in Goldsboro, NC and works with a woman from Greenville, NC. My Mom's work friend has many acquaintances that were personal friends w/ Kathy Taft (my Mom, the friend, Kathy Taft are/were all about the same age - in their 60s). My Mom knows I've been following the case. Tonight my Mom told me that her work friend told her today, " The word on the street in Greenville is that the sister had a history of mental illness". Of course I wanted to know more about the sister, so my Mom said she would get more information on the tomorrow. Very disturbing.

You 'hear' all sorts of rumors out there, especially when official information is basically nil. I heard from someone in Greenville that Dina had a drinking problem and the 2 were not especially close. Then just yesterday someone close said there is no way Dina is involved....incapable of such a cruel act. It's hard to know what to believe at this point.

If random (doubtful), such an attack reminds me of Ted Bundy bludgeoning Margaret Bowman to death as she slept at Florida State.

 

[dgfred]

Hi everyone. I have been following along here. I joined Websleuths.com after the Nancy Cooper tragedy and I headed right back here once I learned of the Kathy Taft murder. My Mom lives in Goldsboro, NC and works with a woman from Greenville, NC. My Mom's work friend has many acquaintances that were personal friends w/ Kathy Taft (my Mom, the friend, Kathy Taft are/were all about the same age - in their 60s). My Mom knows I've been following the case. Tonight my Mom told me that her work friend told her today, " The word on the street in Greenville is that the sister had a history of mental illness". Of course I wanted to know more about the sister, so my Mom said she would get more information on the tomorrow. Very disturbing.

I'm from Goldsboro too! Pleased to know ya!

Thanks for the insight into the case, very interesting information.

 

[Noway]

I still wonder whether Dina was even in the house when the attack occurred.

If Dina was in the house, did the killer not know that? Why would he leave a potential witness alive?

Could Dina have been the killer? If there was jealousy/hatred between them, would Kathy have asked her sister to stay at the house? Kathy had other family who lived in the Raleigh area, closer than her sister, who lived in Oriental (about 3 hours away). Why not ask one of them? Or a friend? Or could she not trust a friend with the fact that she was recovering from plastic surgery (a neck lift as stated by Just the Fax, which again I believe came from friend source?)

Could Dina have been in cahoots with killer? I don't think so or she would have established an alibi that put her far from the house when the attack occurred.

 

[Noway]

I think if you have a link to the source it can be considered "fact as reported by ____" (which of course may not turn out be fact at all) but if you don't have a link to a source, it is considered "rumor" although some might be "rumor, but from reliable source, a family friend of Kathy Taft" or something like that.

 

[Just the Fax]

I still wonder whether Dina was even in the house when the attack occurred.

If Dina was in the house, did the killer not know that? Why would he leave a potential witness alive?

Could Dina have been the killer? If there was jealousy/hatred between them, would Kathy have asked her sister to stay at the house? Kathy had other family who lived in the Raleigh area, closer than her sister, who lived in Oriental (about 3 hours away). Why not ask one of them? Or a friend? Or could she not trust a friend with the fact that she was recovering from plastic surgery (a neck lift as stated by Just the Fax, which again I believe came from friend source?)

Could Dina have been in cahoots with killer? I don't think so or she would have established an alibi that put her far from the house when the attack occurred.

Cosmetic surgery is not something most people like to disclose, even to their friends. With John in Florida, this was the perfect place to 'hide out' and recover from the procedure. Sounds to me like her sister was the perfect person to stay with her the 1st couple of days, allowing the 'secret' to stay removed from her close friends. Other family? I doubt her college son would have been considered for such duty.

IMO, I think we may find the sister had some 'issues' and killed Kathy in a jealous rage that night.

 

[cluciano63]

I don't think the police would be able to keep so much information back if they truly believed this was a random crime with a killer at large; at least I hope they would not, as that would be a real disservice to the community. Which makes me think it will turn out to be someone she knew, and with the little circumstances we know, may indeed point to the sister. To me, it does indicate a crime of passion (i.e. emotional feelings, not necessarily love-passion) and that leads to a person close to her. And I would guess that the number of people who knew exactly where she was that night is limited.

 

[Prancy]

I am new to this board and have tried to read as many posts on this topic as possible. I hope my comments have not already been stated. If so please forgive me.

We live near the neighborhood where this murder occurred and obviously it has many of us very scared! I have spoken to my neighbors and we are being VERY careful with security just in case it was a random act. I am having a difficult time sleeping. Every sound is frightening. I cannot stop thinking about this case. We had a serial killer murder a girl in her apt. a few years ago and finally he was caught. (Killed himself in custody) I don't like having those fears again. I pray this gets solved soon!

Yesterday I was shopping at a store near the crime scene and the talk there was that 2 people in the family were people of interest. (I don't know if they meant they acted in concert or separately) I won't say who the family members were since this is not confirmed and don't want to post anything that is against the rules of the board.

I also read on another message board, (I don't think I can post that), that the sister had gone out of the house for drinks at a nearby bar, locked her keys in the car and then walked back to the house. If that scenerio is true, it creates many questions.

I think one question that many people are asking is if the sister was in the house at the time of the attack. I have had cosmetic surgery before and remember how I relied on another to be with me constantly that first night. They were constantly arranging my pillows to keep my head elevated, rotating my frozen peas in the freezer, reminding me of my meds, fixing my ginger ale and ice, etc. I cannot for life of me imagine them leaving me to go out for drinks, so that story sounds too wacky to be true IMO. I also had to sleep on the couch for about a week so as to keep my upper body elevated. Sleeping in a bed was not feasible as you need to be propped up, so I would be surprised at one retiring to a bed room the first night after facial surgery.

I know some people who knew the deceased, but I am too embarrassed to call and ask for details. Wouldn't that be considered rude and inappropiate? Tell me I shouldn't do it.

 

[Noway]

Cosmetic surgery is not something most people like to disclose, even to their friends. With John in Florida, this was the perfect place to 'hide out' and recover from the procedure. Sounds to me like her sister was the perfect person to stay with her the 1st couple of days, allowing the 'secret' to stay removed from her close friends. Other family? I doubt her college son would have been considered for such duty.

IMO, I think we may find the sister had some 'issues' and killed Kathy in a jealous rage that night.

But it's not really a secret is it? People just pretend they don't notice the difference. Which I find odd, because if you thought you needed it, wouldn't you want to hear that the results would good?

I would guess this was not her first surgery. JMO

I have known only a handful of people who have had plastic surgery and they were more than willing to share every gross detail.

Makes me want friends like this -- the ones who never admit to it and certainly would not share details. :crazy:

 

[Noway]

Welcome Prancy! I can understand your fear and that of all the residents in that area.

Regarding your statement that her sister had gone out of the house for drinks at a nearby bar, locked her keys in the car and then walked back to the house, that was posted here as well -- that she went to the Glenwood Grill, but then later that was changed to Dina had driven to Harris Teeter grocery store to get dinner for them, locked keys in the car and walked back to the house.

I don't know whether her car was still at the store or whether she had an extra set and returned to the store later to get her car.

See Just the Fax post about the Glenwood Grill.

 

[Just the Fax]

Not checking on Kathy until after 11:30 AM is simply not normal.
Are you kidding me?
Sounds like she either did it late AM after Kathy returned to bed or much earlier and she was waiting on her to die before calling 911 (as Michael Peterson did).

 

[Prancy]

Thanks for the link Noway. They should be able to confirm sister's visit into most stores with video camera, witnesses and/or receipts. I really hope the investigators leave no stone unturned and that they have gathered all the items that could indicate what really happened.

I think the time of the purchase will be telling, whether sister purchased food or alcohol. I would also like to know if the door to the house was left unlocked when sister left. If not, sister would have had to awakened sister to gain entry or had her own key. Was it with her car keys that were locked in her car? So many questions.

 

[Noway]

The blood congealing would have given an estimate of the time of attack. I agree that checking on her for the first time at 11:30 would be very very strange.

But I wasn't sure whether she had not check on her before 11:30 and it was when she checked on her at 11:30 that she became concerned?

I imagine Kathy was pretty well drugged?

 

[Just the Fax]

The blood congealing would have given an estimate of the time of attack. I agree that checking on her for the first time at 11:30 would be very very strange.

But I wasn't sure whether she had not check on her before 11:30 and it was when she checked on her at 11:30 that she became concerned?

I imagine Kathy was pretty well drugged?

The cops stated they were unsure if the attack occurred Friday night or Saturday. That would infer Dina did not check on her before she called 911.

 

[Noway]

If this were a planned murder and Dina were involved as in setting it up so the killer would have access to the house, I would think she (Dina) would have also established an alibi many miles away.

How she got back into the house is a key point. Left unlocked? Locked, but she had her own key? Locked, but there was a key hidden outside?

If there was an outside key somewhere, someone could have seen her get it.

 

[Just the Fax]

If this were a planned murder and Dina were involved as in setting it up so the killer would have access to the house, I would think she (Dina) would have also established an alibi many miles away.

How she got back into the house is a key point. Left unlocked? Locked, but she had her own key? Locked, but there was a key hidden outside?

If there was an outside key somewhere, someone could have seen her get it.

If the sister, I doubt it was planned in advance.

If she just ran to the store for dinner food, I doubt the door was locked, as Kathy would still be up.