NC - Kathy Taft, 62, Raleigh, 6 March 2010 - #3

[unravelingthemystery]

Boy I would really like to know these facts:
1- was D ever checked for foreign DNA on her intimate areas the day they took KT to hospital??
2- was D ever drug checked the day they took KT to hospital?? we are talking 1st in her purse 2nd an actual drug test?? is that perhaps why it is possible D rested all night before reporting KT ?? could that have been calculated so that drug test would not show up as readily or one would not suspect drugs were involved until they were out of D's system?
3- where were D's whereabouts during the days preceding her caretaking of KT??
4- did D have any chance encounters or lunches w anyone prior to her caretaking??
5- what is the deal with D's husband - who is he, what is their marriage like, how does he fit into all of this. how come no one has even stated his name or if he even attended the funeral. do we even know anything at all about him?? are they even together??
6- did KT have any life ins??
7- did KT & DH own any property together?? if so how was the title listed??
8- does D even have any idea what Paper Moon was about??
9- why is D not showing her face, but professing innocence ?? but again not pleading for the attacker to give "himself" up??
10-KT was obviously a brilliant woman, why would she have had D watch her knowing her past, & not have had a daughter or son watch her, someone a bit more responsible
11- what were the whereabouts of all the other family members, ex husbands, ex boyfriends in the days leading to this event. ???
12- what was the relationship of D's husband & KT - cordial, good, bad??
13- what does D do for income?? does she work? how does she pay her bills?
14- how many times has D been married? not sure but when you google her her name comes up on a site w a guy named Jeff. there is a picture there of a Dina
15- was D actively enrolled in any kind of program such as AA -- ?? if so where did she attend meetings??
16- did KT ever actively give $$ to D to help her out, or help support her?? was D being cut off??

 

[raleighrez]

RALEIGH, N.C. — Investigators have eliminated friends and relatives of Kathy Taft as suspects in the March attack that led to the State Board of Education member's death, sources told WRAL News Tuesday.
Taft, 62, died March 9 at WakeMed, three days after she was attacked in the home of a friend and suffered a severe head injury. Search warrants released last Friday also state that she was sexually assaulted.
A Greenville resident, Taft had undergone neck surgery in Raleigh on March 5 and was recovering at the home of friend John Geil, at 2710 Cartier Drive. Geil was in Florida at the time.
During a search of Geil's home, police seized bed linens, clothing, dishes, computers and items like golf clubs and shotgun barrels that could have been used in an assault, according to a search warrant. Forensic technicians also obtained fingerprints and DNA evidence from the crime scene.
Residents on Cartier Drive said police collected DNA samples from them about three weeks after the attack, which experts said was a way to rule people out as suspects.
Sources said the DNA eliminated Taft's relatives as suspects, including her sister Dina Arnold Holton, who was staying with her in Geil's house. Investigators are now viewing the attack potentially as a random crime, sources said.
Holton, of Oriental, called 911 on the morning of March 6 to report that Taft was unresponsive and that she thought it was a complication from her surgery.
She told the dispatcher that she couldn't get Taft out of bed and that there was "blood everywhere."
Police were called after Taft had been taken to WakeMed, when her surgeon examined her and realized she had been assaulted, sources said. A medical exam at the hospital also turned up evidence of a sexual assault.
Police have said that the attack occurred "some hours before" investigators were called, but the time of the crime hasn't been narrowed down from late March 5 to early March 6.
Investigators also searched Taft's Lexus and Holton's Dodge Durango for clues. The Durango was parked outside a Harris Teeter about a block away after Holton locked her keys inside, according to a search warrant.
The manager of the Harris Teeter told WRAL News that he saw the Durango in the parking lot with the engine running when he arrived for work at 6 a.m. on March 6.
Police took an image off the security video at Harris Teeter that showed a tall man carrying a messenger bag – the man's face couldn't be seen because he wasn't facing the camera – and showed it to store owners in the Glenwood Village Shopping Center as they searched for leads. Several store owners said they didn't recognize the man.
Taft's family has offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information that might help police is asked to call Raleigh Crime Stoppers at 919-834-HELP.
Reporter: Amanda Lamb
Web Editor: Matthew Burns

 

[Prancy]

Good questions, Unravelingthemystery, I really would like to know all the financial questions, such as who had life insurance on her. Was her ex-husband still paying her alimony? Often times there is a money issue at the center. It could have been about big money, so that the little items available in the house were of not interest to the killer. This assuming someone meant to kill her for a speicfic reason.

A regular burglar would have probably taken something of value. Don't serial killers/rapists take souvenirs?

 

[laces]

Did you see that they have arrested a 39 year old man in Chapel Hill for rape at the Carolina Inn? It was just on the news, Channel 11, WTVD

 

[laces]

Remember the cops said they don't know if she was attacked late Friday or sometime Saturday. That seems to imply that DH was indeed out of the house from 11PM until before 3AM. It all adds up to drinking at GG until closing (after 2am). Perhaps she did a couple of quick lines of coke after she saw KT to bed and then headed out around 11?

I guess anything is possible. She just didn't look like a cocaine person to me. Aren't they usually desperately thin?

 

[Prancy]

I guess anything is possible. She just didn't look like a cocaine person to me. Aren't they usually desperately thin?

Not always. Have you ever watched Intervention? They film famlies trying to get their loved ones into rehab. Many of those addicts who are doing crack cocaine are overweight! It's really odd. I was surprised so many drug addicts were heavy.

Most of the thin people are alcoholics. Go figure.

 

[laces]

What are the Odds?

This is turning out to be an extremely unusual crime.

Percentages of Murders using a blunt instrument: approx 5%

Percentages of Murders where a sexual assault takes place: approx 1-2%

Now, Factor in these things:

Odds of the whole attack and departure taking place while the sister took a quick trip to Harris Teeter.

Odds of money and purses not being taken.

Odds of the sister being in small second floor bedroom and not hearing the rape and murder in the room next door.

Odds of one room being selected over the other by the intruder.

Odds of being raped the night of surgery.


/

Welcome and thanks for lining this up....

 

[Prancy]

Did you see that they have arrested a 39 year old man in Chapel Hill for rape at the Carolina Inn? It was just on the news, Channel 11, WTVD

Here's another source. It sounds very interesting.

http://www.dailytarheel.com/

 

[laces]

I wonder where the Alvin Ailey company was during the first week of March. I know they travel pretty quickly....anybody have any news on this?.......Nah. looks like they were in california on March 4. That would be a pretty fast turnaround. Just wondering if this is a local man hired in the area, or if he travels with the dance troupe.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

John M. Geil, a Raleigh lawyer
is he a criminal defense attorney?
If he is, i wonder how many persons he was representing that dealt with drugs, and if possible sister had any involvement with one? Or perhaps someone he represented didnot care for his defense?

Life insurance, whom was the beneficiary on the policy?

normally one whom locks there keys in car, does so after turning it off.
unless they were letting it warm up, before driving off, and locked them in the vehicle. If she had on star, which i assume she did not, they could have opened it for her automatically?
seems strange she had no spare key?

Just started reading about this case, and have not read all, so if the above has already been answered, i apologize for asking again.

THE ABOVE ALL MOO AND SPECULATION ON MY PART, NOTHING FACTUAL OR FOR CERTAIN UNLESS OTHERWISE KNOWN TO BE.
​

 

[Prancy]

I wonder where the Alvin Ailey company was during the first week of March. I know they travel pretty quickly....anybody have any news on this?

Good question. I'l check it out. It's funny though. It looks as if WTVD's mug shot of this guy is different from the mugshot in the dailytarheel. ???

 

[CocoChanel]

Did you see that they have arrested a 39 year old man in Chapel Hill for rape at the Carolina Inn? It was just on the news, Channel 11, WTVD

Interesting, but probably not related, you think? I'm not very good at knowing where to look for statistics online, but found that there were 95 reported rapes in Raleigh in 2008 (same number in 2007). Any reason we should look at this one in Chapel Hill any closer than any of the other 8 (average per 30-day period) that may have occurred in the month surrounding the murder of KT? Just wondering and eager to learn....

 

[Prancy]

Interesting, but probably not related, you think? I'm not very good at knowing where to look for statistics online, but found that there were 95 reported rapes in Raleigh in 2008 (same number in 2007). Any reason we should look at this one in Chapel Hill any closer than any of the other 8 (average per 30-day period) that may have occurred in the month surrounding the murder of KT? Just wondering and eager to learn....

I'm just grasping at straws at this point. I don't know any details about this recent rape in Chapel Hill. I hope someone in LE is looking at the MO and trying to get something going.

 

[caryresident]

Hi everyone...I am new to the board but have been following this story from the beginning.
I have thought all along that the theory of DH bringing someone back to the house was a good possibility. One thing that doesnt make sense is why the killer would have left DH alone. If the killer met DH and she brought him back to the house then why would the killer leave the one person who could id him. That doesnt add up to me.
Another senerio that I thought about was DH brought someone back home and in her intoxication starts to reveal her true feelings for KT. And as the emotions grew heavier she convinced him to help her kill her. Far-fetched? maybe. but what about this case is normal?
Did anyone else see the interview with DH on the Greenville station last night? (I ahave looked everywhere and cannot find a link--I am not even sure which station I was watching)
In this interview DH refuse to show her face on camera (which seemed weird to me). She stated that she was not a suspect and was never treated as a suspect by the RPD. She also said that KT was her best friend and "soulmate" (weird again). I realize sisters love each other but I have never heard anyone refer to their sister as their "soulmate".

I have looked for video but can't find the interview. I woulld love to see it.

 

[laces]

Glad to have your thoughts. We've talked about the keys being locked in the car, and I am an expert on this topic! I've done it. With the car running, (it's pretty quiet when idling) all someone has to do is distract me, and i will manually lock my door and jump out, with the car in park. If i am REALLY off my game, I will not even notice I have done it until i come back to get my car. And as for having a spare? Sure, 9 out of 10 times it is back at the house....so you see, some of us are not as gifted as others in the common sense department. I've done it twice all by myself, was busy thinking about what i was about to do, instead of what i was doing. Another time, someone else was driving, and when we were about ready to get out of the car, i focused on something else, distracted the driver, :bang: and locked all the doors. We didn't notice until we got back to the car later. Duh!

 

[jmt707]

I found this page that contains lots of little details. http://lostnmissing.hqforums.com/view-next-topic-vt775.html?view=next

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Glad to have your thoughts. We've talked about the keys being locked in the car, and I am an expert on this topic! I've done it. With the car running, (it's pretty quiet when idling) all someone has to do is distract me, and i will manually lock my door and jump out, with the car in park. If i am REALLY off my game, I will not even notice I have done it until i come back to get my car. And as for having a spare? Sure, 9 out of 10 times it is back at the house....so you see, some of us are not as gifted as others in the common sense department. I've done it twice all by myself, was busy thinking about what i was about to do, instead of what i was doing. Another time, someone else was driving, and when we were about ready to get out of the car, i focused on something else, distracted the driver, :bang: and locked all the doors. We didn't notice until we got back to the car later. Duh!

I found this page that contains lots of little details. http://lostnmissing.hqforums.com/view-next-topic-vt775.html?view=next

tax and divorce attorney John M. Geil
​

divorce attorney!?

Being a divorce attorney can be a dangerous job from time to time.
But Im sure LE has already looked at this angle also.
If a disgruntled ex client sought revenge upon the lawyer, because of a bad outcome from a divorce proceeding.?


​

 

[GhostGhost]

A friend that is tied in to LE in N.C. big time just told me that DH says she parked her car in the Harris Teeter parking lot on Friday afternoon.


I know this guy. I've seen him in the middle of a table of SBI agents eating on more than one occasion.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Glad to have your thoughts. We've talked about the keys being locked in the car, and I am an expert on this topic! I've done it. With the car running, (it's pretty quiet when idling) all someone has to do is distract me, and i will manually lock my door and jump out, with the car in park. If i am REALLY off my game, I will not even notice I have done it until i come back to get my car. And as for having a spare? Sure, 9 out of 10 times it is back at the house....so you see, some of us are not as gifted as others in the common sense department. I've done it twice all by myself, was busy thinking about what i was about to do, instead of what i was doing. Another time, someone else was driving, and when we were about ready to get out of the car, i focused on something else, distracted the driver, :bang: and locked all the doors. We didn't notice until we got back to the car later. Duh!

I have done it myself over the years....
But i would not just leave it running for hours without doing something to retrieve the vehicle.......from what i could tell, it was only a block or so away from the home.......she could of walked home, got a spare if there was one, or if it had a alarm system, she could have gotten the spare alarm key to press and open the door.

random attacked?
could be, if that was the only motive.
so far from what i read, nothing seemed to be stolen from inside the home.
someone just went in, perform some sex act, struck her with the intent to kill her.......which is strange, if killing her was the main motive, the killer would have, and i am assuming here, would have MADE SURE, she was dead before leaving, but they didnot, which seems like a amautuer may have commited this crime, someone whom mayhave never committed this type of crime, but did this time, and so far they have not been able to match the DNA they recovered with anyone, and perhaps that is because the person has not been convicted of a violent crime that would have made it mandatory for a DNA sample on record.

If this was premeditated, there must had been a motive, a reason to attack this person in the home that night.
The killer got lucky, for she was not able to speak and explain what happened on that night, or this case would have been solved.
​

 

[ladyofthelake]

Boy I would really like to know these facts:
1- was D ever checked for foreign DNA on her intimate areas the day they took KT to hospital??
2- was D ever drug checked the day they took KT to hospital?? we are talking 1st in her purse 2nd an actual drug test?? is that perhaps why it is possible D rested all night before reporting KT ?? could that have been calculated so that drug test would not show up as readily or one would not suspect drugs were involved until they were out of D's system?
3- where were D's whereabouts during the days preceding her caretaking of KT??
4- did D have any chance encounters or lunches w anyone prior to her caretaking??
5- what is the deal with D's husband - who is he, what is their marriage like, how does he fit into all of this. how come no one has even stated his name or if he even attended the funeral. do we even know anything at all about him?? are they even together??
6- did KT have any life ins??
7- did KT & DH own any property together?? if so how was the title listed??
8- does D even have any idea what Paper Moon was about??
9- why is D not showing her face, but professing innocence ?? but again not pleading for the attacker to give "himself" up??
10-KT was obviously a brilliant woman, why would she have had D watch her knowing her past, & not have had a daughter or son watch her, someone a bit more responsible
11- what were the whereabouts of all the other family members, ex husbands, ex boyfriends in the days leading to this event. ???
12- what was the relationship of D's husband & KT - cordial, good, bad??
13- what does D do for income?? does she work? how does she pay her bills?
14- how many times has D been married? not sure but when you google her her name comes up on a site w a guy named Jeff. there is a picture there of a Dina
15- was D actively enrolled in any kind of program such as AA -- ?? if so where did she attend meetings??
16- did KT ever actively give $$ to D to help her out, or help support her?? was D being cut off??

Excellent! Excellent questions!:dance: