VA VA - Katelin Akens, 19, Springfield, 5 Dec 2015 #3

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

truthfinder2019 said:
New to this thread thus apologies if I’m reposting sth which was posted before (i’venread as much as I could on the various pages)
Puzzling Text Messages: What Happened to Katelin Akens?
Click to expand...
LE is "adamant" that the stepfather is not a "person of interest" anymore? I wonder if that is true or if this is the writer's interpretation.

One of the things that bugs me is the implication that the stepfather wrote those texts. One of them states that Katelin cheated on her fiancee and then the story comes out that may have happened. Whoever wrote the text appears to know about the events the night before - if it wasn't Katelin that wrote them. Is the stepfather a person she would have confessed that to? I don't have an answer or theory on that question. I can see a possible answer for either a 'Yes' or 'No'.
 
JnRyan said:
LE is "adamant" that the stepfather is not a "person of interest" anymore? I wonder if that is true or if this is the writer's interpretation.
Click to expand...

I think it's a poor interpretation by the writer, based off the premise in the article "And yet, the police has been adamant for years that he’s not a person of interest anymore." I've never heard police publicly say he's a POI or suspect -- or ever say he's not. I have read where they expressed frustration he stopped cooperating with the investigation. In VA a body isn't needed to bring charges -- there is precedent to it. At the least, I'm perplexed how he wasn't brought up on obstruction or abduction charges when the phone pings clearly weren't where he said they were. I think it's a case of law enforcement doing a poor job on early follow-up and getting a search warrant, and he doing a better job of staying quiet and getting a lawyer. He had plenty of time to get rid of any evidence before a search was done.
 
TammyinVA said:
Whoever had access to her phone could likely have known this if she was messaging about it.
Click to expand...
That is one of my thoughts. But could her phone have been locked and password protected? I know some who don't use their fingerprint and instead rely on the pattern trace. And even if someone did access her phone this would assume she already texted or otherwise communicated with someone about the events the night before. So for me it is two questions when I go in that direction: Who could access her phone? AND would the text to Kevin be that obvious on the phone? On that second one I don't know how many text contacts Katelin has or how many she sends out. Of course, I am assuming the communication was a text and not some other means such as a FB message. To the best of my knowledge her cell phone has never been found. And most carrier's have records of what cell number was accessed for a text, but not the contents of the text itself.
 
TammyinVA said:
I think it's a poor interpretation by the writer, based off the premise in the article "And yet, the police has been adamant for years that he’s not a person of interest anymore." I've never heard police publicly say he's a POI or suspect -- or ever say he's not. I have read where they expressed frustration he stopped cooperating with the investigation. In VA a body isn't needed to bring charges -- there is precedent to it. At the least, I'm perplexed how he wasn't brought up on obstruction or abduction charges when the phone pings clearly weren't where he said they were. I think it's a case of law enforcement doing a poor job on early follow-up and getting a search warrant, and he doing a better job of staying quiet and getting a lawyer. He had plenty of time to get rid of any evidence before a search was done.
Click to expand...
I'm leaning in that direction that it is the writer's interpretation but the writer's source - LE? or previous media articles? - is not clear in the article. The cell phone pings may not be enough and it may not be LE's decision, but the commonwealth's attorney decision as to what charges should be made and even to do it. No body cases can be done, but there usually is some biological evidence to substitute. Virginia's first case was Gina Hall, but LE found significant blood at the scene. Even in Alexis Murphy's case LE found biological evidence in Randy Taylor's trailer that there was at least a violent struggle and it didn't take them long to find the crime scene. (But Taylor was a convicted felon and access to his trailer and vehicle was much easier due to that fact.) If Katelin was murdered it doesn't appear as if LE can find a crime scene. Of course, one of the stepfather's two properties was apparently never searched for legal reasons since he was not the occupant. I wonder if LE and the CA tried to get a SW for it and were turned down by the judge.
 
JnRyan said:
I'm leaning in that direction that it is the writer's interpretation but the writer's source - LE? or previous media articles? - is not clear in the article. The cell phone pings may not be enough and it may not be LE's decision, but the commonwealth's attorney decision as to what charges should be made and even to do it. No body cases can be done, but there usually is some biological evidence to substitute. Virginia's first case was Gina Hall, but LE found significant blood at the scene. Even in Alexis Murphy's case LE found biological evidence in Randy Taylor's trailer that there was at least a violent struggle and it didn't take them long to find the crime scene. (But Taylor was a convicted felon and access to his trailer and vehicle was much easier due to that fact.) If Katelin was murdered it doesn't appear as if LE can find a crime scene. Of course, one of the stepfather's two properties was apparently never searched for legal reasons since he was not the occupant. I wonder if LE and the CA tried to get a SW for it and were turned down by the judge.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of missing woman Altria executive Leyla Namiranian. Her ex-boyfriend Michael Edwards was convicted of 2nd degree murder in VA in 2016 and sentenced to 30 years, even though no biologicals were found of him ever being present in her house or her in his car. A man she knew from work shared he was at her house until close to midnight, and she disappeared after that -- putting her house as the last place she was seen and as she failed to show for work the next day. Conviction was upheld under appeal in 2017. No signs of a struggle. There was a blanket presumed to be missing from her couch as a blanket was on just one side of it, that was all...so it was the suspected crime scene...but no evidence of it. Some blood was found in his car trunk but it wasn't a lot and could not be conclusively tied to her. He was convicted due to circumstantial evidence, mainly in that his phone pinged in an area near her house and he lied about where he was that night. Plus, there was a diary where she wrote she was afraid of him and a friend who said she shared he was abusive -- he had motive. Perhaps that's the problem here -- no known motive.

Edit: they also retrieved duct tape, a bottle of 409 cleaner, Clorox and towels from his trunk. In fairness though -- I sometimes have duct tape and cleaning supplies in my car. They come in handy. Although no blood! Unfortunately, the stepdad was smart to have lawyered up and stopped talking before he dug himself deeper. Still...he was the last person she was seen with and neither he or she are on camera where he says he dropped her off at...and phone pings tell a completely different story of the one he gave...and he didn't show to work afterwards. I'm perplexed how that's not enough to get an abduction indictment.
 
Last edited:
I'll add what still sticks out to me is how her mother said the texts weren't written like how she wrote. As the years have passed, we've seen more cases of this coming up. Texting has a signature style. I'm someone who writes paragraphs practically in one text. If her phone had been password protected I'd imagine under duress someone would give it up. I'd been on the fence about the step-dad until I'd read he was the only one who didn't call/text her after she was missing to check on her. He didn't need to know where she was, b/c he already knew.
 
I grew up off of River Road and would pass by the spot the luggage was discarded every day anytime going to or from my house. I moved away shortly after Katelin's disappearance but I thought of the case all the time back then as I was reminded of it every day driving by the spot. Every so often I google hoping they've had a break in the case. Really hope the FBI getting involved will turn a new page on this case.
 
UPDATE: Katelin Akens | Crime Junkie Podcast
In this update episode, Ashley gets the chance to talk to Lisa, Katelin Akens’ mom, about Katelin’s case. And as you’ve all been asking, what about Katelin’s step-father?

Katelin Akens

Search continues for missing 19-year-old last seen in Virginia six years ago

On Dec. 7, 2015, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) found a piece of blue luggage in a roadside ditch. It was unzipped, had a missing wheel, and was empty aside from a wallet found inside that had identification belonging to Akens.

I have read repeatedly that her luggage had nothing missing besides some clothes and her diploma. Turns out everything was gone?

Last but not least... two videos filmed by the FBI. One featuring her mother, one featuring her sister. I am not a person who cries about my work (cases) normally, but the video with her sister made me lose it for some reason. I hate this case. I hate it. We ALL know what happened, and whoever said it is reminiscent of Josh Powell, you sure are right. It's infuriating. Very smart of Katelin's mom to put the billboard where the stepdad AND his coworkers will see it every. single. day. Genius work really. I hope the FBI helps her a lot more than the local police have. I'm furious this case is still "unsolved" 6 years later.

 

Attachments

  • katelin-michelle-akens.pdf
    206.1 KB · Views: 0
kelsie said:
UPDATE: Katelin Akens | Crime Junkie Podcast
In this update episode, Ashley gets the chance to talk to Lisa, Katelin Akens’ mom, about Katelin’s case. And as you’ve all been asking, what about Katelin’s step-father?

Katelin Akens

Search continues for missing 19-year-old last seen in Virginia six years ago

On Dec. 7, 2015, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) found a piece of blue luggage in a roadside ditch. It was unzipped, had a missing wheel, and was empty aside from a wallet found inside that had identification belonging to Akens.

I have read repeatedly that her luggage had nothing missing besides some clothes and her diploma. Turns out everything was gone?

Last but not least... two videos filmed by the FBI. One featuring her mother, one featuring her sister. I am not a person who cries about my work (cases) normally, but the video with her sister made me lose it for some reason. I hate this case. I hate it. We ALL know what happened, and whoever said it is reminiscent of Josh Powell, you sure are right. It's infuriating. Very smart of Katelin's mom to put the billboard where the stepdad AND his coworkers will see it every. single. day. Genius work really. I hope the FBI helps her a lot more than the local police have. I'm furious this case is still "unsolved" 6 years later.

Click to expand...
@kelsie Very well said. I hate this case too. It's eaten at me for 6 years. I'm thrilled the FBI has joined in and I'm hoping and praying for some resolution for Katelin and her family. I'm also hoping that justice will be served (hopefully with a VERY long prison sentence).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is DeKalb County John Doe (2022)?

Members online

... and 136 more.
Total: 2,342 (members: 137, guests: 2,205)

Online statistics

Members online
137
Guests online
2,205
Total visitors
2,342
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
601,866
Messages
18,130,970
Members
231,164
Latest member
mel18
Back
Top