AK - Samantha Koenig, 18, Anchorage, 1 Feb 2012 - #1

[z560]

Fuller Malarkey - You may not be out in left field at all. I have long suspected that the victim and/or her father might have gotten wrapped up in some kind of gang activity. I hate to say it because I don't want people to think that I am smearing the victim or anything, but this does seem to have been a pretty sophisticated job. It does not indicate an impromptu abduction or a personal issue.

Maybe she was a witness against a gang member in the past, or about to become a witness against one? Perhaps somebody owed a gang money? I just keep thinking about how her father seems to have a pretty good idea of who might have done this and why. It could be an ex-boyfriend kind of situation but then wouldn't the abduction have been a lot more sloppy?

Anchorage does have a considerable gang problem for a city its size, and they are violent.

 

[deca]

Yes, two. There are pics posted somewhere around here that show it. I don't know if when only one person was working if both windows would be "open" or not. Seems like 2 windows makes sense for 2 people working, but senseless for only one person to move back and forth across the shop. I have no idea about that, though. Would love to have a local in here that has frequented that business and would know about that kind of thing....

We have a similar coffee place here in my town. The reason for two windows is so cars can drive up from either direction. It isn't like a fast food location where the cars weave around to form one line. So at the place here, if you are turning from the street you end up using one window- if you are coming across the parking lot you use the other window. The paved space that the coffee places sit on usually is not very large so it makes it hard for cars to turn around to get in line.Not sure if am explaining this in an understandable way...Anyway, ours also has a smaller, rarely used 3rd window for walk up customers. The place is so small that one person can easily man all windows. I would guess the building is the size of a decent kitchen. No big deal.

I have also closed retail businesses and I can see it being very very slow. So slow that maybe she starts to "pack up" a little before 8. She doesn't close the windows because she doesn't want to get in trouble, but she starts doing some other stuff. Maybe it is slow that getting the windows closed to discourage customers isn't that much of an issue. Anyway, that could give more time for the abduction before boyfriend shows up.

 

[bdawk20]

I agree with Fuller Malarkey that not just anybody would be willing to kidnap a girl for another person.....only maybe a gang member or a serious criminal for serious cash. You know what I hadn't thought of before? What about a gang initiation? I know people do some pretty f'd up things to get initiated into gangs....

 

[Knox]

I wonder if Samantha's father knew about it? Did someone call him for ransom but then the stand called it into the police and messed everything up?

Now I sound like a Hollywood MOvie script.

Not entirely out of the realm of possibility, nor is what dillysmom11 said. Where do you think Hollywood gets their script ideas ... real life presents many stranger than fiction moments

 

[Knox]

Plus, knowing this was a drive-up business, my feeling is that the second the last customer left the window and it hit closing time, the first thing she probably did was board up the windows so nobody else would pull up. I've worked retail and in a veterinary office that accepted walk-ins. I can tell you that in both cases, the first things we would do at closing was lock the doors so you wouldn't have people showing up 10 minutes after you closed and walking in.

Had the same experience in retail, if they can make eye contact with you, they will try to get you to let them in, or in this case, serve them. Boarding up the windows would be the first thing I would do in an environment like this.

 

[Knox]

One other small thing that doesn't make sense: we were told that the whole reason Samantha got a job in this coffee shack was to make money to pay off a new truck she had just bought. Well then why did she need a ride at all? If I just bought a new truck I'd be pretty keen on driving it any chance I got. Maybe she let her boyfriend use it sometimes though, including that night? Anyway it's not a big deal but just something that hasn't made sense to me from the start.

Regarding the boyfriend and his reactions that night, there are a number of possibilities.

First, we don't really know anything about their relationship or the victim, so maybe this was not an uncommon occurrence. It could be that they had a rocky relationship and when the boyfriend was late to pick her up, he figured she got pissed and got a ride from someone else. In a scenario like this her boyfriend might have been ticked and perhaps slightly concerned, but not so afraid as to alert her dad and/or the police.

A second scenario is that he doesn't live with her and her dad and simply assumed that she had gone home. This would explain why neither he nor her dad did anything that night, because perhaps assumed that she was with the other one.

Another scenario, which is admittedly getting a little out there, is that her boyfriend and her dad immediately had an idea of what might have happened to her and why, but did not want to involve the police (at least initially). This would explain why it was the people from Common Grounds who actually reported her missing.

At any rate, it is worth mentioning that the police have said her boyfriend is not a suspect. Whatever his recounting of the events that night was, the cops were apparently satisfied with it.

I think I can answer this. On a facebook page I looked at, Samantha posted pictures of a truck she bought. IIRC, the truck was on a flatbed tow truck. In the first picture it looked like a very new model truck, something every young girl in Alaska would envy. The subsequent picture shows the opposite side of the truck and it is creamed from stem to stern. Not in a way that would be unrepairable. And certainly if you had someone close to you that excelled in body work you could probably buy it for a steal.

What does Sonny do for a living? Anyone know?

 

[bdawk20]

Here's an article with a little more info on what brought about the RO, as well as Samantha herself...

http://www.adn.com/2012/02/06/2303555/police-now-seeking-publics-help.html

 

[SeeingForThe1stTime]

Watching Nancy Grace last night she did a short segment about Samantha's abduction and interviewed Sam's father. He said and I'm paraphrasing that he thought the person that took Sam was doing so for someone that knew Sam. In other words IMO, this might have been a contract type of abduction or a doing someones dirty work.

The transcript for NG's show last night is not yet published when it is I will try and post it.

Did anyone else she the show?

I didn't see the show, but that has been my suspicion since the beginning.

 

[bdawk20]

Here's another article I haven't seen. Really odd quote from some martial arts teacher too:

The martial arts teacher says she is inclined to help, because of something she claims she saw.

"I did witness the same gentleman and the gentleman had the girl in a choke hold walking down Tudor Road."
Whether or not the claim has anything to do with Koenig's case remains to be seen.

What? What "same" gentleman"?

http://www.youralaskalink.com/news/Mom-Pleads-For-Koenigs-Return-138913524.html

 

[Janeumayer]

Seems like LE has had enough time by now with that video, if they were going to be able figure out who the man is, they would have by now...time to get help from the public, IMO. How long are they going to wait?

I have a question: Can a parent of a missing person sue, or get the courts' help in making the video public? Can they obtain the video legally if they think that LE is impairing an investigation? TIA

 

[Knox]

Police talk to potential witnesses in missing barista case

Detectives continue to interview potential witnesses and follow leads in the abduction of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, police say.

"They interviewed a bunch last night," police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said Friday. A lieutenant overseeing the investigation seemed "encouraged" Friday, Parker said. The detectives had not released any further information on the case, he said.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/02/10/2311073/police-talk-to-potential-witnesses.html#storylink=cpy

Perhaps APD should appoint a FBI spokesman for this case. Truthfully, I am less impressed every time I hear Parker speak : \

​

 

[Knox]

The mother of the 18-year-old speaks out in an attempt to bring her daughter home.

"I am the mother of Samantha Koenig, I am pleading for her safe return home, please, who ever has her, please just let her go," said Darlene Christiansen.

For Darlene and her family, day 6 is another day in hell trapped in a surreal nightmare.

"She is loving,she is absolutely beautiful, I don't understand why they would do this to her," exclaimed Darlene." I didn't bring her into this world for someone to harm her, I want her home," Darlene continued.

http://www.youralaskalink.com/news/Mom-Pleads-For-Koenigs-Return-138913524.html

So much has been said about Samantha's Father, I wanted to acknowledge her Mother and the pain and fear she is suffering. I'm sorry any family has to go through something like this.

 

[dillysmom11]

Here's an article with a little more info on what brought about the RO, as well as Samantha herself...

http://www.adn.com/2012/02/06/2303555/police-now-seeking-publics-help.html

It's difficult to quote from my phone. So Samantha- "left the hearing before the magistrate could rule on her case". (paraphrased). Wonder if she was threatened at the courthouse?

 

[Janeumayer]

I think I can answer this. On a facebook page I looked at, Samantha posted pictures of a truck she bought. IIRC, the truck was on a flatbed tow truck. In the first picture it looked like a very new model truck, something every young girl in Alaska would envy. The subsequent picture shows the opposite side of the truck and it is creamed from stem to stern. Not in a way that would be unrepairable. And certainly if you had someone close to you that excelled in body work you could probably buy it for a steal.

What does Sonny do for a living? Anyone know?

Wasn't there some kind of Auto Shop or Dealership nearby? Maybe Samantha knew the people? Didn't she used to work at an Auto shop of some kind too?

ETa Woops, I just read that she worked at a Harley Davidson Store.

 

[z560]

It's difficult to quote from my phone. So Samantha- "left the hearing before the magistrate could rule on her case". (paraphrased). Wonder if she was threatened at the courthouse?

She may have decided that she didn't want to get up there and say out loud what happened to her, especially if there were a lot of people in the courtroom. So it could have been a threat but it also might just be that she was embarrassed (not that she should have been) or just didn't want to publicly relive the moment.

 

[Snowbunny]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there another young girl adbudcted in Anchorage a month or so ago? If so, what is the scoop on that case? Any similarities? Nothing that goes on in Anchorage surprises me any. I remember the hookers walking 5th Street in 1985 and I saw a young woman who was pushing a stroller get stabbed by a guy. I remember staying at the Sheffield House on 5th Street the first night I arrived in town in 1985 and heard gunshots go off that night and I made my mind up right then and there I was going to live on base and not downtown. I rarely stepped foot off that base during the entire 4 years I was stationed there and I had lived in places that had a population over 2 million that didn't frighten me as much as Anchorage did. This young lady could be anywhere but if memory serves me correctly there are only two roads going anywhere out of Anchorage; one heading towards Peters Creek, Eagle River, Wasilla area and the other heading towards Portage Glacier and Seward.

 

[Knox]

She may have decided that she didn't want to get up there and say out loud what happened to her, especially if there were a lot of people in the courtroom. So it could have been a threat but it also might just be that she was embarrassed (not that she should have been) or just didn't want to publicly relive the moment.

The link to a civil protective order I posted the other day has within it a page which needs to be completed and will be forwarded to LE. It's mandatory as part of the filing. It's my impression that LE can then choose to file charges, with or without your consent. Maybe someone with more knowledge can speak to this.

So if a victim chooses to file a protective order in Civil Court rather than going to the police and reporting a sexual assault. But a report is forwarded to them and they can choose to file charges, why file in Civil Court? It's late and I'm tired, maybe I'm missing something? I thought victims of a sexual assault were afforded special considerations to privacy, would they actually state the details of a sexual crime in open court?

 

[dillysmom11]

Knox, the link posted upthread, on this page, has that info. There is a reason apparently.

bdawk20 posted an article with that info.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

I'm po'd that APD isn't releasing the surveillance. So what it doesn't easily show who the perp is BUT it does show how tall he is compared to Samantha, etc. The fact that Nancy Grace said something about his sleeve moving up & exposing caucasion skin tells me the media saw the video - just like some media saw the video of Jennifer Kesse's car being parked & the poi walking away. They didn't release it right away bc le didn't want to jeopardize the case etc. If OPD didn't wait so long to release it, then maybe somebody would have recognized something. Can't APD learn from past mistakes of different le across our country? Nancy Grace wouldn't have released the skin color if she didn't know what she was talking about. The dude is white. So how tall is he, approx weight, hoodie description - is anything on it? Is it zip or pullover? Shoes, boots or sneakers? Ballcap - is it baseball, basketball, NASCAR, golf? Is there anything on it that is distinguishable or is it just a solid color? Pants, sweats, khakis or jeans? Gloves? If so, are they leather or heavier like Thinsulate? Which way did they walk? What type of gun? Handgun I'm assuming? What mm bc cops know a gun from a mile away.

APD release the surveillance. This girl has been missing far too long now.

Since APD knows she was kidnapped at gunpoint, then they most certainly have enough to obtain a warrant to subpoena her cell ping triangulations, calls, texts, vm, Facebook, myspace, twitter, as well as other surveillance from the near block & around the corners. It's not helping the victim at all by not releasing any kind of picture derived from the surveillance.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Knox, how old was Samantha when she reported the assault? If she was under 18 when it happened but 18 when she started the filing, then there's a chance le could hold some culpability if they didn't follow through at the bare minimum by issuing a warning.