GA - Katherine Janness, 40, fatally stabbed and dog killed, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, 28 Jul 2021 #4

[Periwinkl3]

Cobb county is not involved. It is Atlanta Police and Fulton County.

Bump

The letters are definitely important IMO as to their meaning to the killer. Solving the 'code' of them would get LE closer to an arrest, IMO. But such a wide range of possibilities. Dotr suggests several possibilities I had not thought of.
Also, standouts to me, the description of 'A' in the autopsy report with the horizontal line actually a pretty deep stab wound. IIRC about 1-1/2" deep.
The 'T' more confounding due to the horizontal line longer than verticle lines...the autopsy states two parallel lines to form the verticle part of the 'T' caused me & others to think of the pi symbol.
JMO

Or maybe the killer was unable to finish carving the word FATE, which would only have needed two more horizontal lines.

 

[Cowabunga02]

Or maybe the killer was unable to finish carving the word FATE, which would only have needed two more horizontal lines.

I don’t know how difficult it would be to cut letters into a body, but IMO, perhaps the letters aren’t what people think they are due to that challenge? Maybe still three letters, but different than has been suggested. A human body is not an immovable slate on which to write clearly. I so hope we hear good news soon!!!

 

[DeDee]

MHOO
It may be more likely, than not, if the killer knew Katherine through the restaurant and pub business, that they may also have access to some of the finest culinary tools available. By example, a kitchen employee may own the sharpest fillet knives; perhaps even sharpened them before the task.

It is common for those in the culinary world to possess a cloth pouch for storing their many and varied knives so they don't dull, ding or clang together but are rolled in the cloth and tied in the center. I don't feel having access to a very sharp knife was an issue.

J Morgan Scott stated the blade would need to be connected and forged with the handle in one solid piece for strength and endurance or it may have broken. Since it does not appear that the knife's blade broke, this killer made certain the style of knife selected was the most perfect one for this task. Control over the body and the knife was essential.

Just as a skilled surgeon is capable of making a perfectly straight incision when performing an operation, the killer could, similarly, etch letters through the skin with a sharp blade. How deeply cut were the etched letters? Although she bled to death, Katie also suffered terribly from a Ninja-like assault judging from the amount of blunt force trauma on her body.

* Sensitive material * - * Caution *

"Janness suffered more than 50 stab wounds to her head, neck, chest, abdomen, back, hands and arms as well as blunt force injuries to her face, neck, hands, arms and legs. Her cause of death was listed as "sharp force injuries of the face, neck and torso" — which included her throat being slit. Her face alone had been slashed 15 times; she had a deep slash from the bottom of her rib cage to the top of her pelvic mound, around which the killer carved the letters "F," "A" and "T." <> She had also been stabbed in the back at least 25 times, including 14 times in the area of one of her tattoos."

Woman Killed With Dog In Atlanta Was Stabbed 50 Times, Had 'F A T' Carved on Chest | Oxygen Official Site

 

[Cowabunga02]

MHOO
It may be more likely, than not, if the killer knew Katherine through the restaurant and pub business, that they may also have access to some of the finest culinary tools available. By example, a kitchen employee may own the sharpest fillet knives; perhaps even sharpened them before the task.

It is common for those in the culinary world to possess a cloth pouch for storing their many and varied knives so they don't dull, ding or clang together but are rolled in the cloth and tied in the center. I don't feel having access to a very sharp knife was an issue.

J Morgan Scott stated the blade would need to be connected and forged with the handle in one solid piece for strength and endurance or it may have broken. Since it does not appear that the knife's blade broke, this killer made certain the style of knife selected was the most perfect one for this task. Control over the body and the knife was essential.

Just as a skilled surgeon is capable of making a perfectly straight incision when performing an operation, the killer could, similarly, etch letters through the skin with a sharp blade. How deeply cut were the etched letters? Although she bled to death, Katie also suffered terribly from a Ninja-like assault judging from the amount of blunt force trauma on her body.

* Sensitive material * - * Caution *

I see.

 

[Pandasleuth2]

The letters are definitely important IMO as to their meaning to the killer. Solving the 'code' of them would get LE closer to an arrest, IMO. But such a wide range of possibilities. Dotr suggests several possibilities I had not thought of.
Also, standouts to me, the description of 'A' in the autopsy report with the horizontal line actually a pretty deep stab wound. IIRC about 1-1/2" deep.
The 'T' more confounding due to the horizontal line longer than verticle lines...the autopsy states two parallel lines to form the verticle part of the 'T' caused me & others to think of the pi symbol.
JMO

I also thought of the pi sign. What I also questioned, is it possible that there is a fraternity or sorority with FA and Pi or Phi? Maybe the killer has a college connection. Or someone she met?

Even though I still believe LE has the one or (probably two) suspects, they just are building their bulletproof case, like someone else mentioned.

 

[realanastasia]

Or maybe the killer was unable to finish carving the word FATE, which would only have needed two more horizontal lines.

Great thought, that would make sense (well, as much as anything in this awful and utterly senseless murder can be described as making sense). Building off of your idea, perhaps the long cut represented the letter “I“—the other letters being described as having been inflicted “around” that vertical cut makes me wonder if perhaps the killer was going for the word “FAITH” but did not finish?

 

[Cowabunga02]

Great thought, that would make sense (well, as much as anything in this awful and utterly senseless murder can be described as making sense). Building off of your idea, perhaps the long cut represented the letter “I“—the other letters being described as having been inflicted “around” that vertical cut makes me wonder if perhaps the killer was going for the word “FAITH” but did not finish?

Why do you think, Realanastasia, IYO, a killer would carve ‘faith?’ Seems the polar opposite of an ugly message. Just wondering.

 

[nao]

Moo..since person seems knife friendly . They could taken out vocal cords if dogs throat was cut. Moo

 

[Yemelyan]

I don't have much to add as far as speculation into the carved letters and their possible meaning. But I think that psychologically speaking, cutting a word into the flesh of another person or disfiguring their face is a step beyond what the average person could manage. IMO it could be "easy" to kill someone if you were, say, enraged at them; you might do it without even thinking much, but to take the time to incise a word into their flesh and mutilate the body takes deliberation.

So the fact that this occurred, and during a murder that was committed out in public - the conclusion I draw is that the murderer felt very comfortable in the park, or had absolutely no care about being seen/caught, or both. Someone willing to take such extreme risk would fit a particular profile, I think.

 

[MadisonS]

F A T Could that be a name or acronym for a place, bar, stage, outdoor venue- where KJ might have performed or bartended? Taken photos? An old grudge?
speculation, imo.

Maybe the killer was trying to write 'FATE' and was interrupted. That would explain the second vertical line and extended horizontal line over the T.

 

[AtlantaBourne]

Fat Fate Fait (bad speller) Faith...is the 'F' a letter or symbol...this is all so frustrating to me because I feel it's an important piece of this horrible puzzle. Also could be initials for something. Everyone has great ideas. Wish we knew.
Hope LE does know.
JMOO

 

[fred&edna]

I have a new/different conclusion. Even though the killer/s took some time to actually carve the letters, I believe it was meant to be "TATT"... the first letter is T not F. They weren't very skilled when carving the first letter.

jmo

 

[dotr]

I have a new/different conclusion. Even though the killer/s took some time to actually carve the letters, I believe it was meant to be "TATT"... the first letter is T not F. They weren't very skilled when carving the first letter.

jmo

You might be on to something!

 

[fred&edna]

You might be on to something!

Well, the sad part is... even if I am... it doesn't help in the least.

 

[nao]

Moo..what were her tattoos? I could go look and find that info.......but i am lazy

 

[AtlantaBourne]

Moo..what were her tattoos? I could go look and find that info.......but i am lazy

There was a shark on upper arm, a multi-colored, never been described by ME/LE, on lower back, also a couple more that I can't remember now but I believe on the arm/hand.
EBM to add pic & a raven on upper arm, an open star between thumb & index finger.

 

[realanastasia]

Why do you think, Realanastasia, IYO, a killer would carve ‘faith?’ Seems the polar opposite of an ugly message. Just wondering.

Why? For one, it is a woman’s name, and who knows whether or not anyone of that name was known to KJ or her attacker? Also thought of the word in the context of the killer possibly having known KJ prior to their savage attack on her—maybe they had “faith“ that their path might one day intersect with KJ’s in some significant way?
All just my conjecture, of course—but I think ”faith” is no more or less far-fetched than any other suggestions made here thus far.

O/T but wanted to say that if you wish to tag another member in a post, you can just put the @ before their name and that member will be notified that someone has mentioned them.

 

[nao]

Moo. And the person got stabby with only one of the tatoos....well [email protected] thinking..thanx atlantabourne for info

 

[acutename]

Fat Fate Fait (bad speller) Faith...is the 'F' a letter or symbol...this is all so frustrating to me because I feel it's an important piece of this horrible puzzle. Also could be initials for something. Everyone has great ideas. Wish we knew.
Hope LE does know.
JMOO

maybe the killer's own initials?

 

[Periwinkl3]

Why? For one, it is a woman’s name, and who knows whether or not anyone of that name was known to KJ or her attacker? Also thought of the word in the context of the killer possibly having known KJ prior to their savage attack on her—maybe they had “faith“ that their path might one day intersect with KJ’s in some significant way?
All just my conjecture, of course—but I think ”faith” is no more or less far-fetched than any other suggestions made here thus far.

To that point, and not to sound like a TV detective, but IMO the killer performed this mutilation to make a statement. Someone so repulsive and antisocial probably lacks self-control in other areas. So intending sarcasm or a private joke to add to all the humiliation is not impossible.

The great irony is that the killer(s), who may have wanted to demean and annihilate KJ and a beloved pet, ultimately will be a scourge to their own family, community, and even fellow inmates.