GUILTY PA - Dr. Melissa Ketunuti, 35, murdered in her Philly home, 21 Jan 2013

[ScarlettScarpetta]

The Levittown (PA) Patch newspaper is reporting ...

http://levittown.patch.com/articles/jason-smith-s-dna-compared-more-details-on-life-revealed

It's not making me feel any better about living around the corner from him. I have a sick feeling there is much more to this story.

 

[shadowraiths]

In light of his seemingly pathological sexual compulsions, noted here and here, I hope LE confiscated any/all computers he had access to. Am also wondering if anyone knows if he has a FB, myspace, or other such social networking account? As that info could be useful for tracking down what, if any, online footprint (i.e., sex site memberships, etc) the guy may have.

 

[Ausgirl]

rs**

That being said, two things stand out about this case which mark JS as a serial killer: 1) He bound his victim in a manner consistent with sexual sadism. 2) He set her corpse on fire for reasons which are not entirely obvious.

Had JS simply "snapped" during an argument and strangled his victim in a blind rage, there would have been no reason to have hog-tied her. He tied her up in such a way because he found it sexually arousing to control and humiliate his victim in such a way.

What would have motivated JS to set his victim's corpse on fire? Sure, serial killers have a peculiar penchant for pyromania, particularly in their youth, but there was likely a very practical reason for what he did. Most likely, JS, like BTK killer Dennis Rader, masturbated upon his victim before or after he killed her. Thus, he set her corpse on fire in order to destroy the most damaging DNA evidence, namely, his semen.

JS fits the profile of a serial killer on multiple dimensions. Therefore, considering his age, it is likely that this was not his first murder.

Great post, and you've neatly summed up my own take on Smith.

Interesting, the -order- in which he confesses his actions.. he says he killed, then bound, then burned Melissa. I am guessing that (perhaps on advice of his lawyer, perhaps not) he is trying to minimise the attack, and maximise the 'interference with a corpse' angle.

But why hogtie a corpse? It's such total BS. And I agree the binding shows a level of intent far beyond that of a man who 'snapped'.

The parallels with BTK run scarily close. Few people in his life think of him of being a violent or dangerous man, but most agree he was a little "off" in one way or another. He lived his life like a regular citizen, went home to his family after a kill like nothing at all had happened.

He certainly didn't act like a man who had never attacked a woman before.

 

[jjenny]

I do believe that his confession is likely designed to minimize the crime.
The woman was hogtied. If he got angry and choked her, how did she end up hogtied?

 

[bourne]

I think the case for misogyny is a very strong one, and I would bet that a psych evaluation will bear this out. Yes, as he was approaching 40 years of age and recognizing that he was no less utterly dependent upon strong women for support than he was when he was 4 years of age, JS likely grew increasingly resentful of his own incompetence and dependency and was likely feeling psychologically castrated in recent years. I don't think it a mere coincidence that the woman he murdered in the present case just happened to be an extreme example of a strong, uber-competent female, and a doctor at that, though in obvious contrast to her petite, and seemingly vulnerable, physical stature which likely encouraged him to be aggressive with her as much as her social status and spiritual strength infuriated him.

That being said, two things stand out about this case which mark JS as a serial killer: 1) He bound his victim in a manner consistent with sexual sadism. 2) He set her corpse on fire for reasons which are not entirely obvious.

Had JS simply "snapped" during an argument and strangled his victim in a blind rage, there would have been no reason to have hog-tied her. He tied her up in such a way because he found it sexually arousing to control and humiliate his victim in such a way.

What would have motivated JS to set his victim's corpse on fire? Sure, serial killers have a peculiar penchant for pyromania, particularly in their youth, but there was likely a very practical reason for what he did. Most likely, JS, like BTK killer Dennis Rader, masturbated upon his victim before or after he killed her. Thus, he set her corpse on fire in order to destroy the most damaging DNA evidence, namely, his semen.

JS fits the profile of a serial killer on multiple dimensions. Therefore, considering his age, it is likely that this was not his first murder.

Have you ever seen someone go into a blind rage over something very small? It's like a psychotic break -- not that I believe for one second this was temporary insanity because I believe this perp had premeditated/fantasized what it would be like to kill a woman in the outrageous manner before, and specifically brought tools -- tape, rope, torch, etc. -- to do so to Melissa. The first physically violent act is not enough to calm the perp down, so he gets more and more physically aggressive until something has to literally blow up -- either themselves or the person/object they are aggressing against.

I think this perp set off his own ire by misinterpreting Melissa's words, and flew into a psychotic, blind rage. He struck her, but that didn't satisfy his pent-up anger and rage over his inadequacies and his hatred for strong women, so he strangled her. But that wasn't sufficient to satisfy his rage so he ties up her hands and feet. He felt like a vicious, lowly animal himself so he hogties her to make her feel as he does -- a lowly animal.

But when that still didn't quell his rage, he lights her on fire. He wanted to completely obliterate Melissa into smithereens so that she becomes ashes and nothingness -- just like how he must have felt about himself as a loser, a nothing.

I don't think he sexually assaulted her. It was all about obliterating her into an empty void.

 

[Lithloren]

I do believe that his confession is likely designed to minimize the crime.
The woman was hogtied. If he got angry and choked her, how did she end up hogtied?

I agree jjenny. Smith is trying to divert attention away from what really happened.

I cannot find the article now, but in the article the Profiler, (I believe it was a Profiler), stated that in a true rage killing, the body is usually beat up pretty badly. There are no sexual components like the ones we are seeing in this case.

 

[bourne]

I agree jjenny. Smith is trying to divert attention away from what really happened.

I cannot find the article now, but in the article the Profiler, (I believe it was a Profiler), stated that in a true rage killing, the body is usually beat up pretty badly. There are no sexual components like the ones we are seeing in this case.

I disagree. The only thing that looks sexual in this case is the so-called hogtie. He could simply have been binding her up as much as he could to treat her like an animal. Just because he binded her hands and feet doesn't automatically mean he took sexual pleasure in it. I think it was more about degradation and humiliation of the victim than sexual titillation.

According to authorities, she wasn't sexually assaulted and she was fully clothed. There was also no mention of finding semen on her body or anywhere on the crime scene.

If LE finds physical sexual evidence to the contrary, however, I am willing to alter my speculation.

 

[Lithloren]

I disagree. The only thing that looks sexual in this case is the so-called hogtie. He could simply have been binding her up as much as he could to treat her like an animal. Just because he binded her hands and feet doesn't automatically mean he took sexual pleasure in it. I think it was more about degradation and humiliation of the victim than sexual titillation.

According to authorities, she wasn't sexually assaulted and she was fully clothed. There was also no mention of finding semen on her body or anywhere on the crime scene.

If LE finds physical sexual evidence to the contrary, however, I am willing to alter my speculation.

Thanks bourne, there could be a rag in his work bag that he may have deposited the semen in though, but then, I could be totally wrong too.

 

[Filly]

New details on accused killer’s exposure charge

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/b...tails_on_accused_killers_exposure_charge.html

"We have this kind of thing on a daily basis when it comes to people not being able to pass other people," said the trooper, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak about the incident. "We have people tailgate, honk their horns, sometimes throw things. We don't normally have someone who does what Mr. Smith did."

The stuff that don't go on when driving 95? People could write books on it. Flashing somebody because you believe they won't let you pass? Never heard of it or saw it.

Interesting once again it was a woman.

There was already something seriously wrong with this joker. Nobody put the pieces of the puzzle together I guess.

He admitted to the Trooper he did "flash" the woman. So? Like what does one get charged with besides the fine? There's kids in those cars along 95 who could have seen that.

There's one common connection in all of his past history and the sad, senseless murder of a brilliant Doctor. His penis. Sorry I had to say it. He thinks that thing can weild fear, shock and degredation. Point being doing everything except what it is supposed to do.

Sorry if those comments are too bold. He's a freak.

 

[Bonepile]

I can hardly wait to learn what his fellow inmates have in store for him and his equipment in prison.

 

[Lithloren]

I am anxious to see if his DNA is linked to any other crimes. Does anyone know how long that can take?

I am also anxious to see if they found anything on his computer. I know he had a FB page, but I wonder if he visited sites like FetLife. I just cannot bring myself to create an account. I went there, but I clicked on a link that showed different art exhibits and one of them was about "rope art" and I chickened out.

 

[Bonepile]

I am anxious to see if his DNA is linked to any other crimes. Does anyone know how long that can take?

You might find your answer(s) here ...

http://www.esr.cri.nz/competencies/forensicscience/dna/Pages/DNAfaq.aspx

(from 7/23/2012)

 

[Ausgirl]

It'd be pretty darned hard to tell what state the victim's face was in or what fluids may have been left on it - since, you know, he set it on fire...

 

[Filly]

I am anxious to see if his DNA is linked to any other crimes. Does anyone know how long that can take?

I am also anxious to see if they found anything on his computer. I know he had a FB page, but I wonder if he visited sites like FetLife. I just cannot bring myself to create an account. I went there, but I clicked on a link that showed different art exhibits and one of them was about "rope art" and I chickened out.

This guy was too busy attacking women or flashing them I think Lith than to be heading to the art museum or looking online. Heck, even Marcel Duchamp tied stuff up in rope.Gonna bet they find something on that computer though.

 

[Lithloren]

You might find your answer(s) here ...

http://www.esr.cri.nz/competencies/forensicscience/dna/Pages/DNAfaq.aspx

(from 7/23/2012)

ohhh, nice link.

thank you Bonepile.

 

[Lithloren]

This guy was too busy attacking women or flashing them I think Lith than to be heading to the art museum or looking online. Heck, even Marcel Duchamp tied stuff up in rope.Gonna bet they find something on that computer though.

lol, yeah, I am pretty sure he wasn't going to art museums. That just happened to be the only link I was brave enough to click on.

I was just reading about the murder of Noelle Paquette and how her alleged killers were part of that Fetlife community. They were into certain "activities" that they later played out in real life with each other.

One of Tanya Bogdanovich's post to Michael MacGregor was,“Your re introduction of violent rape left me smiling for hours afterwards and I feel all the stress and rage just fade away. I feel so free and unburdened now. Thank you times a thousand,” Lana_Caine continues.

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/0...d-connected-to-rape-obsessed-online-profiles/

There is a ban, so we are not allowed to discuss it. Other than what the media had posted prior to Jan 10.

Her comment about how she felt, "all the stress and rage that just faded away," got me wondering if Smith had an online fantasy that he later played out on Melissa. To, ya know, release all this rage that he has.

 

[Filly]

lol, yeah, I am pretty sure he wasn't going to art museums. That just happened to be the only link I was brave enough to click on.

I was just reading about the murder of Noelle Paquette and how her alleged killers were part of that Fetlife community. They were into certain "activities" that they later played out in real life with each other.

One of Tanya Bogdanovich's post to Michael MacGregor was,“Your re introduction of violent rape left me smiling for hours afterwards and I feel all the stress and rage just fade away. I feel so free and unburdened now. Thank you times a thousand,” Lana_Caine continues.

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/0...d-connected-to-rape-obsessed-online-profiles/

There is a ban, so we are not allowed to discuss it. Other than what the media had posted prior to Jan 10.

Her comment about how she felt, "all the stress and rage that just faded away," got me wondering if Smith had an online fantasy that he later played out on Melissa. To, ya know, release all this rage that he has.

Filly has never heard of this FetLife. Took me about ten minutes to figure it out.

Oh no way are we clicking on links. Oh he** no. However like you said he may have.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Doctor pleaded for her life as she was strangled by exterminator - who sobbingly confessed gruesome murder to police

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...fe-exterminator-killed-her.html#ixzz2Q7odTH38

 

[Indy Anna]

PHILADELPHIA — A pediatrician researching tuberculosis, HIV and other infectious diseases was strangled by an exterminator after she questioned his work and was then tied up with equestrian gear and set on fire, a prosecutor said Wednesday in opening statements at his murder trial.....

Smith bound the physician with her leather riding straps and piled books and papers on top of her before setting her body on fire to cover up the crime, Lim told jurors.

Farrell argued that police coerced a confession out of his client, whom he described as a person of somewhat limited intelligence who had worked for the suburban exterminating company for several years.

Read more at ....

http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/5bb6c50a94d842c5832fac61a070f2fd/US--Pediatrician-Slain


Pleads not guilty

http://patch.com/pennsylvania/levittown/levittown-man-pleads-not-guilty-murder-trial-0

__________________________________

To prosecutors, he is an exterminator who extinguished the life of an independent woman who dedicated her life to caring for ill children, and then set her body on fire to cover up the crime.

To his attorney, he is a victim of circumstance, a laborer targeted by detectives because he was the last person to see 35-year-old Melissa Ketunuti alive, worn down during more than five hours of interrogation into confessing to a crime he did not commit.

On Wednesday, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court jury of six men and six women began hearing what will be several days of evidence before deciding which portrait of Jason Smith to believe.

Read more at.....

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20150507_Defense__Doc_s_alleged_killer_confessed_to__something_he_didn_t_do_.html#t10egBcPPXIu5gPr.99

 

[Indy Anna]

Detective testifies that suspect in strangling knew his rights before confessing


Philadelphia prosecutors will formally close their case Monday in the murder trial of a Bucks County exterminator charged with strangling pediatrician Melissa Ketunuti and setting her body on fire.

Assistant District Attorneys Jennifer Selber and Peter Lim called their final witness Friday, police Homicide Detective Edward Tolliver, who testified about the five-page confession he obtained from Jason Smith on Jan. 24, 2013.

Tolliver was aggressively questioned for almost 90 minutes by defense attorney J. Michael Farrell, who challenged him for questioning Smith for five hours before formally reading Smith his constitutional right to remain silent and have a lawyer, and taking Smith's confession.


Read more at ....

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20150509_M_E___Doctor_was_dead_before_she_was_bound__set_afire.html#mCg4kH6PswY1k5hP.99