Found Deceased WI - Kathleen Ryan, adult, teacher, car found burned with body inside, St. Francis, 2 Feb 2019

[Rosiebones]

Has there been any reports of exploration as to whether this is a hired killing because of the divorce?

 

[kay74]

Why would a robber need / want to shoot her sitting in the passenger seat instead of sitting in the driver seat? What would be the advantage of that? IMO, neither Kathleen nor her car projected an image of affluence. I'd imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to find a more expensively attired, accessorized and bejeweled woman driving a much more expensive car. That type of woman might very well be wearing much more valuable jewelry and carrying more cash. According to reports, Kathleen and her husband were separated and divorcing, so it's likely she wasn't even wearing a wedding and engagement ring. Based on what has been reported, Kathleen's credit cards were not used by anyone else and she was not forced to withdraw money from an ATM. I just don't see any good evidence for a robbery, or a motive for following it with an intense car fire. MOO.

There are carjackings and robberies all over the place. IMO it's druggies desperate for money. She could have been naïve enough to leave her car unlocked while at a rest stop or wherever and this person took advantage of it. That's my opinion. They or him forced her to get into the passenger seat and drove to where they wanted to. I could be wrong, but I can't think of any other scenario.

 

[happyday]

There are carjackings and robberies all over the place. IMO it's druggies desperate for money. She could have been naïve enough to leave her car unlocked while at a rest stop or wherever and this person took advantage of it. That's my opinion. They or him forced her to get into the passenger seat and drove to where they wanted to. I could be wrong, but I can't think of any other scenario.

But if it were a simple carjacking by druggies at a nearby gas station, what happened in those many hours until her car was set on fire in the random driveway. Those many hours are what makes this situation so confusing to me.

 

[kirkassoc]

I didn't know if KR's obituary had been posted. It lists her next of kin, etc.

View Kathleen Ryan's Obituary on fdlreporter.com and share memories

 

[kay74]

But if it were a simple carjacking by druggies at a nearby gas station, what happened in those many hours until her car was set on fire in the random driveway. Those many hours are what makes this situation so confusing to me.

Don't know. Hope LE finds out.

 

[kay74]

I didn't know if KR's obituary had been posted. It lists her next of kin, etc.

View Kathleen Ryan's Obituary on fdlreporter.com and share memories

Great obit. Such clean-cut people.

 

[NervousNellie]

Has there been any reports of exploration as to whether this is a hired killing because of the divorce?

I didn't know if KR's obituary had been posted. It lists her next of kin, etc.

View Kathleen Ryan's Obituary on fdlreporter.com and share memories

I don't remember that we've ever found evidence of a divorce? We've been asking about their relationship with no real answer. I'll have to review the thread to see if I missed it.

From the obituary:

Kathleen married Peter Remington Ryan on July 31, 1987 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Fond du Lac, WI. To this union were born three sons: Zachary James (Heather) Ryan of Mundelein, IL, Samuel Richard (Jessica) Ryan of Vernon Hills, IL, and Maxwell Peter (Laura Elfstrom) Ryan of St. Paul, MN. Kathleen and Peter raised their sons in The Bronx, NY and Lake Elmo, MN. In 2015, they moved to Milwaukee, WI to be closer to their grandchildren: John J, McKenna Ann, and Brooke Kathleen Ryan, who have been the lights of her life.

Also, I've never seen an obituary that asked for memorials to the family in lieu of flowers.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the family would be greatly appreciated.

 

[cluciano63]

If LE can find no sign of ths having been done to her...surely they have been able to clear/rule out anyone with known issues or the “likely” suspects? Based on alibis, phone tracking, etc...jmo

 

[SpanishMossAntiques]

There are carjackings and robberies all over the place. IMO it's druggies desperate for money. She could have been naïve enough to leave her car unlocked while at a rest stop or wherever and this person took advantage of it. That's my opinion. They or him forced her to get into the passenger seat and drove to where they wanted to. I could be wrong, but I can't think of any other scenario.

Just because it's the Chicago area does not mean there are billions of gang-bangers here or trillions of car-jackings; in fact, they're quite rare. In car-jacking situations the subjects want the vehicle - not the person. The use the vehicle for a drive-by shooting or as a getaway car in a theft mere hours after they take it. When the car involved is something exotic and valuable like a Ferrari or a Lambo, then it's usually brought to a garage where it's stripped, VIN's are removed, it's re-painted, and then loaded onto a semi bound for the Miami Shipyards. This situation though is much much different - if I had to guess, I'd say this was done by a professional; not just some simple car-jacking.

 

[meanmaryjean]

I don't remember that we've ever found evidence of a divorce? We've been asking about their relationship with no real answer. I'll have to review the thread to see if I missed it.

From the obituary:

Also, I've never seen an obituary that asked for memorials to the family in lieu of flowers.

I suspect that's just a poorly-worded request for assistance with funeral expenses. I've seen it - but usually these days it's in the form of a (acronym that will get deleted)

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

There are carjackings and robberies all over the place. IMO it's druggies desperate for money. She could have been naïve enough to leave her car unlocked while at a rest stop or wherever and this person took advantage of it. That's my opinion. They or him forced her to get into the passenger seat and drove to where they wanted to. I could be wrong, but I can't think of any other scenario.

The way your post was worded, I thought you meant that a hypothetical robber marched Kathleen to the passenger seat after forcing her to drive to the scene of the fire, not that she was forced to the passenger seat at another location.

In the carjackings I remember reading about, the perps committed the carjackings by jumping into the passenger seat and forcing the victim to drive to another location. I agree with the OP that in most carjackings the motive is often to use the car in another crime and / or sell it for parts, as well as rob the victim of cash, jewelry, expensive sunglasses, expensive jacket, phone, etc.

In Kathleen's case, it has not been reported that her car was used in another crime. The missing nine hours between her last sighting and the report of the fire is also not typical in run-of-the-mill carjackings with the motive of theft, IMO.

The intense fire that destroyed evidence of how Kathleen died is more typical in murders committed by people in a personal conflict with the victim, and is often used to hide evidence and cause of death. Two recent cases come to mind as examples. MOO.
1) Kelsey Berreth's fiancée has been charged with her murder. The fiancee's mistress has given a sworn statement that the fiancée beat the victim to death and then they burned her body. She also stated that they attempted to make it look like Kelsey had gone off and committed suicide.
Deceased/Not Found - CO - Kelsey Berreth, 29, Woodland Park, Teller County, 22 Nov 2018 - #52 *ARREST*

2) Jeanine Cammarata's estranged husband (against whom she had recently filed divorce proceedings) and his girlfriend have been charged with her murder. It's alleged that she was attacked and killed in her vehicle, but cause of death has not been revealed. Her charred remains were found in a storage locker.
Found Deceased - NY - Jeanine Cammarata, 37, teacher, didn’t show up at work, Staten Island, 30 Mar 2019 *ARRESTS*

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

If LE can find no sign of ths having been done to her...surely they have been able to clear/rule out anyone with known issues or the “likely” suspects? Based on alibis, phone tracking, etc...jmo

The lack of evidence showing this "was done to her" is what made me think of the possibility of it being done by "a professional," IOW," a "hit." Again, who, if anyone, has benefitted from Kathleen's death? MOO.

 

[PayrollNerd]

But if it were a simple carjacking by druggies at a nearby gas station, what happened in those many hours until her car was set on fire in the random driveway. Those many hours are what makes this situation so confusing to me.

Torture. This is an angry, revenge driven crime against someone who was very loved and highly thought of. Remember, success is the best revenge. She was quite successful. There’s a very obvious, to me anyway, person who had motive, knowledge of her schedule, and enough anger to destroy her. Right now, they are likely thinking they’ve committed the perfect crime. They are inwardly gloating and proud of themselves. Eventually tho, they won’t be able to hold in their glee, they’ll share it with someone. I can’t wait. I want this sweet lady and her sons to have justice.

 

[Rosiebones]

Sons ask for answers in Milwaukee mother's mysterious death
This is an article from a week ago.

 

[kay74]

Has it been mentioned if Kathleen's husband is deceased or alive? There is never any mention of him from his sons or LE.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

Has it been mentioned if Kathleen's husband is deceased or alive? There is never any mention of him from his sons or LE.

He’s alive, his name is Peter Remington Ryan.

 

[kay74]

The way your post was worded, I thought you meant that a hypothetical robber marched Kathleen to the passenger seat after forcing her to drive to the scene of the fire, not that she was forced to the passenger seat at another location.

In the carjackings I remember reading about, the perps committed the carjackings by jumping into the passenger seat and forcing the victim to drive to another location. I agree with the OP that in most carjackings the motive is often to use the car in another crime and / or sell it for parts, as well as rob the victim of cash, jewelry, expensive sunglasses, expensive jacket, phone, etc.

In Kathleen's case, it has not been reported that her car was used in another crime. The missing nine hours between her last sighting and the report of the fire is also not typical in run-of-the-mill carjackings with the motive of theft, IMO.

The intense fire that destroyed evidence of how Kathleen died is more typical in murders committed by people in a personal conflict with the victim, and is often used to hide evidence and cause of death. Two recent cases come to mind as examples. MOO.
1) Kelsey Berreth's fiancée has been charged with her murder. The fiancee's mistress has given a sworn statement that the fiancée beat the victim to death and then they burned her body. She also stated that they attempted to make it look like Kelsey had gone off and committed suicide.
Deceased/Not Found - CO - Kelsey Berreth, 29, Woodland Park, Teller County, 22 Nov 2018 - #52 *ARREST*

2) Jeanine Cammarata's estranged husband (against whom she had recently filed divorce proceedings) and his girlfriend have been charged with her murder. It's alleged that she was attacked and killed in her vehicle, but cause of death has not been revealed. Her charred remains were found in a storage locker.
Found Deceased - NY - Jeanine Cammarata, 37, teacher, didn’t show up at work, Staten Island, 30 Mar 2019 *ARRESTS*

Yes your right, BBM evidence is destroyed. I suppose someone that robbed her would have just killed her not bothered with a fire.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

The way your post was worded, I thought you meant that a hypothetical robber marched Kathleen to the passenger seat after forcing her to drive to the scene of the fire, not that she was forced to the passenger seat at another location.

In the carjackings I remember reading about, the perps committed the carjackings by jumping into the passenger seat and forcing the victim to drive to another location. I agree with the OP that in most carjackings the motive is often to use the car in another crime and / or sell it for parts, as well as rob the victim of cash, jewelry, expensive sunglasses, expensive jacket, phone, etc.

In Kathleen's case, it has not been reported that her car was used in another crime. The missing nine hours between her last sighting and the report of the fire is also not typical in run-of-the-mill carjackings with the motive of theft, IMO.

The intense fire that destroyed evidence of how Kathleen died is more typical in murders committed by people in a personal conflict with the victim, and is often used to hide evidence and cause of death. Two recent cases come to mind as examples. MOO.
1) Kelsey Berreth's fiancée has been charged with her murder. The fiancee's mistress has given a sworn statement that the fiancée beat the victim to death and then they burned her body. She also stated that they attempted to make it look like Kelsey had gone off and committed suicide.
Deceased/Not Found - CO - Kelsey Berreth, 29, Woodland Park, Teller County, 22 Nov 2018 - #52 *ARREST*

2) Jeanine Cammarata's estranged husband (against whom she had recently filed divorce proceedings) and his girlfriend have been charged with her murder. It's alleged that she was attacked and killed in her vehicle, but cause of death has not been revealed. Her charred remains were found in a storage locker.
Found Deceased - NY - Jeanine Cammarata, 37, teacher, didn’t show up at work, Staten Island, 30 Mar 2019 *ARRESTS*

Chicago carjackings tend to leave the owner behind, force him/her out of the car and take off. The objective is transportation and the vehicle is used in the commission of other crime(s) and then abandoned, sometimes burned.

 

[crhedBngr]

Checking in, and praying answers are found soon.

 

[Tripod]

Checking in, and praying answers are found soon.

Same here. I read some of the comments on Kathleen's online obit, and my heart breaks for her family.