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

[nyonge]

Dru Sjodin, taken from a mall parking lot in the middle of the day. GUILTY - ND - Dru Sjodin, 22, Grand Forks, 22 Nov 2003 - #1

This was an abduction of a Victoria's Secret worker after the end of her shift, about 5 p.m.; Sjodin was abducted in the parking lot of the Columbia Mall, Grand Forks ND, and taken from the scene in the perpetrator's car. Her body was found in a ravine five months later. She had not been burned.

 

[MyBelle]

My point is that a lack of “evidence...that this was a suicide” does not conclusively rule out suicide as the cause of death in this case. Neither does the ongoing investigation into KR’s death (not an investigation into her “murder”), the cause of which is still undetermined.

And my point is that investigators would not still be investigating and needing to speak to additional people if they believed it is suicide.

But their investigation is far from over. The sheriff's office said they are still going through electronic evidence. The most recent clue released is that when Kathleen's body was found in the car, it was found in the passenger's seat.

Investigators are still looking for people they have not talked to who might have seen Kathleen on February 2nd.

Sons ask for answers in Milwaukee mother's mysterious death

The LE statement is reported in a recent news story. I'm sure there's a link to it in this thread. As much as I understand that these crimes can happen in broad daylight, this one is odd because (1) it wasn't a simple robbery, grabbing cash and taking off; (2) it wasn't a carjacking since the perp(s) didn't take off with the car; and (3) most "mugging" type crimes do not result in the victim sitting, dead, in the passenger seat of a burned-out car. And wouldn't they not only take cash, assuming there was any significant amount, but also credit cards or ATM cards? It doesn't add up for me.

The car was incinerated. It would be impossible to know whether she was robbed or not. Carjackings often involve a car taken from point A to point B. Nothing in this case points to suicide.

JMO

 

[PayrollNerd]

If someone robbed her and she had stopped at a store, I wonder if she bought prepaid gift cards. When those gift cards were issued, and then redeemed, I would think that would be a direct line to the perp. I'm not sure how sophisticated the gift card process is though.

If there were greeting cards with cash in them, then the perp would have tossed the envelope and card in the trash. Those are likely long gone but maybe LE already thought of that, and checked local trash cans and dumpsters.

 

[MntnHiker]

This case is so strange. There are so many unanswered questions (at least from a public citizen's perspective--and it sounds like, with her family too).

My mind almost goes to a hired hit or someone targeting her for something specific. A typical carjacking would be to steal the vehicle, which did not happen. I suppose if she had cash on her, maybe someone robbed her for the cash, but the fire and everything seem very over-the-top for a mugging/robbery (IMO).

I wonder if someone did target her to steal something from her but it wasn't the typical money/credit cards/car, etc. I have no idea what that would be; I have nothing specific in mind. I'm just trying to think of a reason (if this was foul play) to target someone and then incinerate them and their car like this and what would be stolen that isn't obvious (no CCs being used after the fact, etc). Was it personal? Something against her or her husband? A piece of info or paper someone would want? Someone scorned in business? The nature of this crime (if a crime was committed) seems very violent and almost personal IMO. It would also explain how she might have been overtaken without stopping at a store and also why she may have pulled over for someone or stopped for them if she knew them. All just MOO. Throwing things at the wall to see if anything sticks.

 

[Rosiebones]

Unanswered questions for me are;
Why was she found in the passenger seat? What does that mean?
Why was she within 12 miles of her destination? Why couldn't she keep going to the game? What stopped her?
How did the car burn so fast and so hot that she was essentially cremated?
What was the position of the driver seat frame on the floor? Was the seat pulled up to accommodate her height or back?
Why was that particular driveway, just off a busy intersection/road chosen as the fire site?
What are the next steps if a COD cannot be issued?

 

[kirkassoc]

Google Maps
picture of the intersection. Note the cameras.

I believe the fire was discovered around 10-10:30 p.m. If so, would that make it a little more difficult to see the make/model/occupants in the car? I am sure LE is on top of this, but this case haunts me, and I'm sure her families lives will never be the same. My heart goes out to all of them.

 

[SpanishMossAntiques]

If someone robbed her and she had stopped at a store, I wonder if she bought prepaid gift cards. When those gift cards were issued, and then redeemed, I would think that would be a direct line to the perp. I'm not sure how sophisticated the gift card process is though.

If there were greeting cards with cash in them, then the perp would have tossed the envelope and card in the trash. Those are likely long gone but maybe LE already thought of that, and checked local trash cans and dumpsters.

Gift cards can be easily traced - and often you can find video footage of the transactions. To investigate the use of one is like, 2 minutes.

 

[SpanishMossAntiques]

This one seems to me like a hired murder or else retribution against her or someone in her family.

 

[kirkassoc]

It really is perplexing. Is it accident, foul play, or suicide? If it were an accident, how did she end up in that driveway? And what would cause a fire suddenly to engulf her while she was sitting in the car? If it were foul play, what did they want from her -- money, credit cards, her vehicle? Is there evidence that someone hated her enough to kill her? This is where LE's statement is revealing. There is no evidence that "someone did this to Kathleen." So, to this point, they've probably found no obvious signs of foul play. If it were suicide, we'd probably need to know if she had a history of depression. Her sister posted in this thread that Kathleen would never take her own life. So, where does that leave us? It really is baffling.

The following article was the first case that came to mind when I read about this case. This 71 year old lady was abducted in broad daylight by two individuals. They didn't burn her car with her in it, but they did murder her and then burned her car.

I may be wrong, but with KR sitting in the passenger seat, I imagine two individuals involved in this crime. What I don't understand is why they kept her in the car for such a long period of time. Where and how did they leave the scene?

Teens facing capital murder charges in 71-year-old woman's death

 

[Rosiebones]

The following article was the first case that came to mind when I read about this case. This 71 year old lady was abducted in broad daylight by two individuals. They didn't burn her car with her in it, but they did murder her and then burned her car.

I may be wrong, but with KR sitting in the passenger seat, I imagine two individuals involved in this crime. What I don't understand is why they kept her in the car for such a long period of time. Where and how did they leave the scene?

Teens facing capital murder charges in 71-year-old woman's death

See, what I think is, that what ever happened occurred in the area she was found. That is the only explanation that I can think of for why she was within twelve miles of her destination. It is not at all logical that she coincidentally took or was taken south from her home and came so close to her destination.

 

[Justice4242]

Lake County Sports Talk, Ep. 71: Zack Ryan

Just came across this. Wow!

 

[OhThatVictoria]

Lake County Sports Talk, Ep. 71: Zack Ryan

Just came across this. Wow!

Thanks for the link. (For those who visit the site, ignore the description of the segment that is given, this is an interview w/Kathleen Ryan’s son.)

It helps to recap the events of the day but there really isn’t any new information. They didn’t ask about KR’s credit card purchase(s) near her Milwaukee home (last known use of her credit card(s) ).

Edit: Correction: the interview addresses her husband’s activity that day. Evidently he was being a ref for games going on in the Milwaukee area And, from all indications, the marriage is intact. There has been some speculation, based on the absence of (media) comments from husband, that the Ryan’s may have been separated.

 

[crhedBngr]

Prayers for answers in this case . . . soon.

 

[MyBelle]

This case is so strange. There are so many unanswered questions (at least from a public citizen's perspective--and it sounds like, with her family too).

My mind almost goes to a hired hit or someone targeting her for something specific. A typical carjacking would be to steal the vehicle, which did not happen. I suppose if she had cash on her, maybe someone robbed her for the cash, but the fire and everything seem very over-the-top for a mugging/robbery (IMO).

I wonder if someone did target her to steal something from her but it wasn't the typical money/credit cards/car, etc. I have no idea what that would be; I have nothing specific in mind. I'm just trying to think of a reason (if this was foul play) to target someone and then incinerate them and their car like this and what would be stolen that isn't obvious (no CCs being used after the fact, etc). Was it personal? Something against her or her husband? A piece of info or paper someone would want? Someone scorned in business? The nature of this crime (if a crime was committed) seems very violent and almost personal IMO. It would also explain how she might have been overtaken without stopping at a store and also why she may have pulled over for someone or stopped for them if she knew them. All just MOO. Throwing things at the wall to see if anything sticks.

I think it very possible KR was killed in retaliation for something she or her family of teachers did to a student. Did someone lose a sports scholarship or fail to make a team? Emotions run very high when something alters a presumed life path.

There were four murders in Nebraska done several years apart. LE chased down evidence for years. The perp ended up being a medical student booted out of his medical school pathology residency. His first murders were ruthless and brutal stabbings to the child and cleaning lady of one the professors who booted him out. It took a lot of LE work and years to solve. The perp, Anthony Garcia, is now on death row.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

Lake County Sports Talk, Ep. 71: Zack Ryan

Just came across this. Wow!

Wow, indeed. The son doesn't come across as believing his mother committed suicide. He is convinced LE is is supportive and doing an appropriate criminal investigation. I can't begin to fathom the emotional pain KR's family is experiencing.

JMO

 

[cluciano63]

I am afraid this death will remain a mystery. Unless they have a lot of unwatched video still and get lucky that way...most videos will have been taped over by now at gas stations, etc...if not already collected.

I am convinced we would not have seen an arrest in Mollie Tibbet’s murder if not for private video handed into police.

 

[MyBelle]

I am afraid this death will remain a mystery. Unless they have a lot of unwatched video still and get lucky that way...most videos will have been taped over by now at gas stations, etc...if not already collected.

I am convinced we would not have seen an arrest in Mollie Tibbet’s murder if not for private video handed into police.

The police said they had electronic communication they still needed to go through in this case. Why are you assuming they won't go through it in this case?

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

I think they know. But it's a sensitive matter.

Regardless of whether I'm right, this case has opened my eyes a bit more to human suffering and the lengths to which some are driven, to end the pain.

But there's no proof either way. She could have been senselessly murdered and what would that have to do with the lengths which she was driven to end her pain? She wouldn't have any say in the matter, MOO.

 

[NervousNellie]

Lake County Sports Talk, Ep. 71: Zack Ryan

Just came across this. Wow!

I found this super interesting - hearing her son directly speaking about that day, LE efforts, etc.. Definitely worth hearing, if you have the time. As another member noted, the description on the landing page of this link is not accurate - it is indeed an interview with her son. Ignore the rest of that stuff.

 

[cluciano63]

The police said they had electronic communication they still needed to go through in this case. Why are you assuming they won't go through it in this case?

Not assuming anything...but I believe any crucial info would have been discovered by now. Jmo