AK - Samantha Koenig, 18, Anchorage, 01 Feb 2012 - #7

[LucyOso]

I wonder if we're going to find out that IK isn't really who he claimed to be. It just seems hard to believe that a guy who had nothing but a DUI in his past would suddenly jump to this.

This may not be the first time for IK. I was wondering earlier if the actual link to Sam was the fact his name has popped up before with LE in other states and other missing people...I was thinking about his background...he grows up home schooled and very religiously sheltered. That may cause some social immaturity, awkwardness around peers and women... Decides to be an atheist. Goes into the army. There are many army hang around women who are "easy" and looking for that husband or if married, many cheat(sorry I can't think of a better word, i am tired)...this totally creates a major split in his head, brought up semi-isolated with no dating skills and extreme values totally controlled then entering another controlling culture and a culture of lots of beer/drinking, woman, etc and he may have "struck out" many times due to his poor social skills. Rejection can be an issue. I wondered if maybe the first time, if he has done this before, occurred on or around the time he got that DUI. Gets totally drunk after maybe losing his temper after getting rejected and killing someone, then subsequently gets pulled over. He pleads to the DUI. Maybe he kept moving to more and more isolated areas with the hopes of better controlling himself? IDK...

Then again, IK IS innocent until proven guilty.



http://www.adn.com/2012/04/02/2403943/police-fbi-plan-koenig-news-conference.html

RIP SAM

 

[SurfieTX]

This is just awful.

Rest in Peace, sweet Samantha.

:rose:

 

[Coldpizza]

I sat here in disbelief when I read "found deceased" after Samantha's name. Honestly I just stared and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

I'm so sorry for her family and friends

Rest in Peace Samantha

 

[amysmom]

Very SAD news but not unexpected

How can they possibly know she "died within hours"? Unless IK told them (true or not) which does explain how they also knew exactly where to look on the lake..From the pix I've seen it's not that close to the shore=they'd need a pretty good idea of where the 'spot' was..Or someone reported seeing his truck there but that still doesn't explain the exact 'spot' unless they also saw someone out on the ice in that exact area..I'm still going with his confession making the most sense.

eta..If a body is in the water under ice would it not float away? Sorry for the unpleasant Q! I also wonder if IK 'claims' she fought back & she was killed by "accident"..I suppose the autopsy will confirm or refute this possibility?

 

[somebodysdarling]

I'm sorry to say this is the outcome i expected. This have been a strange case and still is, just glad they found Samantha so her family can get some closure.

Fly high Samantha.

 

[joslmaman]

I am very thankful she was found, but I am totally amazed they could find her in that lake. I mean, it's frozen SO deep, and it's a big area. She could have been anywhere. They had some very specific instructions. Heartbreaking.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Hi everyone. New to the forum and an Anchorage local. So upset to hear the outcome but I too had a very bad feeling about this case. Just some thoughts. Standard procedure for a card reported stolen is that it is immediately deactivated. According to the local reports it was reported stolen relatively quickly. I think LE may have kept the card active to trace and apprehend IK. I suspect they had a good idea early on he might be involved.

There are cameras on many of the buildings in that location and entirely possible he was identifiable after viewing. Also, early reports described a truck parked not far from the coffee shop at the time of the abduction and I have wondered if it might have been his.

Also, I am inclined to think he tipped them off as to where she was. There are so many lakes in the area it would seem impossible to find her otherwise.

Just bouncing off some ideas. Thanks for letting me vent.

Thanks, Anovelplan!
And...Welcome!
:welcome::welcome::welcome:

 

[amysmom]

I am very thankful she was found, but I am totally amazed they could find her in that lake. I mean, it's frozen SO deep, and it's a big area. She could have been anywhere. They had some very specific instructions. Heartbreaking.

bbm

I posted above I think either IK led them there or he was seen out on the ice at that 'spot' but that would mean it was light out at the time which would be very stupid..I don't rule that out but now I'm wondering if someone saw THE hole cut out in the ice..So, a Q for a local..If a hole is cut in the ice about how long does it take to cover over again? I also didn't notice any other holes on that frozen lake so I'm guessing this ONE would have stood out? Yes, no, maybe?

 

[alaskanblue]

Such a sad ending...my condolences to Samantha's Father, family and friends. I'm an Anchorage local too and this has been such a mysterious, heartbreaking case. I also had a very bad feeling early on about her chances of being found alive, it just seemed so surreal that a teenager could be abducted in broad daylight and disappear. I wasn't quite sure about the kidnapping status, I never heard about any contact with her abductor. I still don't know why the video of her abduction was never released by the police or at least a still pic from it. Probably a good reason... I've read various theories on it, perhaps they had a lead on him very early in the investigation and didn't need an ID on the abductor.

However, all in all, I'd have to say that APD and the FBI did a great job catching IK--as have already been noted, they astutely kept the credit/debit card working to nail him and possibly find out where she was. Very little information was released during the investigation and that was frustrating but as long as this fugitive is locked up that's fine. I'm really upset and shaking my head at how senseless her death was...was the guy high, strung out, what??!! It seems to be a completely random act, he just happened to see an attractive teen and took her. If money was a strong angle I don't know why he'd capture a teenager. How many girls have that much in the bank? I doubt this guy is any kind of a serial killer, he seems to be an opportunist spur-of-the- moment type that makes alot of mistakes...At least it appears that he talked and gave them the location of where she was. It's been near a record snow fall up here and a really socked in winter, I still don't see why he'd drive her out to the lake with the risk of getting stuck somewhere. And this ice fishing scenario seems a bit crazy to me. He would actually go and cut through alot of ice to hide her, when it would be fairly obvious that she'd most likely be found when it thawed? He obviously didn't spend alot of time considering much of anything, such as how her family was going to have to deal with her loss. What a shame, she had her whole life ahead of her...RIP Samantha.

 

[BeeBeeOh]

You may have a point there, that could very well be what he used it for.

It took 3 detectives and a flatbed to move that shed... could he really have used his pick up (with out the racks) to get it to the lake (some have said was hard to get to?)

Oh boy--he plead NG to the cards...will he plead NG to Samantha?

PS, I guess that he was a reg at the coffee hut, and Sam was most likely a total flirt and outstanding sales girl (in a good way) and he came to hit what he thought was an easy target---

 

[akmom02]

I am very thankful she was found, but I am totally amazed they could find her in that lake. I mean, it's frozen SO deep, and it's a big area. She could have been anywhere. They had some very specific instructions. Heartbreaking.

The ice really isn't as deep as you might think. About 3 or 4 ft deep on average in the colder months, and other people may have already established an ice hole on the lake previously.

Link to the muni parks & lakes reports on thickness and trails
http://www.muni.org/Departments/parks/Documents/IceTrailsStatus.pdf

 

[Portabella]

I am very saddened by the news of the death of Ms. SK... I feel terrible for her family and friends. I also feel horrible for the daughter of IK. RIP Samantha...

 

[Hopeful One]

This isn't one of the cases I followed closely but I'm so sorry to hear it ended this way.

As someone else said, at least her family knows where she is now and doesn't have a lifetime of wondering. I think that would be the worst of all.

My prayers go out to her family and friends. So sad that her life was cut short by an evil man. She was so beautiful and had a bright future.

 

[BeeBeeOh]

This would explain NO ONE speaking about him when ppl were asked to come forward. Perhaps he was an outstanding worker, but actually WAS "that creepy guy". What if anyone who had known him, called into FBI and said-- "THAT dude is c.r.a.z.y. He chokes kittens... (or the equiv) ."

NO ONE, vouched for this guy. Not a drinkin buddy, not an ex girlfriend, not his friend from army.


Just maaaybe...he was "that guy, that everyone isn't surprised to hear is a crazy killer"

This may not be the first time for IK. I was wondering earlier if the actual link to Sam was the fact his name has popped up before with LE in other states and other missing people...I was thinking about his background...he grows up home schooled and very religiously sheltered. That may cause some social immaturity, awkwardness around peers and women... Decides to be an atheist. Goes into the army. There are many army hang around women who are "easy" and looking for that husband or if married, many cheat(sorry I can't think of a better word, i am tired)...this totally creates a major split in his head, brought up semi-isolated with no dating skills and extreme values totally controlled then entering another controlling culture and a culture of lots of beer/drinking, woman, etc and he may have "struck out" many times due to his poor social skills. Rejection can be an issue. I wondered if maybe the first time, if he has done this before, occurred on or around the time he got that DUI. Gets totally drunk after maybe losing his temper after getting rejected and killing someone, then subsequently gets pulled over. He pleads to the DUI. Maybe he kept moving to more and more isolated areas with the hopes of better controlling himself? IDK...

Then again, IK IS innocent until proven guilty.



http://www.adn.com/2012/04/02/2403943/police-fbi-plan-koenig-news-conference.html

RIP SAM

 

[TxLady2]

You have got to be joking - they said they believed she was alive for 7 weeks? She died within hours like I assumed, Tell me where great policing came in there? With all due respect. There had better be an inquiry into this.

Respectfully... they had no reason to believe she was dead until they found where her body was located. If they tracked him to TX, arrested him, finally managed to persuade him to give up the place where he disposed of her body... I think that is GREAT police work. Can't imagine why you would think otherwise. Also, solving this case in just weeks is pretty good work.. some of them aren't solved for YEARS.
Why on earth would there be a need for an inquiry? Please tell me what you think they did that was illegal or unethical in this investigation.

 

[TxLady2]

Crimes are seldom complicated. He saw an opportunity and took it. I wish she didn't walk away with him and I don't know when people will learn. Parents need to drum this into children. Do not go with them. If you say it often enough, it will become part of their mindset. It is much better to die at the spot of confrontation than to leave with them.

R.I.P Samantha. I am so sorry this happened.

Why would any person take the chance that they will be killed if they resist, rather than do as the kidnapper says, with the possibility that they will live a little while longer or manage to escape or be rescued?
I'm sorry, but 9 out of 10 people are not going to stand their ground with a gun pointed at them, especially young women. Survival is an instinct and everyone is going to fight to survive. Sometimes a victim has no choice. If the guy is bigger and stronger and has a gun, you think a young woman or a child could manage to stand in one spot while he's forcing them to walk? The best they could do is scream as loud as they can, which would probably get them clobbered on the head or a knife in their back.

 

[mamacita]

Rest in Peace Samantha. I've had dreams about you and prayed for you often. Now I see you've been with the angels this whole time. I hope the person responsible for taking your life gets what they deserve!! You didn't deserve this. You will be missed. <3

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

I think some people think LE are supposed to have magic crystal balls and know everything. This is how I think the investigation went. IK was caught on tape taking Sam but wearing a disguise. The same night a man reports his credit card stolen and gives the same description of the suspect. LE puts 2 and 2 together and thinks this could be the same guy. They do not know who it is. They suspect the truck parked there belongs to the suspect but they can't say for sure. They wait just hoping the person who stole the credit card will try to use it so they can track him. At some point he does use it in AK-again wearing the same disguise. They eventually figure out who it is and rather than arrest him straight out for using the card they decide to track him hoping he will lead them to Sam. At this point they have no idea if Sam might be involved with this guy or whether she is dead or alive. LE works with other agencies such as FBI, AZ, NM and TX LE and follow this guys movements. Eventually he is arrested in TX and they are hoping to find Samantha with him alive. They realize when she is not with him that she may be dead. They bring him back to AK and do everything right, including forensics on his vehicle and shed. They don't have much time to make a solid link to Sam to form their case that this is indeed the same guy who took Sam. They find evidence in his vehicle in Texas (the gun probably) and also find evidence in his truck and the shed. They interrogate him with the evidence they have and get him to tell them where her body is. Absolutely brilliant police work in my opinion.

The flip side of this is if they didn't do all of the above, Sam would have been found when the ice melted and the suspect would have already left the state and been long gone and never convicted.

Before Sam was found I was wondering why this guy would have taken the racks off of his truck. The only reason I could think for doing this was if he wanted to transport something tall in it. (the shed?) I wonder if the shed would have fit in the truck? I don't think the ice fishing scenario is that far fetched. Someone would have had to have helped him though.

 

[ryanemsmom]

In response to the shed questions, I agree with everyone that has stated there is no way he took that shed to the lake. If you watch the video of APD and FBI taking the shed they used a forklift to put it onto a flatbed truck. If IK had moved that shed anytime in the past two months, then put it back a few hours/a day later I guarantee the neighbors would have said something when they were first interviewed. It wouldn't have taken them this long to take the shed if that was the case. Also, it would have to have been pulled on a trailer behind his truck, it wouldn't have fit in the bed. Those trailers aren't made to be moved around.

 

[ryanemsmom]

Why would any person take the chance that they will be killed if they resist, rather than do as the kidnapper says, with the possibility that they will live a little while longer or manage to escape or be rescued?
I'm sorry, but 9 out of 10 people are not going to stand their ground with a gun pointed at them, especially young women. Survival is an instinct and everyone is going to fight to survive. Sometimes a victim has no choice. If the guy is bigger and stronger and has a gun, you think a young woman or a child could manage to stand in one spot while he's forcing them to walk? The best they could do is scream as loud as they can, which would probably get them clobbered on the head or a knife in their back.

True, but there are SOOO many cases of the victim screaming and punching and clawing and the perp runs away. Especially if there are people nearby with a chance of hearing. I used this case to teach my girls this fact. I am heartbroken to have to tell them that she is dead.