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

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Justice4242 said:
Sons ask for answers in Milwaukee mother's mysterious death

Updated story
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Thanks for the update, Justice! A snippet of new information from the article (RBBM):
"There is nothing that has brought us to any conclusion that somebody did this to Kathleen," said Lake County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Sgt. Christopher Covelli. "We don't have any evidence somebody caused this to happen to Kathleen."

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.
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Did we know that Kathleen was found in the passenger side of the car? I don’t recall and i’m too lazy to go looking.
 
Anyone have a theory why the family waited so long to speak? If this happened to a loved one of mine I'd be very vocal early, believing that time was of the essence. I would assume her bright educated sons would think the same. So would law enforcement have asked them to be quiet? Months later it is very hard to ask the public top try to remember specific details. Her family would have to know this. This strikes me as odd. Has her husband released a statement?
 
Rural_PC said:
Anyone have a theory why the family waited so long to speak? If this happened to a loved one of mine I'd be very vocal early, believing that time was of the essence. I would assume her bright educated sons would think the same. So would law enforcement have asked them to be quiet? Months later it is very hard to ask the public top try to remember specific details. Her family would have to know this. This strikes me as odd. Has her husband released a statement?
Click to expand...

There’s something so odd about this case, something not being released. The husband has been omitted from news coverage. We don’t know if they are living together or separated. I’m leaning towards separated as he has not been quoted in any articles that I’ve read (correct me if I’m wrong, please!) nor was he with her that day. If it was a family event, why wouldn’t he join his wife? If there’s a health issue with him, I could understand. Why wouldn’t he be used as a source of info ex,. When she left home, plans for stops along the way to her destination etc.

Background info that I discovered for Kathleen and her husband leaves me with many questions but I’m afraid sharing that info would not be allowed on WS (sleuthing victim / family member).
 
Kathleen being found in the passenger seat is odd, but does not prove that she was dead before the car was parked where found, killed while the car was parked in the driveway or dead before the fire started.

Apparently the autopsy hasn't concluded the cause of death or determined if Kathleen was alive prior to the fire. Unless that information is being withheld by LE.

Kathleen could have moved herself from the drivers seat to the passenger seat after she pulled into the driveway if this is a case of suicide, which I suspect it is.

From the recent article is seems LE is connecting the dots where Kathleen had been, where she may have stopped and building a timeline using her phone data and also possibly searching her social media accounts and looking at her computer history to see if any clues can be gained from them.

It wouldn't surprise me if a search warrants were performed at her residence and maybe even on those close to her (husband, sons) to obtain computer hardware, hard drives, memory sticks, cellphone data, ect.

JMO
 
Rural_PC said:
Anyone have a theory why the family waited so long to speak? If this happened to a loved one of mine I'd be very vocal early, believing that time was of the essence. I would assume her bright educated sons would think the same. So would law enforcement have asked them to be quiet? Months later it is very hard to ask the public top try to remember specific details. Her family would have to know this. This strikes me as odd. Has her husband released a statement?
Click to expand...

My theory is that 1.) they were & are grief stricken & in shock, & 2.) that LE asked them to be quiet to give them time for the investigation. I’m guessing her sons have had enough waiting & are angry with the lack of information (assuming they haven’t been given much more than the public has).

I still don’t think this was a suicide. I think someone is trying (& currently succeeding) to get away with murder.

JMHO
 
I'm starting to lose faith in the LE there. Her poor sons have heard nothing!! If she was in the passenger seat, it means someone else drove. I think she stopped, was abducted, robbed, killed and left to die in that fire in that private driveway. The answer is WHERE did she stop. There has to be cameras at service stations. Are there cameras at rest stops?
 
This is such a mystery and I feel terrible for her family. I can understand totally why the coroner couldn't determine a cause or manner of death, due to the car fire being so hot and devastating. I will assume investigators know if any accelerant was used in starting the fire, but I'm not 100% on that. If they do, they are holding that info back as they should. Prayers for answers.
 
Joe Friday said:
Kathleen being found in the passenger seat is odd, but does not prove that she was dead before the car was parked where found, killed while the car was parked in the driveway or dead before the fire started.

Apparently the autopsy hasn't concluded the cause of death or determined if Kathleen was alive prior to the fire. Unless that information is being withheld by LE.

Kathleen could have moved herself from the drivers seat to the passenger seat after she pulled into the driveway if this is a case of suicide, which I suspect it is.

JMO
Click to expand...
RSBM for focus

Whether Kathleen took her own life, she was a victim of foul play or there was a freak accident caused by a defect in her vehicle, the fact that her body was found in the passenger’s seat doesn’t make a difference to me one way or another.

There were a few things in the article that caught my attention:

“That night her body was found inside her own burning car. It was located just off Highway 41 in Lake County, but what makes this such a mystery is so far the Lake County Sheriff's Office has found no evidence she stopped anywhere in Lake County. They also have no suspects, no motive for her death and the coroner has not been able to determine how she died.

‘There is nothing that has brought us to any conclusion that somebody did this to Kathleen,’ said Lake County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Sgt. Christopher Covelli. ‘We don't have any evidence somebody caused this to happen to Kathleen.‘

But their investigation is far from over. The sheriff's office said they are still going through electronic evidence.” (BBM)

The last sentence makes me wonder if they have been able to obtain and analyze her location history from the manufacturer of her phone or her service provider.

Perhaps her phone records will prove to be useful in determining whether Kathleen made stops along the way.

I also wonder if they have looked into purchases Kathleen might have made in the days leading up to and the day of her death. If she purchased a can of gasoline, for example, it might make it more likely that this was a case of suicide (made to look like something else), IMO. She probably would have paid cash for something like that, so hopefully, LE were able to collect security camera footage before it was overwritten, and are still analyzing it.

It may take time, but I very much hope that her sons get answers.

All MOO
 
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Only two possible outcomes stand out here to me:

1) - She was robbed/kidnapped and murdered and perp set car ablaze to destroy evidence (more likely)

2) - Suicide (much less likely IMO)

I am sure the fire destroyed an amount of evidence but to have zero leads is very frustrating. Feel so bad for her family.

As I mentioned in a previous KR thread, our family knows the Ryan’s and my brother played against Zack in high school when he was at Tartan in Oakdale, MN. Zack was a fierce competitor but always showed respect for everyone - teammates, opponents, coaches, etc. His parents were extremely supportive and easy to get along with so even though we were on opposing sides, it was always a fun time competing as both their teams were very good.

They are very good people who do not deserve this. Really hope a break happens soon.
 
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Joe Friday said:
Kathleen being found in the passenger seat is odd, but does not prove that she was dead before the car was parked where found, killed while the car was parked in the driveway or dead before the fire started.

Apparently the autopsy hasn't concluded the cause of death or determined if Kathleen was alive prior to the fire. Unless that information is being withheld by LE.

Kathleen could have moved herself from the drivers seat to the passenger seat after she pulled into the driveway if this is a case of suicide, which I suspect it is.

From the recent article is seems LE is connecting the dots where Kathleen had been, where she may have stopped and building a timeline using her phone data and also possibly searching her social media accounts and looking at her computer history to see if any clues can be gained from them.

It wouldn't surprise me if a search warrants were performed at her residence and maybe even on those close to her (husband, sons) to obtain computer hardware, hard drives, memory sticks, cellphone data, ect.

JMO
Click to expand...
Any reasoning why, if this was a suicide, she would have changed seats?
Ie: Would she have needed more room to light a match? Maybe she had to originally get out of the car to get the gas and perhaps splash it around and then seated herself in the passenger seat? I'm just trying to visualize the chain of events had it been a suicide and why she would have ended up in the passenger seat.
 
LarkBunting said:
My theory is that 1.) they were & are grief stricken & in shock, & 2.) that LE asked them to be quiet to give them time for the investigation. I’m guessing her sons have had enough waiting & are angry with the lack of information (assuming they haven’t been given much more than the public has).

I still don’t think this was a suicide. I think someone is trying (& currently succeeding) to get away with murder.

JMHO
Click to expand...
BBM. I cannot fathom how or why anyone would set themselves on fire while alive. This story is so haunting. I cannot imagine what her children and grandchildren must feel. Her husband seems to be keeping a low profile. I hope and pray this is solved and the killer is brought to justice.

Another thing I find odd is that her cellphone was going straight to voicemail almost immediately and before her car with body inside was located. Did she turn it off? Perhaps she sets it that way when she's driving?

‘Our hope is that’s not her:’ Body found in torched vehicle driven by missing Milwaukee teacher
 
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