GA - Katherine Janness, 40, walking dog, both fatally stabbed, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, 28 July 2021

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Wondering if a situation similar to this unrelated case might have occurred in this one? speculation, imo
Vancouver pit bull was 'murdered,' family claims, after stabbed by pug owner who said dog was in 'a vice grip' | National Post
2015
“The owner of the pug ran up, immediately pulled out a knife, and began to stab my dog. As he was doing so, he was yelling ‘you deserve to die’.”

She added: “We were doing everything right. This man should have had his dog on a leash. If he had, my dog would still be alive. I would still have my best friend to go home to.”
 
K.jill said:
The location of this crime is not one where a killer could expect to spend time with a victim, imo. Yards from a busy road and across the street from a high school (which would surely have cameras).
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Yet no one heard a thing when a dog and a woman were viciously killed. When I say "time" with the victim - I'm not talking hours & hours. The timeline is pretty tight, Katherine leaves home to go for her walk. Her partner worries when she doesn't return and uses the phone app to find her. She left for her walk at approx 1:00 AM, it doesn't say what time she was found, but it sounds like just a few hours later.

Mutilation, IMO would take more time than simply stabbing someone to kill them. There is a gratification element to that type of crime.

When Janness and the couple’s dog, Bowie, didn’t return from a walk in Piedmont Park, Emma Clark used a cellphone app to track her. Clark could see Janness was in the park, but the tracking device wasn’t moving. After a short walk from the couple’s home, Clark found both Bowie and Janness dead, about 100 feet apart.
Woman killed at Piedmont Park remembered as intelligent, gentle, kind
 
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A longtime resident of the area, Janness often walked at the park while listening to podcasts. Emma Clark had wanted her girlfriend to carry pepper spray when she walked, but Janness said she felt safe. She worked as a bartender at Campagnolo, an Italian restaurant and bar on Piedmont Avenue, and also at Whole World Improv Theatre on Spring Street.

Late Tuesday, Janness had stopped by Henry’s Midtown Tavern, where Clark was working. After Janness and Bowie walked, they planned to return to meet Clark and walk home together. But when Clark was ready to head home, Janness didn’t answer her phone. And she wasn’t at home.

After finding the two at Piedmont Park, Clark called 911 and her brother, who called her father. Joe Clark, a Fayetteville city councilman, drove immediately to Atlanta, a place he had previously called home for many years, he said.

Woman killed at Piedmont Park remembered as intelligent, gentle, kind
 
07/28/2021 - Homicide at Piedmont Park - 1073 Piedmont Ave NE Updated with Flyer and Victim Name
212090111
Post Date:07/28/2021 9:50 AM

UPDATED CRIME STOPPERS BOLO

Homicide detectives are asking for the public’s help to solve the murder of 40-year-old Katherine (Katie) Janness on July 28, 2021.

On July 28, 2021 the Katherine Janness’ body was discovered inside Piedmont Park. She was last seen walking her dog in Midtown Atlanta. (Photo on flyer was at 12:09am July 28, 2021) The victim and her dog were killed inside the park. Anyone with Information is asked to call APD Homicide with any information you may have at (404) 546-4235 or call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $10,000.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CRIME STOPPERS BOLO: On July 28, 2021 the victim’s body was discovered inside Piedmont Park. She was last seen walking her dog in Midtown Atlanta. The victim and her dog were killed inside the park. Anyone with Information is asked to call Crime Stoppers or the Atlanta Police Homicide Office. Crime Stoppers Flyer Piedmont PK

On Wednesday July 28, 2021, at around 1:10am officers responded to Piedmont Park, 1073 Piedmont Ave, on a report of a person stabbed. On scene officers found a deceased adult female with multiple stab wounds. Atlanta Police Homicide Unit detectives responded and are investigating the incident.

Investigators are actively working to identify the suspect in this crime and are asking anyone with information to please contact the Atlanta Police Homicide Unit or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477. Callers can remain completely anonymous. The reward is up to $10,000.

Please keep in mind that this is preliminary information and may change as the investigation progresses.

Crime Data Downloads | Atlanta Police Department
 
I'm thinking this is a random, crazed act of violence rather than a targeted attack. I say that because of the dog being killed and her phone not being stolen. I also live in a town where the crime rates have skyrocketed, with an exploding population. We are seeing crimes the likes of which have never happened or were even imaginable a few years ago. Atlanta might be experiencing the same thing.
 
The mutilation aspect makes me think it's a hate crime against the LGBT community. Perhaps someone who knew her from her workplace -- someone who had seen her on multiple occasions in her restaurant, held a growing hatred for her, and may have stalked her before, thereby knowing when/where she usually walked her dog.

How could the killer have gotten away unscathed? I'd think that he/she would have some injuries/wounds from the pitbull. I can't imagine the pitbull went down without a fight. Seems like it would be hard to stab a pitbull to death without getting hurt in some capacity. But maybe the killer came prepared and was wearing protective clothing? I wonder how many blood types they found at the scene of the crime. Just 2, or 3??

If it was random and not premeditated, I doubt the mutilation would have occurred, but anything's possible these days. People are getting more and more unhinged, brazen and violent. So much hatred permeating the country. It's highly disturbing.
 
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This article says the dog (Bowie) actually belonged to her fiance. Katherine had her own 14 year-old pit bull named Tori. :(

"Katherine Janness went out to take her fiance's dog for a walk early Wednesday morning and never came back. Family members said her fiance Emma Clark followed them through her iPhone tracker and found both Janness and her 3-year-old pit bull Bowie dead near the entrance to the park at 10th Street and Charles Allen Drive."

'My heart is so very broken': Fiancé of woman stabbed to death at Piedmont Park mourns loss
 
beatrixpotter said:
This is awful. The crime in Atlanta and the surrounding areas has seriously escalated since the pandemic started. I mean I find it nuts personally. I live in a smallish town 40 min north and what we've had happen in the last year are crazy. Attempted kidnappings in broad daylight, out door stabbings, multiple murders. And this area is not remotely known for crime.

This sounds personal though. If the neighbors had camera footage of her leaving the house then the PD know when her wife left too and could quickly rule that out. It just seems extreme for random murder though. I hope they find her killer quickly. :(
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I too live in ATL. Imo the pandemic has had nothing (or very little) to do with the escalation of crime which Atlanta and Buckhead and Piedmont Park are experiencing.

<modsnip>

I can’t imagine what JK’s wife, family, and friends are going through. Hopefully, LE can solve the crime with the few resources they have.

<modsnip>

I hope they catch whoever killed JK soon.
 
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Agree with those who say this is likely the work of a mentally ill park dweller. I suspect this poor woman was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and would be astounded if it has anything to do with her sexuality. In Midtown Atlanta, any random murder victim would have a pretty good chance of being something other than cisgender.

I’m most surprised that there were apparently no ear- or eye-witnesses to the crime. This is not a deserted rural area. At least prior to Covid, Midtown near the park was hopping 24/7. Can’t believe things are that different now.
 
Bridger said:
Agree with those who say this is likely the work of a mentally ill park dweller. I suspect this poor woman was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and would be astounded if it has anything to do with her sexuality. In Midtown Atlanta, any random murder victim would have a pretty good chance of being something other than cisgender.

I’m most surprised that there were apparently no ear- or eye-witnesses to the crime. This is not a deserted rural area. At least prior to Covid, Midtown near the park was hopping 24/7. Can’t believe things are that different now.
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If it is someone mentally unstable, surely they'd be fairly easy to locate or is someone known in the area. He/she must have had a lot of blood on their clothing.
 
This is completely horrifying. I can't imagine what her partner felt finding her and her dog murdered in the park. My gosh, I have no words.

The fact that she routinely walked the dog late at night (and it sounds like through this same park) is the one thing making me lean slightly more to targeted attack. Whether it was someone from the neighborhood or someone who was a customer at her work, etc., maybe they knew she often walked this route late at night. Didn't one of the articles upthread mention her partner saying she also listened to podcasts while walking? So I'm thinking that means earbuds and maybe not being able to hear someone behind her or following her until it's too late.

Did she live in an apartment or a house? Since she sets off to walk around the same time every night and this is something a neighbor could easily notice, I wonder if they have had any recent issues with neighbors? The dog being killed too makes me wonder - any complaints about dogs barking or pooping in someone's yard? I only ask because of the vitriol I see on Next Door where I live regarding these issues. Someone threatened to poison a person's dog because it pooped in their yard as an example. People do crazy things sometimes. Wondering if they've had any "discussions" or altercations with neighbors about an issue with the dogs and this person followed her on the walk and killed them. Of course, any camera that picked Katherine up walking should pick this person up as well unless they knew to avoid it MOO.
 
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