GUILTY TN - Manisha Kratochvil, 32, found strangled in her Antioch home, 2 March 2009

http://tennessean.com/article/20090303/NEWS03/903030341

The director of Southern Hills hospital's wound care center was found dead on Monday morning, in what Metro police believe was a homicide.

The body of Manisha Kratochvil, 32, was found at 7:30 a.m. in a bedroom of her home on Sunnywood Drive in Antioch. Kratochvil's mother found her body after discovering the garage door standing open. There were no signs of forced entry.


More at link...

It is a tragedy that this woman was murdered, but I still thank God that the kids were left physically unharmed.

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=9941819

Snip from article above.

"A woman's husband is talking after police opened a homicide investigation after someone killed Manisha Kratochvil inside her home Sunday night.

Her husband says he was out of town, but the Antioch home was protected by a security alarm. John Kratochvil talked with Newschannel 5 reporter Mark Bellinger about a possible motive in the case.

John Kratochvil thinks his wife's killer broke into his home to steal jewelry.

"They got all of Manisha's jewelry, her Indian gold jewelry," he said.

Manisha's mother found the upstairs master bedroom ransacked Monday morning. She also found Manisha's lifeless body in another upstairs bedroom that was locked.
"My understanding is she was strangled. Even the kids, my daughter when we were talking to her about mommy being asleep forever she even said somebody slapped my mommy on the neck, choked her," said Kratochvil."

Bolding by me-Did I read that right? Her body was found in a locked bedroom?

More at link above.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29493319/

Snips from article above:

"Her mother, who was staying at the home, found Kratochvil in a guest bedroom upstairs at about 7:30 a.m. Kratochvil sometimes slept in the bedroom when her husband was out of town."

"Police said Kratochvil died from strangulation, and the case is being investigated as a homicide."

"The woman's mother found the automatic garage door open Monday morning without signs of forced entry. Police said the home's alarm was still set.

Kratochvil's husband said police told him that a back window's screen was damaged and that they found unlocked windows. The home's alarm system doesn't cover windows.

"The only thing I can think of is maybe they came in through a back window and exited through the garage door," John said."

"Police said the master bedroom had been ransacked and Kratochvil's jewelry was missing."

I find it odd that or a huge coincidence that an intruder would know to enter through a window because the alarm system didnt' cover them. Another coincidence is that the jewlery taken was her wedding day jewlery and wasn't worn everyday. (in the article above). This sounds as if she were a target rather than someone searching for a house to break into randomly. At least at first glance it does.

She was a very pretty woman. Prayers for her family and children.

I find this case strange as well. If stuff was stolen from the master bedroom, why would someone then seek out a person to kill, locking the bedroom door behind them, but leaving the children unharmed?

Definitely strange, and the husband seems a little suspicious. He gives a televised interview a day or two after the discovery? If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't be in the proper state of mind to give any interviews for a long time. Also, he drives to SC on Saturday to work on the old house? Why not leave Friday night to take advantage of the whole weekend? Instead, he left Saturday when the snowstorm was rolling in? Lastly, if I was notified my wife was found murdered I think I would be at the Spartanburg airport arranging for a flight -not driving 6 hours back to Nashville.

The whole thing is suspicious.

I'm finding this husband very strange... like in the news interview how he pointed out that she had decorated their new home a few months and had so fun much fun doing it. I don't know, maybe just a coping mechanism -- but just seemed odd. Like he was trying too hard.

And for that area, I just don't see this being some random jewerly thief scoping out her for her jewerly -- it all just seems really, really set up to me. I hope LE is checking out that husband.

Prayers going up for all her friends, family and especially her 2 children that now will not grow up with their mother by their side. What a loss for them. Sad...

I also thought this was strange when I saw it on the local news. Something just doesn't sound right here.

I just watched a video of the husband at http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=9941819 (on the right hand side)

and his total lack of emotion regarding his wifes strangulation death is erking me. This guy reminds me of Perry March, blah. He seems very matter of fact & defensive -- pointing out the window with the screen; they missing jewerly; how he told his children... and he isn't wearing a wedding ring either. And this all just happened a few days ago!

I hope her mother can give LE more info about their relationship, whether it was good or bad, etc.

Cakegirl said:

I just watched a video of the husband at http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=9941819 (on the right hand side)

and his total lack of emotion regarding his wifes strangulation death is erking me. This guy reminds me of Perry March, blah. He seems very matter of fact & defensive -- pointing out the window with the screen; they missing jewerly; how he told his children... and he isn't wearing a wedding ring either. And this all just happened a few days ago!

I hope her mother can give LE more info about their relationship, whether it was good or bad, etc.

Click to expand...

I don't think he sounds unemotional at all. His eye are red, his voice didn't sound strong at all. He sounds like my husband, actually, not one to share his emotions easily. In all our years together, I've only ever seen him cry twice.

It could be also, that the news reporters ASKED him to show them where the break in occurred, what was taken, etc. And the wedding ring....LOL....a lot of men don't wear one at all. My brother-in-law, for one.

I live very close to where this murder happened. First of all, I am very saddened by the loss of this obviously successful, beautiful mother of two. It was devastating to see the emotional pain her Mother & Sister were obviously enduring during the news interview.
I have gotten info from some LE, that they are focusing exclusively on the husband. They just said so many things did not add up. I have to pass the home on my way out of the neighborhood. The home is being actively used by the husband. I don't know about you, but if my wife were brutally strangled, in my home...I would go nowhere near there! Not only because the crime occured there, but because emotionally I don't think I could go to the place where her life was so tragically taken.
As for being worried about mine and the safety of my family. I don't feel there is a reason to be worried. I feel in my gut, he did it.
I am wondering, did they do and autopsy? I am interested in knowing the time of death...does anyone know if this is public record?

Hello, I am a friend of Manisha and I actually believe her husband has taken part in this. Like all your comments, there is something not right. Who gives an interview the very next day...I also believe that one of the news stations feel the same way. They flash into his hands, they focus into his car tag. Why would someone go out of their way to tell the world what the motives might be????

Kimmycluts... your proximity to the house intrigues me...is there anything you know or think of? We are desprete for clues to catch the person and ideas or correlations, perspectives you might have may be interesting to us.

He reminds me of Drew Peterson. He's enjoying his 5 mins as armchair detective RIGHT AFTER HIS WIFE IS FOUND DEAD. It's like that case in NC where the husband went to "his parents" - is that Jason Young? Sure there's no one to verify you got to the "house" you were fixing up. Me thinks Freeway camera's or any camera in a public area will fry this guy as coming back after his initial "leave." I think she had some money...can someone confirm/deny?

She was a rising star in her work area but she was an ordinary girl. She wasn't wealthy or anything. She was an awesome friend and great mother. She loved her children very much.

Kimmycluts said:

I live very close to where this murder happened. First of all, I am very saddened by the loss of this obviously successful, beautiful mother of two. It was devastating to see the emotional pain her Mother & Sister were obviously enduring during the news interview.
I have gotten info from some LE, that they are focusing exclusively on the husband. They just said so many things did not add up. I have to pass the home on my way out of the neighborhood. The home is being actively used by the husband. I don't know about you, but if my wife were brutally strangled, in my home...I would go nowhere near there! Not only because the crime occured there, but because emotionally I don't think I could go to the place where her life was so tragically taken.
As for being worried about mine and the safety of my family. I don't feel there is a reason to be worried. I feel in my gut, he did it.
I am wondering, did they do and autopsy? I am interested in knowing the time of death...does anyone know if this is public record?

Click to expand...

(bolded by me) Thank you Kimmycluts for giving your perspective. And welcome to websleuths!

I just looked up info about autopsy reports for our state -- and per http://nashvillemedicalexaminer.com/, they are public record and copies can be requested in writing for a nominal fee as long as the case is not homicide. If it is homicide, then the District Attorney General has to give the written okay to release it. So, unless something is leaked to the public, we won't know.

I'm surprised that we're not hearing more about this case. Since you live near the house, is the husband still there? I wonder if her mom is still living there too or if she has left? I bet she was very, very close to her grandchildren. Prayers going up again for them.

wonderingwhy said:

Hello, I am a friend of Manisha and I actually believe her husband has taken part in this. Like all your comments, there is something not right. Who gives an interview the very next day...I also believe that one of the news stations feel the same way. They flash into his hands, they focus into his car tag. Why would someone go out of their way to tell the world what the motives might be????

Kimmycluts... your proximity to the house intrigues me...is there anything you know or think of? We are desprete for clues to catch the person and ideas or correlations, perspectives you might have may be interesting to us.

Click to expand...

Welcome to websleuths wonderingwhy. Sorry you had to join us under these sad circumstances.

I'd love to hear more from you since you knew Manisha. From what I've read, Manisha seemed very well liked, very smart, and a wonderful mother to her children (among many other good things). I'm wondering if her husband was jealous of her? Was he controlling? What would be his motive?? Was he afraid that she would leave him and take the children?

I hope the police are getting all their ducks in a row for an arrest soon.

It sounds like the husband; he knew which part of the house wasn't protected by the alarm, didn't touch the kids, strangulation is quiet and also personal, the stealing of jewelry seems like an afterthought to make it look like some sort of robbery attempt.
Also the perp knew specifics as the windows and garage door weren't protected by the alarm and that Manisha slept in a guest bedroom when her husband wasn't home.
Husband is convienently away at the time checking on one of their houses up for sale.
Why would someone sleep in a guest bedroom when their husband was absent and not their regular master bedroom? Is that some type of "honor thy husband" thing?
Was her husband like 'you can't sleep in my bedroom when i am not home?'

The perp happened to steal "special jewelry" she wore on her wedding day. Someone wanting to truly steal things would take lots of jewelry and other valuables, not just "special jewelry" that most people wouldn't know she wore on the wedding day. Everything points to her husband.

wonderingwhy said:

Hello, I am a friend of Manisha and I actually believe her husband has taken part in this. Like all your comments, there is something not right. Who gives an interview the very next day...I also believe that one of the news stations feel the same way. They flash into his hands, they focus into his car tag. Why would someone go out of their way to tell the world what the motives might be????

Kimmycluts... your proximity to the house intrigues me...is there anything you know or think of? We are desprete for clues to catch the person and ideas or correlations, perspectives you might have may be interesting to us.

Click to expand...

Welcome to Websleuths, wonderingwhy. I'm so sorry to hear about the death of your friend, and you, along with everyone effected, will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Do you know if her and her husband had a rocky marriage, or if anything seemed out of the ordinary in their marriage?

Several things I'm wondering... :waitasec:

I hope LE has checked out his cell phone calls, texts & more importantly pings to see where he was from Saturday night until Monday when he returned.

When was the last time that her mom seen her? I'm assuming she was around on Sunday and went to bed at her normal time. The locked door on this extra bedroom she was found in is bugging me... like the perp wanted to delay someone finding her body so maybe the perp could get farther away.

Was anything else in the house missing besides this jewerly from the master bedroom? IIRC, I noticed the plasma TV still hanging on the wall.

This house in SC, is it in a populated area to where LE could verify if/when he was in fact there? I'm sure they've already checked this out but just thinking out loud.

Was it planned that John go this SC house on Saturday night? Our area had been calling for snow on Sunday for several days prior so it seems that he'd put off a 6-hr trip, especially if he was due back for work on Monday (I can't find anything about his employer so far so not sure on that...). Timing just seems odd if nothing else.

The fact that he drove back 6 hours from SC instead of hoping on a plane and coming straight back a lot quicker is strange. I understand being in shock and just jumping on the road as fast as you could -- but I'm just not feeling that (being in shock) from his interviews.

The news article says that the house alarm was on but that windows were not protected. But if someone was to come through the garage (in or out it), wouldn't the alarm then be set off? Because that door going into the garage would be opened, setting off the alarm? No? I'd like to know how many times this house alarm was disabled between Sunday & Monday when she was found...

I don't know... her husband just seems very Perry March; Drew Peterson; Scott Peterson (sadly the list could go on & on) to me. Strange. :twocents:

i am not sure he was a jealous husband or controlling for that matter...some things are just not put out in the open. Their seemed to be some marital concerns though but she really didn't speak about him only the children. As a matter of fact, in the interview he didn't have a whole lot to say about her wifely duties other than she was caring. He had plenty to say about how good of a mother she was though.

What concerns me most is the lack of information that is out there right now. What has LE found, who have they ruled out, who is the prime suspect...with alot of these cases you hear more information than with this case. I just don't want her to be forgotten and for this to solved. I don't think this was a robbery, the perpetraitor knew too much information on how to get around the house, alarm systems, etc. Besides, why wouldn't anyone else in the house be hurt. Its not like the robber is going to have compassion...

Good point