GA - Katherine Janness, 40, fatally stabbed and dog killed, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, 28 July 2021 #2

[everybodhi]

If god forbid any of my loved ones were victims of a crime and I had someone in my life who was comfortable speaking in public and to the media, you can bet I would ask them to be my spokesperson. If they knew and loved my person, even better.
Some here and in the media may be 'repeating what he says like gospel' because we spend page after page rehashing and overanalyzing everything or in the media's case reporting the same thing because it is all we have to 'work' with, but the great thing is that authorities, who are actually working the case, have ongoing access to all of the important people and information and can ask, confirm, solidify, and that is what matters. I haven't heard anything from LE that would hint at the family being uncooperative or misleading or anything nefarious whatsoever.
I get that we have questions but I also can't help but feel like maybe this is why family members don't speak publicly. Their worlds have been destroyed and they are willing and eager to talk about their loved one and try to remember what happened through their trauma ridden brains with hopes of keeping the story front and center so progress happens on the case and meanwhile message boards will question you until what you have said can be dissected to satisfaction.

That is just how I feel.

When my partner died suddenly and unexpectedly I could hardly even talk to my own family about it, and it was a natural death.

 

[Peaches96]

When my partner died suddenly and unexpectedly I could hardly even talk to my own family about it, and it was a natural death.

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[sassysleuthie]

LE has already confirmed your suspicions…stating that this is a unique murder to the Atlanta area. Also I saw LE- I believe it was the ATL police chief but not 100% sure- say in a news report that specific details regarding the condition in which Katie’s body was found will not be revealed because there are things that only the murderer would know.

Ugh… what does that even mean

 

[AtlantaBourne]

According to the video released, 9 park cameras did not work. So should we rely on the timestamps, IDK. The use of the cane is confusing. I have no better word, than a "passive" use. He is not leaning on the cane for support. He is not unsteady on his feet. He has a long and leisurely gait and IMO, the cane isnt used in time with the steps he makes, as if he is just swinging it along. I wonder if he qualifies for disability and continues to carry a cane? Do not let someone who appears to be leisurely in demeanor make you think they are laid back. IMO, I agree, looks like blood and splatter above it IMO.

 

[Atlmom]

Maybe the dad and Katie had dinner at Henry’s?

Emma said after she discovered Katie in the park, she called 911, then called her brother and Dad. Her Dad immediately drove to Atlanta to be with her. I also heard Katie say in one of the interviews that she and Emma did not have dinner together that night. So lots of “he said-she said” going around.

 

[AtlantaBourne]

This is my 1st post..so I hope I'm doing it right.
So glad someone noticed the big red spot on the man w/cane on the right side of his tank tee just under his bicep. He is posted on APD website as a possible witness to Ms. Janness' murder. He is seen exiting the park around 12:27am? at the Piedmont Rd/12th St. entrance, sort of the opposite side of the park where Katie and Bowie were found. He seems to be looking at a phone in his left hand and agreed that not much of a limp even though he uses a cane.

 

[K.jill]

Emma said after she discovered Katie in the park, she called 911, then called her brother and Dad. Her Dad immediately drove to Atlanta to be with her. I also heard Katie say in one of the interviews that she and Emma did not have dinner together that night. So lots of “he said-she said” going around.

Thank you. I have watched a bit of her interviews but find them hard to watch. What she has been thru is unimaginable. Heartbreaking.

 

[Atlmom]

Agree with this. She says in her interviews there was no dinner together. That she was working later that night due to staff shortages and closing. The interviews clear up a lot of questions people have been posting the last 2 days.

There are still inconsistencies with the timeline, but dinner did not happen according to Emma.

Also, I thought the 20 minute interview was an exclusive interview with Emma but then about half or three quarters of the way through, they pan over and there’s Dad sitting in a chair right next to Emma. For a few minutes he took over interjecting and answering questions and then the interview went back to Emma. Sounds like Dad had a very good relationship with Katie, loves his daughter and was super supportive of their relationship. And I’m sure he’s very worried and protective of Emma right now. But there’s also a part of me that thinks he’s making sure Emma doesn’t say something that could be misinterpreted by LE. We know what happened to Richard Jewell.

 

[Shellinaya]

I agree. The dad said a lot of things to the media at the very beginning that seem odd and/or untrue now. For example, he said that they had dinner together. I haven’t heard Emma say they had dinner that night. He also said that Katie was supposed to meet Emma back at her job to walk her home when she got off. He said Katie never made it back there so that’s when Emma started looking for her. He also said Emma walked from their house to the park to look for Katie…but new reports say she drove to the park? Another thing I remember him saying is that Emma ran as fast as she could from the park because she was scared. But in the 911 call, it didn’t sound like Emma was running, she even spoke to someone else in the park. In her interview, she said she touched Katie’s face and even checked for a pulse. It’s just odd to me that her dad would voluntarily give all these different version of events to the media. I’m trying to figure out his angle. Perhaps he just likes hearing himself talk? I did think he was really trying to make them out to be the most loving couple ever and that was odd to me as well. I agree with the poster that said it almost seemed as if he was trying to shape the narrative.

I doubt Emma's father is trying to speak out of anything but a sense of shock and horror. I'm sure his daughter told him what she found and how the victim looked and he's reacting as most people would who are in shock and disbelief, with a lot of confusion, at least at first.

It sounded on the 911 call like Emma had been running at least a little bit, since she was breathing pretty heavily.

From what Emma has said they were a very loving couple. I don't see any reason to doubt that right now.

 

[googlethis04]

Maybe the dad and Katie had dinner at Henry’s?

Emma’s dad doesn’t live in ATL per the AJC article released at the beginning. He is a City Councilman for Fayetteville

“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.”

https://www.ajc.com/news/woman-kill...nd/OPLM2CWEBNBFHHAKCK5O565PPU/?outputType=amp

 

[branmuffin]

I haven't caught up with Thread #2 yet but I have a few observations based on having many dogs over the years, both small and large. My small dogs I could use a retractable leash. It was less likely that a small dog could yank the leash out of my hand and take off. With my big dogs a sturdy leather leash about 6 feet long with a loop I could place over my wrist and hold in my palm was used. I cannot imagine having a pitbull on a retractable leash. I couldn't see myself letting my dog off the leash at night; as posters have already mentioned there's the issue of unknown food stuffs and also the worry of skunks and raccoons that I didn't want them to tangle with.

I've read that Bowie was Emma's dog and Katie's dog was a much older pittie around 13 years old. I've seen images of Katie hugging two different dogs, a black pittie with a white chest and a brown and white pittie. Did Katie walk the senior dog at night before walking the younger Bowie? When Emma wasn't working did she walk Bowie at night? If neither were working did they both walk the dogs together?

About the man dressed in white. I see a well muscled man with dark toned skin. He appears to be holding an offset walking cane with a curved top. I think this type of cane is less likely to be a cane sword. He also seems to be tucking something under his right arm against his bicep while he looks at what appears to be a cell phone in his left hand. He is dressed quite casually in a wife beater and baggy white pants. Is it possible the pants could be part of a kitchen uniform or painter's pants that had all sorts of little pockets in the legs? Some posters mention socks and sandals on his feet but I see an enclosed shoe. He seems to be moving very leisurely as he leaves the park entrance.

Whatever happened, I don't think Katie had an opportunity to scream. This link shows how effective certain injuries can render the victim unable to protect themselves and die within seconds. I don't think this attack occurred from behind, I think it was a full frontal attack incapacitating Katie's ability to escape and showing no defensive wounds.

The Dangers from Knife and Weapon Slashing

She may have still had the leash in her hand and Bowie reacted and was also mortally wounded. We really don't know the extent of the injuries inflicted on Bowie or Katie, only enough that they were fatal. The disfiguring injuries Katie bore could have been anything from facial slashing to injuries to the torso, which in my opinion occurred once she was on the ground. I hate writing this stuff, poor Katie and poor doggo Bowie. They crossed the rainbow bridge together.

 

[Shellinaya]

For those here who live in Atlanta… I’m realizing that the ATL media really is not releasing much. No interviews w/friends or coworkers, just Emma & her dad, over a week ago. Nothing new has been reported in days. Do you think there’s any progress?

It's very hard to tell what they are doing. TV news mentions this more than the AJC newspaper which isn't writing about it much, but they don't say much except rehash.

The DA keeps saying this murder is a big priority for her office, but if so they are not really telling the public what they are doing.

The fact is, like I've said, there seem to be daily murders and shootings in the Atlanta area. It's probably too much to ask the media and LE to focus more on this one murder. As much as it interests us for a variety of reasons, it's just one of many.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

When my partner died suddenly and unexpectedly I could hardly even talk to my own family about it, and it was a natural death.

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[K.jill]

Is this right?
Emma left work, went home. Katie was not home or answering her phone. Emma then looks up her phone location. Notices the phone is not moving. Emma drives or walks to the park. Emma calls 911 at 1:11am.
If that is correct can we speculate that Katie’s phone was not moving for 10ish minutes before the 911 call?

 

[AtlantaBourne]

This horrific murder has haunted me for many personal reasons. I am researching everything and I've put together a timeline gathered from interviews and police web sites.
Sometime between 11-11:30pm Katie leaves home w/3yr old Bowie and walks to restaurant where girlfriend was working. Approximately 1/2 mile.
11:30-12:00am Katie & Bowie talk to girlfriend at her work for a few minutes.
12:00-12:09am Katie & Bowie walk back down 10th St. passing a fire station & restaurant where she worked..approximately 1/4 of a mile.
12:09am Katie & Bowie cross the street in rainbow crosswalk at Piedmont & 10th St.
Katie & Bowie walk approximately 4/10ths of a mile down 10th St. most likely just inside the park on a sidewalk about 35 feet from the street. I say most likely because there are working cameras on 10th street & the picture of her & Bowie released was prior to walking in range of other cameras.
Sometime between 12:15-12:35am Katie's girlfriend, Emma, arrives home from work & tries contacting Katie because she is not home.
After several calls & texts unanswered, Emma gets concerned & leaves in car with 'find my phone' app activated.
She notices the phone is in the park & not moving. She stated in an interview w/11alive news that she thought Katie dropped her phone without noticing.
12:35-12:57 Emma states she entered the park at 10th St & Charles Allen Dr. She saw what she thought was a trash bag about 50 feet ahead of her. This was Bowie. Emma states she grabbed Bowie & thought he may have been hit by a car. She then located Katie approximately 100 ft to the left of Bowie under a tree. Emma stated she checked for a pulse & touched Katie's face.
Emma ran out of the park and called 911 at 1:10am. During the call she called to a man who also came running out of the park & said "did you see that"? That's my... girlfriend!" The man responded "what the ....!"
APD stated that the cameras inside the park are outdated & not integrated with their camera system. I've never heard that the cameras did not work & hoping they have video evidence they are choosing not to release.
The reward was raised to $20k when the ASPCA added $10k to it.
I doubt Bowie was let off his leash as that is not allowed in the park & there are signs posted.
Thanks for clearing up the "spot" I saw on the man w/cane's tank tee as it is an object.
I hope they solve this soon.

 

[K.jill]

This horrific murder has haunted me for many personal reasons. I am researching everything and I've put together a timeline gathered from interviews and police web sites.
Sometime between 11-11:30pm Katie leaves home w/3yr old Bowie and walks to restaurant where girlfriend was working. Approximately 1/2 mile.
11:30-12:00am Katie & Bowie talk to girlfriend at her work for a few minutes.
12:00-12:09am Katie & Bowie walk back down 10th St. passing a fire station & restaurant where she worked..approximately 1/4 of a mile.
12:09am Katie & Bowie cross the street in rainbow crosswalk at Piedmont & 10th St.
Katie & Bowie walk approximately 4/10ths of a mile down 10th St. most likely just inside the park on a sidewalk about 35 feet from the street. I say most likely because there are working cameras on 10th street & the picture of her & Bowie released was prior to walking in range of other cameras.
Sometime between 12:15-12:35am Katie's girlfriend, Emma, arrives home from work & tries contacting Katie because she is not home.
After several calls & texts unanswered, Emma gets concerned & leaves in car with 'find my phone' app activated.
She notices the phone is in the park & not moving. She stated in an interview w/11alive news that she thought Katie dropped her phone without noticing.
12:35-12:57 Emma states she entered the park at 10th St & Charles Allen Dr. She saw what she thought was a trash bag about 50 feet ahead of her. This was Bowie. Emma states she grabbed Bowie & thought he may have been hit by a car. She then located Katie approximately 100 ft to the left of Bowie under a tree. Emma stated she checked for a pulse & touched Katie's face.
Emma ran out of the park and called 911 at 1:10am. During the call she called to a man who also came running out of the park & said "did you see that"? That's my... girlfriend!" The man responded "what the ....!"
APD stated that the cameras inside the park are outdated & not integrated with their camera system. I've never heard that the cameras did not work & hoping they have video evidence they are choosing not to release.
The reward was raised to $20k when the ASPCA added $10k to it.
I doubt Bowie was let off his leash as that is not allowed in the park & there are signs posted.
Thanks for clearing up the "spot" I saw on the man w/cane's tank tee as it is an object.
I hope they solve this soon.

AtlantaBourne, thank you for your post.
I am haunted by this as well and I am so sad for Katie, Bowie and their loved ones.

 

[DobbyRN]

This horrific murder has haunted me for many personal reasons. I am researching everything and I've put together a timeline gathered from interviews and police web sites.
Sometime between 11-11:30pm Katie leaves home w/3yr old Bowie and walks to restaurant where girlfriend was working. Approximately 1/2 mile.
11:30-12:00am Katie & Bowie talk to girlfriend at her work for a few minutes.
12:00-12:09am Katie & Bowie walk back down 10th St. passing a fire station & restaurant where she worked..approximately 1/4 of a mile.
12:09am Katie & Bowie cross the street in rainbow crosswalk at Piedmont & 10th St.
Katie & Bowie walk approximately 4/10ths of a mile down 10th St. most likely just inside the park on a sidewalk about 35 feet from the street. I say most likely because there are working cameras on 10th street & the picture of her & Bowie released was prior to walking in range of other cameras.
Sometime between 12:15-12:35am Katie's girlfriend, Emma, arrives home from work & tries contacting Katie because she is not home.
After several calls & texts unanswered, Emma gets concerned & leaves in car with 'find my phone' app activated.
She notices the phone is in the park & not moving. She stated in an interview w/11alive news that she thought Katie dropped her phone without noticing.
12:35-12:57 Emma states she entered the park at 10th St & Charles Allen Dr. She saw what she thought was a trash bag about 50 feet ahead of her. This was Bowie. Emma states she grabbed Bowie & thought he may have been hit by a car. She then located Katie approximately 100 ft to the left of Bowie under a tree. Emma stated she checked for a pulse & touched Katie's face.
Emma ran out of the park and called 911 at 1:10am. During the call she called to a man who also came running out of the park & said "did you see that"? That's my... girlfriend!" The man responded "what the ....!"
APD stated that the cameras inside the park are outdated & not integrated with their camera system. I've never heard that the cameras did not work & hoping they have video evidence they are choosing not to release.
The reward was raised to $20k when the ASPCA added $10k to it.
I doubt Bowie was let off his leash as that is not allowed in the park & there are signs posted.
Thanks for clearing up the "spot" I saw on the man w/cane's tank tee as it is an object.
I hope they solve this soon.

This horrific murder is haunting me too! Everything you wrote seems spot on! I am praying they solve this soon.

 

[TL4S]

It's very hard to tell what they are doing. TV news mentions this more than the AJC newspaper which isn't writing about it much, but they don't say much except rehash.

The DA keeps saying this murder is a big priority for her office, but if so they are not really telling the public what they are doing.

The fact is, like I've said, there seem to be daily murders and shootings in the Atlanta area. It's probably too much to ask the media and LE to focus more on this one murder. As much as it interests us for a variety of reasons, it's just one of many.

I think the FBI is likely involved to profile this killer. One of the general things LE said for people to watch for and report on, besides extremity injuries and change in appearance, is someone who has an intense interest in the case. We hear this all the time.

But, if the profile includes an intense response for the killer, maybe a reliving, of sorts, through media coverage like LE pressers, etc, then perhaps the lack of details released is purposeful. Maybe LE has already released the information they think might be helpful for the public to know, but any more would only feed the killer. IDK...

 

[Counttrarian]

There was a man stabbed to death in 2009 in the park and the murder has never been solved. He was also part of the LGBTQ community.

Thanks for pointing that out, 10+ years, (in the 20 years prior none were believed to have occurred), but can't go back to edit. The case you are referring was that of Patrick Boland.
Piedmont Park stabbing victim's SUV found

The last death I'm aware in the park was in 2016, also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, who committed suicide by hanging.
(The 2016 case was referred to the FBI by the then Mayor of Atlanta)

 

[Counttrarian]

This horrific murder has haunted me for many personal reasons. I am researching everything and I've put together a timeline gathered from interviews and police web sites.
Sometime between 11-11:30pm Katie leaves home w/3yr old Bowie and walks to restaurant where girlfriend was working. Approximately 1/2 mile.
11:30-12:00am Katie & Bowie talk to girlfriend at her work for a few minutes.
12:00-12:09am Katie & Bowie walk back down 10th St. passing a fire station & restaurant where she worked..approximately 1/4 of a mile.
12:09am Katie & Bowie cross the street in rainbow crosswalk at Piedmont & 10th St.
Katie & Bowie walk approximately 4/10ths of a mile down 10th St. most likely just inside the park on a sidewalk about 35 feet from the street. I say most likely because there are working cameras on 10th street & the picture of her & Bowie released was prior to walking in range of other cameras.
Sometime between 12:15-12:35am Katie's girlfriend, Emma, arrives home from work & tries contacting Katie because she is not home.
After several calls & texts unanswered, Emma gets concerned & leaves in car with 'find my phone' app activated.
She notices the phone is in the park & not moving. She stated in an interview w/11alive news that she thought Katie dropped her phone without noticing.
12:35-12:57 Emma states she entered the park at 10th St & Charles Allen Dr. She saw what she thought was a trash bag about 50 feet ahead of her. This was Bowie. Emma states she grabbed Bowie & thought he may have been hit by a car. She then located Katie approximately 100 ft to the left of Bowie under a tree. Emma stated she checked for a pulse & touched Katie's face.
Emma ran out of the park and called 911 at 1:10am. During the call she called to a man who also came running out of the park & said "did you see that"? That's my... girlfriend!" The man responded "what the ....!"
APD stated that the cameras inside the park are outdated & not integrated with their camera system. I've never heard that the cameras did not work & hoping they have video evidence they are choosing not to release.
The reward was raised to $20k when the ASPCA added $10k to it.
I doubt Bowie was let off his leash as that is not allowed in the park & there are signs posted.
Thanks for clearing up the "spot" I saw on the man w/cane's tank tee as it is an object.
I hope they solve this soon.

Good write up but a few small points:
-Katie would have passed the fire station but not where she works (which is south on Piedmont).
- I don't think we can be certain of the 12:35/12:57-1:10 timeline you have.
-It was PETA not ASPCA that added 10k.