MO - Off-duty officer (Katlyn Alix) shot dead by on-duty officer (Nathaniel Hendren), Jan 2019

[NewMama]

I’m still stuck on the odds of getting shot with this game. How many rounds did the gun hold? There was one in the chamber and it fired how many empty shots before she was killed? Try not to laugh at me but was this one of those guns where you just spin the whatchamacalit so the odds were the same each time or did the odds increase here?

 

[PrairieWind]

Wait a sec you just sparked a thought. He was on duty so would likely have been wearing a vest, right? I realize they’re not necessarily fully bulletproof, but I wonder how that information would affect the game (or perception of it). Huh. Food for thought.. (MOO/IMO).

I thought about the bulletproof vest option the other day as well. Was he perhaps under the mistaken impression she had a vest on? I eventually discarded the idea. It doesn't make sense to play RRR even with vests on. First, you still have the incredibly loud discharge of the revolver in the apartment that neighbors would likely hear. Second, once a bulletproof vest is hit with a bullet, it needs to be replaced and they are expensive. It doesn't make sense that they would be expending vests just for the fun of it. I just don't buy the Russian Roulette story at all. I still think that the actual discharge of the gun was accidental. But I can't figure out how. But again it comes back to why were they all gathered at his apartment to begin with?

 

[PrairieWind]

I’m still stuck on the odds of getting shot with this game. How many rounds did the gun hold? There was one in the chamber and it fired how many empty shots before she was killed? Try not to laugh at me but was this one of those guns where you just spin the whatchamacalit so the odds were the same each time or did the odds increase here?

How many rounds a revolver holds depends up on the caliber and the model of gun. Most commonly, they hold 5 or 6 rounds. Smaller .22 revolvers can hold more. I don't believe we have heard anything about the specifics of this revolver, ie caliber. In Russian Roulette, I believe often the cylinder is spun each time, then the trigger pulled, and repeat, so each "turn" there is an equal chance of the gun firing, 1 chance in 6, for example. However, as described here, one bullet was placed in the cylinder, it was spun and then pointed and the trigger pulled, then without spinning the cylinder again, then next "turn" begins and the trigger is pulled. So each trigger pull results in an increased chance that the next trigger pull will fire the gun. It is insane! And that is why I highly doubt this is what happened. No way would Alix consent to that absent being heavily under the influence of something.

I wonder if perhaps Hendren put the live round in, and was messing around pulling the trigger, because he knew where the round was, but then somehow lost track or miscounted. Or perhaps he was unfamiliar with how revolvers operate and thought he had an empty chamber and didn't know that pulling the trigger causes the cylinder to FIRST turn, then fire. That seems more likely.

 

[HerculeHolmes]

Could not verify via IG (private account) but initial sources are suggesting the possibility that a 5 chamber. 38 Special Ruger LCR was possessed (registered?) by NH.

 

[Timekeeper65]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.st...53054c2a-13c0-591a-877b-a7a5e7cc8b86.amp.html

Why does this guy have a black eye?

Good grief. This is the biggest bunch of crock - IMO. The “story” is NOT believable.

 

[SuziQ]

I wonder what came first. The black eye, or smashing his head into the SUV?

 

[GordianKnot]

A far more reasonable scenario, would be some sort of accidental discharge when the gun was being handled.

Perhaps it’s partially true, and the victim wasn’t a willing participant.

In that scenario, it’s a one man game of Reverse Russian Roulette, with the intent of scaring the victim.

It would explain the lone chest wound, as a murderer probably wouldn’t risk the chance of his victim surviving.

BBM:

To that specific point. I'm afraid I'm having trouble following your line of thought. (My fault, not yours! You're hard to keep up with!)

Are you theorizing that a more reasonable scenario than RRR would be that there was an accidental discharge resulting from NH just playfully wanting to scare KA by grabbing up the nearest loaded firearm and pointing, aiming and shooting?

Or are you speculating that he got extremely ticked off at her for some reason and wanted to really, really frighten her... not a " Boo! Haha" haunted house type scare, but a literal afraid for your life type fear?

If the point of NH's imbecilic action was to simply "scare" KA, one would think the mere act of pointing a loaded weapon at her would have sufficed.
One does not need to actually fire a loaded weapon at someone's chest to elicit feelings of fear, IMO.

Or do you think that he initially playfully aimed the gun at her, she laughed, then his mood shifted, he became angry that she laughed at him, and he impulsively reacted by pulling the trigger?

Or am I missing something?

 

[GordianKnot]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.st...53054c2a-13c0-591a-877b-a7a5e7cc8b86.amp.html

Why does this guy have a black eye?

Good grief. This is the biggest bunch of crock - IMO. The “story” is NOT believable.

My immediate question upon seeing the mug shot.
How do you bang your head into a window left-eye first?

 

[Mercedes]

“All good lies have an element of truth to them.”
(John J. Davis)

I believe there is a little truth in every lie.
As sleuthers, it is our job to ascertain the truth in this case.

When I have a minute, I will try to list what truths I can see here. If you want, you can start.

 

[Tbone144]

My immediate question upon seeing the mug shot.
How do you bang your head into a window left-eye first?

I think that spot above his eyebrow is where he hit his head and then the blood pooled down giving him the black eye. My step-mom fell and hit her forehead and ended up with two massive black eyes but not much other than the bump on her forehead for brusing otherwise.

I’ve never been punched in the eye but I’m wondering if it would leave different marks than the pooling? When I slammed my eye into the chair back where it hit, it left a different mark than the rest of the eye. (I turned off the light and bent over to pick up a laundry basket I set down forgetting there was a chair there, I hit the pointy end, not the middle flat part).

ETA: if she did punch him with her hand she should have some bruising I would think. I know mine bruised like crazy when a guy tried to sexually accost me. I hit him in the jaw though, not the eye.

 

[mister happy]

Well, the "black eye story" is very suspicious to me. This whole crazy mess is like a bad screenplay.

 

[scmom]

To be fair, technically, this would need to be 50.1%.

It's pretty sad to think some people believe so many police officers are incompetent...or worse.

 

[GordianKnot]

“All good lies have an element of truth to them.”
(John J. Davis)

I believe there is a little truth in every lie.
As sleuthers, it is our job to ascertain the truth in this case.

When I have a minute, I will try to list what truths I can see here. If you want, you can start.

Here is some bare bones info to help get the fact sheet started, Em.
Facts listed may or may not be relevant to the crime:

KA and NH were both LEOs.
KA was 24 yoa.
NH is 29 yoa.
KA was married to another LEO.
NH is single.
The shooting took place at NH's place.
NH was on shift but out of district at the time of the shooting.
KA was off duty at the time of the shooting.
KA was shot in the chest.
NH has a black eye in his mugshot.
KA and NH knew each other prior to the shooting.
Both KA and NH served in the military. NH as a marine.
NH served a tour in Afghanistan.

 

[GordianKnot]

St. Louis officer, Moberly grad charged with manslaughter

An article on NH. Apologies if previously posted.

 

[Betty P]

Looking into precedents since reduction to involuntary manslaughter is a cop-out here (idk prosecutor making deals?)
Appears as if STL County already has a playbook for 'accidentally shooting off duty officer' procedural camouflage.

Can't even make this up.

"Zeigler confessed that he and March had been using his gun as a prop or toy during a sex game, and that they'd done the same thing in the past."

Shot in the Act

Some interesting info in this article. Was it possible NH had to come up with the RRR theory to explain the presence of gunshot residue on his own hands? I'm hoping they tested everyone, including the victim, for GSR.

Also, why do some LE, when a fellow officer is critically injured, try to drive them to a hospital themselves instead of calling EMS? Seems if someone has been shot, it might be better to have EMS arrive with the necessary equipment to control bleeding, give fluids, give CPR, etc. What is standard protocol?

 

[PrairieWind]

Some interesting info in this article. Was it possible NH had to come up with the RRR theory to explain the presence of gunshot residue on his own hands? I'm hoping they tested everyone, including the victim, for GSR.

Also, why do some LE, when a fellow officer is critically injured, try to drive them to a hospital themselves instead of calling EMS? Seems if someone has been shot, it might be better to have EMS arrive with the necessary equipment to control bleeding, give fluids, give CPR, etc. What is standard protocol?

I am just guessing, but I assume that they believed that since they had a police car, they could have her to Emergency Room faster than an ambulance could arrive. Who knows.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

Also, why do some LE, when a fellow officer is critically injured, try to drive them to a hospital themselves instead of calling EMS? Seems if someone has been shot, it might be better to have EMS arrive with the necessary equipment to control bleeding, give fluids, give CPR, etc. What is standard protocol?

Well, when you don't necessarily want to rush, or more explicitly, don't really want the victim to survive, you might choose to drive the victim yourself. Also, if you need time to come up with a story explaining what took place, and perhaps a reason for the black eye, driving gives the two low life scum time to coordinate their story.

 

[GordianKnot]

Some interesting info in this article. Was it possible NH had to come up with the RRR theory to explain the presence of gunshot residue on his own hands? I'm hoping they tested everyone, including the victim, for GSR.

Also, why do some LE, when a fellow officer is critically injured, try to drive them to a hospital themselves instead of calling EMS? Seems if someone has been shot, it might be better to have EMS arrive with the necessary equipment to control bleeding, give fluids, give CPR, etc. What is standard protocol?

BBM: @Falcon500 could speak directly to this question as our VE/LEO on this thread, I believe. Falcon, did they follow standard protocol/procedure by driving her to the hospital themselves, or no? Thanks in advance for your help w/ this question. Your willingness to field questions is much appreciated!

 

[HerculeHolmes]

Funeral today. First public appearance of fmr. husband Anthony J. Meyer since the incident.

Photos: Funeral for St. Louis Police Officer Katlyn Alix

Prosecutor questions police handling of 'Russian roulette' officer shooting | Daily Mail Online

Just curious, does anybody else find it strange the house was not [still] taped off as on-going investigation within 24 hours of the incident? Almost as if the crime-scene has already been scrubbed and polished. Why / How is the crime-scene wrapped without a perimeter within 24 hours?

A bit of of police tape remains on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, as evidence of a shooting at home in the 700 block of Dover Place where a St. Louis police officer was allegedly shot in the chest and killed by another on-duty police officer. Photo by Christian Gooden, cgooden@post-dispatch.com

St. Louis officers took turns firing revolver with 1 bullet at each other, charges in fatal shooting say

St. Louis cop Russian roulette death: Lawyer for alleged shooter calls it 'tragic accident'

View Katlyn Alix's Obituary on stltoday.com and share memories

I might assume any tox results that come back from the lab could be tainted with the recent developments. Even if blood cannot be drawn perhaps hair follicle is available. Still suspicious of the lab anyways since "12-16" weeks came from the medical examiner's office.

Would be interested in the text/call history between all parties involved.

 

[cybervampira]

BBM: @Falcon500 could speak directly to this question as a VE/LEO, I believe. Falcon, did they follow standard protocol/procedure by driving her to the hospital themselves, or no? TIA for your help w/ this question!

I would like to know that, too. I imagine an ambulance with life-saving equipment where she could have been stabilized (or helicopter if possible) would always be a better choice when it comes to bullet wounds.