NM NM - Kaitlyn Arquette, 18, murdered, Albuquerque, 16 Jul 1989

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I really think that APD knows who killed Kaitlyn Arquette, 18, (daughter of author, Lois Duncan) and they are covering it up due to some sort illegal involvement they had in the chop shop her boyfriend ran, or they were paid off by the Vietnamese crime ring in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Kaitlyn was about to break up with her live-in boyfriend, Dung Ngoc Nguyen, and it was known she was scared of him. She was a potential "whistle blower" for a large illegal drug and auto shop ring she knew about. She told her family and friends to not tell him her location. She was at a friends house the night she was shot. At around 22:45, after leaving her friends house, Kaitlyn was shot 2 times in the head. The wounds seemed to be from a point blank range due to the accuracy and closeness of the wounds. She was "found" by a man named Paul Acodapa. I find it super odd that an off duty Violent Crimes detective, Ronald Merriman, happened to be off duty and passing by shortly after the shooting. He spoke with Paul Apodaca and called another officer for back up but neither Officer took a statement from Paul. The phone number he gave was also incorrect. The vehicle Paul was in possession of was also driven away by someone while both officers were on the scene.

Ultimately, they all left the scene after calling for an ambulance. All of the EMTs wrote separate statements saying the same thing. It was the only time they had arrived to a scene called in by officers, and when they arrived, not a single person other than the victim was there.

Kaitlyn was laying across both of the front seats "bleeding heavily and crying and moaning" a statement had said. She was in a coma for 20 hours before succumbing to her wounds. ( I have added where the head wounds were located) Also, no bullets or shell casings were ever located. It is also worth mentioning, there were no exit holes from the wounds.

APD ruled her death a drive-by. Even with all the evidence pointing towards a murder, they refuse to reopen the investigation or do anything to bring justice to her family.

If anyone is familiar with the case and/or more reasons there would be a cover up, please discuss it.
 

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I've read both books and every article that has been published. I also connected with Lois Duncan online. I never would have said this to the family but I am not sure how much more can be found out. Everything you stated is what the family and their representatives have released. Who gave the actual order to kill Kaitlyn is not known. Lois stated that many people who were involved are probably dead because the criminal lifestyle is risky. Cops might confess... Dung Nyungen might confess...So there could be more specifics but I don't really consider this case to be a mystery anymore.

J3ssi6.7.1 said:
I really think that APD knows who killed Kaitlyn Arquette, 18, (daughter of author, Lois Duncan) and they are covering it up due to some sort illegal involvement they had in the chop shop her boyfriend ran, or they were paid off by the Vietnamese crime ring in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Kaitlyn was about to break up with her live-in boyfriend, Dung Ngoc Nguyen, and it was known she was scared of him. She was a potential "whistle blower" for a large illegal drug and auto shop ring she knew about. She told her family and friends to not tell him her location. She was at a friends house the night she was shot. At around 22:45, after leaving her friends house, Kaitlyn was shot 2 times in the head. The wounds seemed to be from a point blank range due to the accuracy and closeness of the wounds. She was "found" by a man named Paul Acodapa. I find it super odd that an off duty Violent Crimes detective, Ronald Merriman, happened to be off duty and passing by shortly after the shooting. He spoke with Paul Apodaca and called another officer for back up but neither Officer took a statement from Paul. The phone number he gave was also incorrect. The vehicle Paul was in possession of was also driven away by someone while both officers were on the scene.

Ultimately, they all left the scene after calling for an ambulance. All of the EMTs wrote separate statements saying the same thing. It was the only time they had arrived to a scene called in by officers, and when they arrived, not a single person other than the victim was there.

Kaitlyn was laying across both of the front seats "bleeding heavily and crying and moaning" a statement had said. She was in a coma for 20 hours before succumbing to her wounds. ( I have added where the head wounds were located) Also, no bullets or shell casings were ever located. It is also worth mentioning, there were no exit holes from the wounds.

APD ruled her death a drive-by. Even with all the evidence pointing towards a murder, they refuse to reopen the investigation or do anything to bring justice to her family.

If anyone is familiar with the case and/or more reasons there would be a cover up, please discuss it.
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I agree with you that it isn't a mystery as to it being a murder and not a drive-by.
I am just appalled by the fact that APD is doing nothing and has done nothing. I am from Albuquerque and they unfortunately have a long history of sweeping things under the rug or not doing things properly so that people who commit heinous crimes usually are not apprehended; or if the are they receive little to no punishment for what they have done.
 
Yes, so I'm sure you are familiar with lots of cases! Lois wrote about the extensive corruption in Albuquerque and I've heard . I suppose a systemic investigation of the entire department might yield something but we all know how (un)likely that is. :(


J3ssi6.7.1 said:
I agree with you that it isn't a mystery as to it being a murder and not a drive-by.
I am just appalled by the fact that APD is doing nothing and has done nothing. I am from Albuquerque and they unfortunately have a long history of sweeping things under the rug or not doing things properly so that people who commit heinous crimes usually are not apprehended; or if the are they receive little to no punishment for what they have done.
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APD needs to investigate years of corruption and cover-ups; as you said though, it is highly unlikely. It would be so many cases that would have to be re-opened and investigated . Some having decades of time since they occurred. Albuquerque also has a problem with properly sentencing people. Baby Brianna case haunts me. Mother is already freed. The same with the Victoria Martens case. Both Michelle and Jessica took plea deals for the horrific murder and were only sentenced to 15 years. I am sure they will both be released before the time is up. I have attached some links to both of those cases if you are interested.

Death of Victoria Martens - Wikipedia

Baby Brianna's mother to be released from prison on Sept. 25
 
J3ssi6.7.1 said:
APD needs to investigate years of corruption and cover-ups; as you said though, it is highly unlikely. It would be so many cases that would have to be re-opened and investigated . Some having decades of time since they occurred. Albuquerque also has a problem with properly sentencing people. Baby Brianna case haunts me. Mother is already freed. The same with the Victoria Martens case. Both Michelle and Jessica took plea deals for the horrific murder and were only sentenced to 15 years. I am sure they will both be released before the time is up. I have attached some links to both of those cases if you are interested.

Death of Victoria Martens - Wikipedia

Baby Brianna's mother to be released from prison on Sept. 25
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Thank you. I am glad to see someone posting on this thread. It was such a strange case, like one of Lois' books come to life. Just tragic.
 
The KA UM segment was especially tragic, given that KA was so young & had her whole life ahead of her.

I don't believe this was a random drive-by murder.

I completely agree that it the activities she/her boyfriend were involved in led to someone wanting to "shut her up" - just as her mother believed.

Going along with this - given that KA and her live-in boyfriend were having problems (per the segment, she told her mother she was going to break up with him) - her death may be related to this as well.
 
Just came across this thread - watched Wes Craven's "Summer of Fear" for the umpteenth time and did some digging into Lois Duncan's career as a writer. Knock me over with a feather - I discovered she spent her late childhood and teen years right here in Sarasota, her parents were photographers and did quite a bit of work for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. I never read any of her books but will have to, as I'm intrigued by supernatural thrillers. After living in NM for years she moved to Bradenton where she died in 2016.

Very shocking and sad what happened to her daughter Kaitlyn. I really hope this case can be solved soon.
 
Hi. Lois Duncan hated that adaptation of her book, they got it completely wrong. I hope you read her books they are great.
MaryG12 said:
Just came across this thread - watched Wes Craven's "Summer of Fear" for the umpteenth time and did some digging into Lois Duncan's career as a writer. Knock me over with a feather - I discovered she spent her late childhood and teen years right here in Sarasota, her parents were photographers and did quite a bit of work for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. I never read any of her books but will have to, as I'm intrigued by supernatural thrillers. After living in NM for years she moved to Bradenton where she died in 2016.

Very shocking and sad what happened to her daughter Kaitlyn. I really hope this case can be solved soon.
Click to expand...
hat
 
Cascadia Mount said:
Hi. Lois Duncan hated that adaptation of her book, they got it completely wrong. I hope you read her books they are great.

hat
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Thanks! After reading a bunch of reviews on her books, it sounds like her books are much better than the movies that were made from them.
 
OK I ordered a copy of Summer of Fear (1976) and Killing Mr. Griffin (1978) off the internet to start with. I was careful not to get the 2010 printings that include cell phones etc. in the stories. I tend to be a purist when it comes to reading original versions. I'm sure I will enjoy these books.
 
Enjoy, :)
MaryG12 said:
OK I ordered a copy of Summer of Fear (1976) and Killing Mr. Griffin (1978) off the internet to start with. I was careful not to get the 2010 printings that include cell phones etc. in the stories. I tend to be a purist when it comes to reading original versions. I'm sure I will enjoy these books.
Click to expand...
 
Ive been following/researching this case for long time and never knew there was a thread for it. Paul Apodaca confessed to a 1988 murder of a girl from Taos this past month. I really hope they can get some information out of him about Kait.
 
colette said:
With all the problems with Albuquerque PD it's hard to believe much that they have said. They could have killed her for all I know. They may have been shooting people and getting away with it for years. They recently killed a woman. I have been thinking back to Kait's murder and wondered after all the news about Alb. PD. It really makes you think.

When I lived there I knew of police who filed false burglary arrests and then picketed the insurance money. (Using family members names.)


Police shoot woman in foot chase

http://krqe.com/2014/05/09/cop-who-fatally-shot-woman-has-history-of-use-of-force/
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