NM NM- Katherine Kathy Paquin, 62, Albuquerque, 15 Aug 2012

[Pennysmom1]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Katherine Paquin – The Charley Project

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Paquin, circa 2012; Christopher Blattner

• Missing Since 08/15/2012
• Missing From Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Age 62 years old
• Height and Weight 5'7 - 5'8, 170 - 180 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Gray hair, blue eyes. Paquin's nickname is Kathy.

Details of Disappearance​

Paquin was last seen at her home near Eubank and Indian School in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 15, 2012. She has never been heard from again.

Authorities learned that Christopher Blattner and his wife, Brittany Blattner, who were Paquin's neighbors, had secretly withdrawn $63,000 from Paquin's bank account using her ATM card, including $25,000 taken in a five-day period just after she disappeared.

The couple bought computers, clothing, jewelry and two motorcycles with Paquin's money. Later in August, both were charged with fraud and forgery in connection with the thefts. According to court documents, Christopher told his wife he had murdered Paquin, dismembered her body and disposed of the parts.

Christopher had a prior criminal record for methamphetamine and heroin charges, and had been paroled in February 2012, just a few months before Paquin's disappearance. Authorities later admitted they had miscalculated his sentence and he should have been incarcerated until September 2015.

In August 2012, he was charged with second-degree murder in Paquin's case. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Paquin's case, second-degree murder in the 2007 death of George Orozco, and aggravated assault on a police officer in an altercation with police in 2013.

Christopher was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Per the terms of the agreement, the forgery and fraud charges against him were dropped, as well as all the charges against Brittany. In 2015, he also pleaded guilty to federal narcotics charges and was sentenced to 30 more years. He later attempted to withdraw the federal plea, claiming he'd been under the influence of drugs and didn't know what was going on when he made it, but this was refused.

Although the terms of his plea agreement required Christopher to disclose the location of Paquin's body, her remains have never been recovered. Foul play is suspected in his case due to the circumstances involved.

Investigating Agency​

• Albuquerque Police Department 505-768-2020

Source Information​

• NamUs
• The Albuquerque Journal
• KRQE

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated November 9, 2018; casefile added.


April 6, 2015

Slain woman’s remains still missing

A woman's body still hasn't been located despite her killer's agreement to tell police what he did with it.

www.koat.com

 

[Pennysmom1]

Oct 12, 2024

High court clears way for lawsuit stemming from 2012 killing

The 2012 killing of a woman by a New Mexico prison inmate released by mistake led to a ruling this week by the state’s highest court that allows individuals to

www.abqjournal.com

<<The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous opinion Thursday that the family of Katherine "Kathy" Paquin can move forward with a decade-old lawsuit against the state Corrections Department in the Albuquerque woman's killing.>>

Paquin, 62, was killed in August 2012 by Christopher Blattner after he was mistakenly paroled three years early from the Guadalupe County Detention Center in Santa Rosa in February of the same year.

<<Blattner had not been scheduled for release until 2015 on drug trafficking and possession charges.

Blattner pleaded no contest in 2014 to voluntary manslaughter in Paquin's abduction and killing. Her body is believed to have been dismembered and has never been located.>>