Katie Janness

Summary

True Crime All The Time Unsolved — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Katie Janness
Hosts: Mike Ferguson & Mike Gibson
Release Date: July 6, 2026
Duration: ~58 minutes (main content)
Main Theme:
A comprehensive look at the unsolved murder of Katie Janness in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park in 2021. The hosts explore Katie’s background, the circumstances of her death, the ongoing investigation, and the impact of this brutal and still-unsolved crime on her loved ones and the wider community.

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1. Overview of the Episode

The hosts, Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson (“Gibby”), dissect the tragic and complex case of Katie Janness, who, along with her dog Bowie, was found viciously murdered in Piedmont Park, Atlanta in 2021. They contextualize Katie’s personal life, relationships, and the circumstances leading up to her death, as well as the subsequent investigation that has, as of 2026, yet to identify her killer. The episode is marked by both seriousness for the case and the casual banter characteristic of the show.

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2. Key Discussion Points and Insights

Katie Janness’s Early Life & Background (04:39–14:00)

• Born in 1980 in Berkeley, Michigan; described as creative, funny, and a private person.

• Her father, Mark, was convicted of murder when Katie was 8, leading to years of estrangement that later eased when Katie reached adulthood.

• Katie was musically gifted, fronting the all-female band Violet Skin.

• Moved to Atlanta in 2006 to pursue music and found a strong sense of community there, particularly in Atlanta’s LGBTQ circles.

  Memorable Quote
  "She was a wonderful singer and songwriter of beautiful lyrics." — Ex-girlfriend, quoting Katie (13:33)

Life in Atlanta and Relationship with Emma Clark (18:32–24:19)

• Katie became sober in 2019, replacing drinking with nighttime walks, often with her dog, Bowie.
• She and her fiancée Emma Clark were together for seven years and deeply in love; Katie supported her family financially and emotionally.
• Katie and Emma were well-known in their community and regularly used Piedmont Park.

The Night of the Murder (24:47–28:09)

• On July 28, 2021, after visiting Emma at work and walking Bowie, Katie disappeared.

• Security cameras captured her last known sighting at 12:09 AM at the Rainbow Crosswalk (24:47).

• Emma tracked Katie’s phone and found both Katie and Bowie dead inside Piedmont Park around 1 AM.

  Memorable Quote:
  "There was a slice on her face, like in an X pattern... and there was a deep cut to her throat. It was cut all the way to the bone." — Emma Clark recounting the scene (26:14)

Investigation Details and Initial Suspicions (29:17–44:13)

• Both victims were stabbed repeatedly; Katie suffered over 50 stab wounds, mutilation, and the word “FAT” was carved onto her chest.

• Robbery was ruled out — valuables remained on her person.

• Investigators suspected familiarity or emotional intensity due to the nature of the wounds.

• Interest in Emma Clark as a suspect arose on social media, leading to victim-blaming and harassment.

• Emma’s alibi, DNA sampling, and full cooperation did not label her as a suspect, but public opinion lingered.

  Memorable Quotes:
  "The nature of the wounds suggests a level of familiarity and emotional intensity from the perpetrator." — Mike Ferguson (29:17)
  "She used about 75% of the $79,000 raised... to pay for a new condo, with the rest going to funeral expenses and a charitable donation." — Mike Ferguson, quoting Emma Clark (40:26)

Issues with Security and Community Impact (31:27–36:22)

• Non-functioning, outdated cameras in the park hampered the investigation and stoked public frustration.
• Only 9 cameras covered the 190-acre park at the time; this increased to 30 after the murder.
• Neighborhood fear and anger ensued, with many criticizing city officials for unaddressed safety gaps.
• Investigators performed a necropsy on Bowie to gather possible DNA evidence from the dog’s mouth and claws.

Medical Examiner’s Report and Further Theories (44:13–55:41)

• Details from the autopsy revealed excessive violence, carvings, and signs of prolonged engagement at the crime scene.

• Experts differed on whether the killer knew Katie: the personal violence pointed to a relationship, but the public location raised doubts.

• No concrete suspects identified as of 2026, but investigation heavily focuses on DNA evidence.

  Memorable Quotes:
  "Fifteen of those stab wounds were from her forehead to her chin... The letters FA were carved in the middle and right side... the letter T [on the left]." — Mike Ferguson (46:22)
  "This, to me, doesn’t seem like a stranger-to-stranger crime... It’s more likely this rage was built up against this very specific person." — Mike Ferguson (48:13)

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3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Katie’s Legacy
  • “I don’t think she would want to be remembered as someone who was murdered, but I think she would hope that something good came out of it.” — Paige Crawford, Katie’s coworker (05:10)
• On Security Failures:
  • "City residents were also outraged to learn that there were only nine security cameras monitoring the massive park." — Mike Ferguson (32:43)
• Expert Analysis
  • "We're getting close, in my opinion." — Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. on investigation status (47:13)
• On Public Speculation
  • "Once your name gets mentioned or put out on the Internet as possibly being involved... people have no problem spitting vitriol at you from behind the keyboard." — Mike Ferguson (39:12)

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4. Noteworthy Segments with Timestamps

• Katie’s Personal History & Family Background (04:39–14:00)
• Musical and Social Life in Detroit and Atlanta (10:46–16:00)
• Relationship with Emma and Journey to Sobriety (18:32–21:15)
• Timeline of Katie’s Last Night Alive (24:47–28:09)
• Crime Scene and Initial Police Response (28:09–30:04)
• Community and Investigative Response to Murder (31:27–36:22)
• Public's Focus on Emma Clark & GoFundMe Controversy (39:12–41:03)
• Medical Examiner’s Report & Crime Scene Ritualism (44:13–47:13)
• Differing Expert Opinions on Offender’s Motive (54:00–55:41)
• Hopes for DNA Breakthrough (51:30–52:46, 57:30)

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5. Conclusions and Current Status

• As of mid-2026, the Atlanta Police continue to pursue the case with a focus on DNA evidence; expressions of optimism from law enforcement.

• The reward for information increased to $25,000 in 2025, and the technological infrastructure in Piedmont Park was significantly upgraded in the aftermath.

• Katie’s murder continues to haunt her loved ones and community, emblematic of the challenges of solving emotionally-driven and brutal homicides with limited forensic leads.

• The personal nature of the murder is stressed; the hosts and expert guests believe DNA will eventually unlock the identity of the perpetrator.

  Final Perspective:
  "All signs are pointing to this being someone, for whatever reason, very upset with her, and they took their rage out on her." — Mike Ferguson (56:59)

  "I really believe that this is a case that will be solved sooner than we think." — Mike Gibson (57:30)

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6. For Listeners Seeking More Information

• If you have any information, tips can be submitted anonymously to Crimestoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477 or online at www.stopcrimatl.org

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Summary Note:
Throughout the episode, the hosts approach the subject with respect for Katie’s memory, integrating survivor and community perspectives with forensic and investigative analysis. The tone remains conversational, with moments of levity interwoven with earnest discussions about violence, trauma, and the realities of high-profile unsolved crimes. The hope for justice and closure resounds in the episode’s conclusion.

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(End of summary. Advertisements, intro, and outro content have been omitted.)

Transcript

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[Jessi Pere and Andy Cassette]

Hi, I'm Jessi Pere. And I'm Andy. Cassette. Welcome to Love Murder where we unravel the darkest tales of romance turned deadly. Our episodes are long form, narrative driven and deeply researched. Perfect for the true crime aficionados seeking stories beyond the headlines. Like the chilling case of Blanche Taylor Moore, the so called black widow who left a trail of poisoned lovers. Or the shocking murders of Chad Shelton and Dwayne Johnson where family ties masked a sinister plot. Subscribe to Love Murder on Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen it.

[Mike Ferguson]

Foreign. And welcome to episode 472 of the true Crime all the Time Unsolved podcast. I'm Mike Ferguson and with me, as always, is my partner in true crime, Mike Gibson. Gibby, how are you? What's up, what's happening, what's up and what's happening? Good night. Good morrow. I don't know whatever that saying is now. I'm having a great week, man. Other than it being just miserably hot.

[Mike Gibson]

It is hot out there.

[Mike Ferguson]

It could cool down just a little bit, which I think it is going to next week.

[Mike Gibson]

We're sitting here with our shirts off doing this one. So, so hot.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, you are. I did.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

I'm not.

[Mike Ferguson]

I don't know why you are.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

It's.

[Mike Ferguson]

I'm trying to look the other way, but no, we're.

[Mike Gibson]

Don't act like you don't like what you're seeing.

[Mike Ferguson]

We're getting ready for the 4th of July.

[Mike Gibson]

We are.

[Mike Ferguson]

So hope everybody has a good one. For those of you in the States, let's go ahead and do our Patreon shout outs. We had Deborah Love.

[Mike Gibson]

Hey, Deborah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Amy. Howard.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, thanks, Howard.

[Mike Ferguson]

Katie Hogg.

[Mike Gibson]

Oh, the hog.

[Mike Ferguson]

Karina Flores.

[Mike Gibson]

Or Flores.

[Mike Ferguson]

Okay. Ashley Hughes.

[Mike Gibson]

What's going on, Hughes?

[Mike Ferguson]

Or Hug Hayes, as you would say. Beth Lawler jumped out at our highest level.

[Mike Gibson]

Thanks, Beth.

[Mike Ferguson]

And last but not least, Kate Ash.

[Mike Gibson]

Ah, Ash.

[Mike Ferguson]

And then if we go back into the vaults this week, we selected Don Black.

[Mike Gibson]

Thanks, Black.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, we appreciate all the Patreon support. We also had a great PayPal donation from Jody Reynolds.

[Mike Gibson]

Reynolds in the house.

[Mike Ferguson]

So thank you very much. We have a brand new episode right now out on True Crime all the Time where we're talking about Ann Rotts. She served her husband John, divorce papers after 19 years of marriage. And then four days later, she dropped her three children off for a visit with John, left to go to McDonald's. She was supposed to come back with food.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

She has never been seen or heard from since then. And this is a fascinating case because it almost entirely involves circumstantial evidence because it's a nobody case. Her body has never been found.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, that's true.

[Mike Ferguson]

So it's out now. Make sure you check it out. All right, buddy. Are you ready to get into this episode of True Crime all the Time Unsolved?

[Mike Gibson]

I am.

[Mike Ferguson]

We are talking about the murder of Katie Janess. On July 28, 2021, Katie Janess and her dog were stabbed to death in Piedmont park in midtown Atlanta, Georgia. Almost five years later, her murder remains unsolved. And we're about ready to get into all the details.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Catherine Jeanness, who went by the nickname Katie, was born on September 4, 1980. She grew up in Berkeley, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. In 2026, Atlanta magazine interviewed six friends and co workers of Katie's who wanted to tell her story. According to that publication, some people who claimed to be Katie's friends in a Facebook group, Group and Berkeley said Katie was a private person and would not want her life story to be public. However, her co worker, Paige Crawford, told the magazine, I don't think she would want to be remembered as someone who was murdered, but I think she would hope that something good came out of it. And I get both of those statements. Right. There are some people who are very private, may not want their life story to be public, but I also get someone saying this woman was murdered and there's got to be something good that comes out of it, something positive. And she would want that.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, and the way to do that is to tell the story.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yes.

[Mike Gibson]

And then in hopes that multiple things happen, but mainly that her case is solved.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. And maybe somebody learned something about personal safety or whatever it may be. Right. It may help Someone. But you're right. The biggest thing is, could it help solve her case? According to Atlanta Magazine, Katie's father, Mark, owned a maintenance business and her mother, Bobby, worked at a restaurant. A friend described the family as quiet, yet fun and funny.

[Mike Gibson]

I like a fun and funny family.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Mike Gibson]

It's kind of like here, to be honest.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. Except for the quiet part.

[Mike Gibson]

No, you guys don't understand quiet.

[Mike Ferguson]

No.

[Mike Gibson]

But you guys are fun and funny.

[Mike Ferguson]

We are fun and funny. There is not a lot of quiet to be had in this household.

[Mike Gibson]

No.

[Mike Ferguson]

At the age of eight, Katie's parents separated. Her dad lived with his girlfriend in New Haven, Michigan. His girlfriend was involved in a child custody dispute with her ex husband. And Mark was upset about how her ex husband was treating her.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, you know, I get that. Right. He's being protective of his new girlfriend.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. And you wanted to be treated the right way.

[Mike Gibson]

Absolutely.

[Mike Ferguson]

Late on June 9, 1989, as the ex husband was exiting his car after arriving home from work in Warren, Michigan, he was shot five times and died on his front lawn. A neighbor saw a man standing over the ex husband who drove off in a Chevy Suburban. The license plate was registered to Mark Jeuness girlfriend. Mark was arrested less than an hour later and charged with murder and felony firearm possession. He was convicted that year and sentenced to life in prison.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, he was serious about how you won't treat his girlfriend.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. But that is definitely going about it the wrong way.

[Mike Gibson]

Yes.

[Mike Ferguson]

I understand you might be in love with this person. You want this person to be treated the way they should be treated. But killing the ex is not the way to go about it. You know, get law enforcement involved, maybe have a talk with the purse. I don't know what the right thing is. What I know is the wrong thing is to shoot and kill the person.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. I mean, at that point. Right. You're going to have so many people suffer because of those actions. I mean, the girlfriend that you're trying to protect, your own kids.

[Mike Ferguson]

Her kids.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. Her kids or their kids.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

From the ages of 13 to 18, Katie didn't see her dad and communicated with him infrequently. According to a letter by Mark sent to out of Bounds prison magazine in 2011, once Katie turned 18, she began visiting her father and communicated with him regularly. Man, you talk about something. Just being very hard on a 13 year old.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

To have your dad go to jail, to have your dad get life in prison for shooting a man.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Mike Gibson]

It'd be rough, right? I mean, those are the critical ages For a lot of teens. Right. That 13, 18. There's a lot of things that happen.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Development is happening, and I know it continues to happen after that, but. And again, I think as much as possible. Right. Kids need both a mom and a dad.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

In their life now. It doesn't always happen. It can always happen. But to lose one of the other when it doesn't need to happen, that's tragic.

[Mike Gibson]

That can make it tough on the other parent and tough on the kids.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, absolutely. During high school, Katie played soccer and worked at Blockbuster. A co worker described her as creative and funny.

[Mike Gibson]

I used to love Blockbuster. I know you did. Especially that back corner room.

[Mike Ferguson]

Blockbuster never had a back corner room and everybody knows it. Oh, so you busted yourself right there. Now, if you want to talk about some of the other smaller chains. Okay.

[Mike Gibson]

Is that where you went in and threw the bead?

[Mike Ferguson]

Yes, But Blockbuster, that was a family store. They didn't have that.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, so was Family Video supposed to be a family store? But they did have.

[Mike Ferguson]

They did have it. But, man, the Blockbuster. Friday, Saturday night, go get a VHS tape. I mean, that brings back a lot of memories, man. They had the candy. You get your little thing of pop. Microwave popcorn. It's so amazing how big Blockbuster was and then to just have it go away.

[Mike Gibson]

I know. They should have took that deal with Netflix.

[Mike Ferguson]

They should have, but it was a behemoth and then it was gone.

[Mike Gibson]

You remember getting there and huddling up around the counter with the new. The videos were just dropped off by somebody that brought them back in and you really wanted to know what they brought in. Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

See if they had the new one that wasn't on the show.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

In 1999, Katie formed an all female band called Violet Skin. She was the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter and was dating the bass player. All right, so she was kind of doing it all.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

The band's website noted that some of Katie's lyrics were inspired by her childhood belief that her real mother was in fact, an alien from another planet. Okay.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. There's a lot of people that feel that way. Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's got a real Men in Black type vibe to it, I guess my thing is, does that mean you don't like your mom or you do like her, but you still think she's an alien from another planet?

[Mike Gibson]

That's a good question.

[Mike Ferguson]

I don't know. There wasn't really much out there on it.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Former drummer John Fernino, who later joined the band and was its only male member, told Atlanta Magazine Katie was unquestionably the leader of the band, but a very quiet, unassuming leader, which is uncharacteristic

[Mike Gibson]

for most leaders of a band.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, you would think. Most of the leaders are the. The lead vocalist. They're kind of outgoing and, you know, boisterous. According to John, they practice in the garage of a Detroit police officer in a sketchy area of the city. They played in garage rock bars where famous bands like the White Stripes played a few years before them.

[Mike Gibson]

That's impressive, though. I mean, Detroit is well known for a lot of bands that come out of there.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, there have been a lot of great bands, and obviously, you had Motown, of course, back in the day. John added, off stage, Katie was very reserved, very quiet, but then on stage, she was totally the front leader of the group, and she would totally rock out.

[Mike Gibson]

So she knew how to perform.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. It's almost like she had an alter ego.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

That when she got on stage, she became like a Rex west and who is much, much different from Gibby.

[Mike Gibson]

Absolutely.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's like night and day.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, you know, I'm reserved. Rex is not.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, he's very free with his body.

[Mike Gibson]

Free with a lot of things.

[Pluto TV Announcer]

So.

[Mike Ferguson]

The band broke up in 2006. That same year, Katie moved to Atlanta, Georgia. She settled in the Midtown area to pursue music and arts. Midtown is also the heart of Atlanta's LGBTQ community. A former girlfriend of Katie's told the Washington Post in 2021. Her words to me were, detroit was a ghost town, and I have to get out and make music. She was a wonderful singer and songwriter of beautiful lyrics. And I've said it before. Right. I lived in Detroit for a number of years. I actually lived in Warren, Michigan, where we just talked about, you know, the ex boyfriend worked and was on his way home before he was shot and killed. You know, at times, I think Detroit has been a ghost town and still is to a degree.

[Mike Gibson]

It's gone through some cycles.

[Mike Ferguson]

It has. I mean, it used to be a very large city. Its population is dipped in. You know, the number of vacant, abandoned houses seems to get out of control at times.

[Mike Gibson]

I think over the last couple years, they've done some really good things. I think it's kind of rebounded, but, you know, you just never know with these big cities how long things like that can continue.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, they go through their cycles. Right. Katie got a job at a restaurant in Midtown and developed a large circle of friends. By 2008, she was in a serious relationship. Katie's ex girlfriend, who asked not to be named Told Atlanta magazine that Katie definitely had a street sense about her. And when they would go out for walks at night, they would cross the street so they didn't have to walk in front of Piedmont Park. And I think, you know, Gibbs, if you come from Detroit, you probably develop a pretty good street sense if you grow up there or live there for a long period of time. But speaking of Piedmont park, you know, it's 189 acre green space in midtown. Piedmont park was first used by the public in the late 1880s. In the early 1900s, it became a public city park by the end of the century, and it had fallen into disrepair. But residents and wealthy philanthropists raised tens of millions to revitalize the park with sports fields, trails, and green spaces. Piedmont park is where Katie would be murdered several years later.

[Mike Gibson]

You know, I used to work for UPS in my early days.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yes, you did.

[Mike Gibson]

And I remember when I was working for them at that time, they, you know, picked up and moved their headquarters out of Connecticut and took it down to Piedmont, Georgia, you know, into Atlanta. And they were big about dumping money into the community, you know, as a lot of big corporations do when they first arrive. Right. They want to, you know, do good to the community. Yeah, the community.

[Mike Ferguson]

They just said, brown shorts for everyone.

[Mike Gibson]

Everybody got some brown shorts, you know, because, you know, brown shorts do make you look sexier.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. You know, why do I picture you in the UPS outfit, much like Lieutenant Dangle from Reno 91 1. Do you remember that show where. Oh, yeah, he wore the shorts, but they were so super high.

[Mike Gibson]

Are you saying I trimmed mine up a little?

[Jessi Pere and Andy Cassette]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yep. For some reason, that's the way I see you in the UPS uniform.

[Mike Gibson]

May or may not be photos out there of me and those I, you know, Rex west for sure.

[Mike Ferguson]

But to me, Gibbs, it's almost like. I don't want to say she had a premonition, but she obviously had some type of feeling about Piedmont park, you know, to cross the street, to not even want to walk in front of it. She was leery. There's no doubt.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. You know, I feel like it probably had a reputation around then to, you know, not wandering there probably for hours.

[Mike Ferguson]

Katie dated her girlfriend for about four years. According to Katie Zaks, Katie had a pretty nasty drinking problem. And she said, I was not equipped to know how to support her. And we just completely grew apart.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, we've talked about alcohol in previous episodes. You know, how certain people change when they drink, you know. You know, they could be the sweetest, nicest person Ever. But once they drink, they become something totally different.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. Alcohol and drugs can definitely change people, especially when you get into the area of addiction. You know, it may not just be when you're drinking it. It starts to become all the time, because, you know, you're in that addiction cycle with either alcohol or drugs. After the breakup, Katie cut ties with friends, and she kind of hit rock bottom. And a lot of people were like, we can't help her anymore. This is according to the ex girlfriend. By 2013, Katie was working as a waitress at Campagnolo restaurant and Bar, which was down the street from her apartment in Midtown. She was eventually promoted to bartender and developed her own signature cocktail.

[Mike Gibson]

That's cool.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, very cool. A former co worker said that Katie was an essential member of the queer community in Atlanta. She was a bartender at a very queer restaurant in Midtown, the gayest place in Atlanta. And she knew a lot of people, and a lot of people loved her, but she had a bit of darkness within her, as we all do.

[Mike Gibson]

But it sounds like she was where she wanted and needed to be.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And it sounds like a lot of people knew her and, you know, really liked her.

[Pluto TV Announcer]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Katie was a regular at a bar called Blake's on the Park. On Mondays, she went down there to play her guitar. A few years later, Katie got a second job at Whole World Improv Theater, where she worked weekends. According to her boss, Chip Powell, Katie worked hard to send money home to her mother and sister, who is disabled. She visited them a few times a year up until the pandemic. She also visited her dad in prison a few times in adulthood. Her father had passed away by 2021.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, look, she's down in Atlanta working hard, you know, taking the money she makes, sending it home to her mom and sister. I mean, sounds like she had a pretty good heart.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, it's admirable. Yeah, it really is. Around the time she started working at Campagnolo, Katie started dating a woman named Emma Clark, who was 10 years younger and also worked in the restaurant industry. Katie and Emma were both dog lovers. Katie had a pit bull named Tori, who was 14 in 2021. Emma later had a pit bull mix named Bowie, who was three when he died. Katie and Emma were together for seven years and were engaged at the time of Katie's death. That's a long time.

[Mike Gibson]

It is a long time.

[Mike Ferguson]

Seven years. Emma's father, Joe Clark, told NBC that Katie was the love of Emma's life. Emma wrote on her Facebook page after the murder, she was the most intelligent, kind, humble and beautiful person I've ever known. I wanted to spend every second with her. She also wrote that her beloved dog, Bowie was the sweetest, most loyal companion. In 2018, the apartment building Katie and Emma lived in burned down. Their friends pitched in to help them and they got a new apartment on Myrtle street in Midtown. In 2019, Katie got sober. According to Katie's ex girlfriend, one of the ways she coped with sobriety was to take walks at night.

[Mike Gibson]

You know, I mean, that's a great thing, right? You got to find out how to replace what was a bad habit and replace it with something else. And here she is, she's taking walks at night. Instead of picking up the bottle, she's out there walking. And that's good exercise. And it's also, I don't know if you, you don't. I know you don't walk a lot,

[Mike Ferguson]

but I do not. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Mike Gibson]

But when you do walk, it's, it's a time that your mind can relax. You know, you're just out there taking in at nighttime, taking in the stars. Daytime, you're taking in the nature.

[Mike Ferguson]

You know, you do a lot of walking. I used during the daytime and at night time, not during the daytime.

[Mike Gibson]

While you're out, work my job just in case my boss is listening. I absolutely work.

[Mike Ferguson]

And at nighttime, you're definitely not out prowling.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, I'm not allowed after certain hours, you know that, but. Just joking maybe, but you're right.

[Mike Ferguson]

I mean it. I've never gone through it, but I'm sure it's a very difficult thing, right? Getting sober, staying sober, the hardest thing

[Mike Gibson]

people have to do.

[Mike Ferguson]

I think it is one of the hardest things for sure.

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law

[Mike Ferguson]

Many people in the neighborhood saw Katie walking her dog around the neighborhood or in Piedmont park in 2021. Joe Clark told Fox 5 Atlanta that Katie and Emma were looking forward to their future. Their love and relationship was based on mutual understanding to let each other live a full life. They were a happy couple building their lifelong Future. In late June 2021, Katie attended a concert with a friend at the Masquerade, a live music venue in downtown. One of the bands she wanted to see canceled their show due to technical issues, so Katie bought tickets for a show in November. She also made plans to go visit her mother and sister in Michigan on July 29, 2021. It would be her first time seeing them since 2019.

[Mike Gibson]

It sounds like she's making some good plans. Right? She's going to go see her favorite band in November. She don't see her mom and sister in July. You know, she seems to be happy in her relationship. Yeah, things are looking good.

[Mike Ferguson]

She seems to be sober and I'm sure the pandemic had something to do with her not being able maybe to visit her mom and sister for a while. That's right. During that time frame, yeah, it was

[Mike Gibson]

definitely difficult for people to do.

[Mike Ferguson]

Katie was murdered around midnight on July 28, 2021. Around 11:35pm Katie walked Bowie to surprise Emma at Henry's Midtown Tavern, where she was working. That night, Katie told Emma she was going to walk Bowie and then go home. She planned to walk a route she had taken dozens of times. She often went on her late night walks with friends, but this time she was alone. At 12:09am Katie and Bowie were captured by by security cameras for the last time at the Rainbow Crosswalk at the intersection of 10th street and Piedmont Avenue. When Emma arrived home from work after midnight, she figured Katie would be there too. But she wasn't. Emma texted and called but got no response. She used the Find My app to ping Katie's phone, which was at the edge of Piedmont park, about four blocks from the intersection where she was last seen by the security cameras. So Emma got on her bike and rode to the Charles Allen Gate entrance of the park. She arrived around 1am and when she got there, Emma saw Bowie motionless on the ground. And about 50ft away was Katie's body.

[Mike Gibson]

Double heartbreak.

[Mike Ferguson]

Oh my gosh. Because Bowie is actually Emma's Dog?

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Three year old Emma recalled to the Washington Post. There was a slice on her face, like in an X pattern on her face. And there was a deep cut to her throat. It was cut all the way to the bone.

[Mike Gibson]

Somebody had some rage.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, I see how you could make that connection, but I want to go back and talk about, oh my gosh, finding your dog, finding your. The love of your life.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Dead. But also, you know, murdered in this manner. I mean, this is vicious.

[Mike Gibson]

It is.

[Mike Ferguson]

To your point, who is mad enough at Katie to draw an X on her face and cut her throat to the bone?

[Mike Gibson]

It doesn't sound to me like this would be a robbery. To me. It sounds like if I was going to rob somebody, one, I'm not going to pick somebody that's walking a pit bull down, down the street.

[Mike Ferguson]

No, that's. That's a great point.

[Mike Gibson]

You know, I'm just, I'm gonna steer away from that.

[Mike Ferguson]

There are better targets of opportunity.

[Mike Gibson]

Absolutely. So that's why I feel like, you know, as. As we get. Get into this, we're gonna talk more about it. But I'm left with why would some. Like you said, why would somebody do something so horrendous?

[Mike Ferguson]

Right. Would you think it would be a stranger? Because why would a stranger feel the need to do that? Most strangers wouldn't have the rage built up against a person.

[Mike Gibson]

Seems too personal.

[Mike Ferguson]

It does. It does seem very personal. Emma called 911 at 1:11am Authorities described the murder as a gruesome scene. Katie had been stabbed repeatedly and mutilated. Bowie was also stabbed to death. I mean, this is a heartbreaking case.

[Mike Gibson]

It is.

[Mike Ferguson]

For one thing, Gibbs, I don't know about you, but I feel like Katie had just gotten her life kind of on track.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

Yeah, right.

[Mike Ferguson]

It was really heading in the right direction. She was sober, she was in love. She'd been with this woman who she loved for like seven years.

[Mike Gibson]

The next morning, she was supposed to go visit her mom and sister.

[Mike Ferguson]

Right. She had a lot going on in her life. And then poor Bowie, he wasn't doing anything but just, you know, keeping her company, out for a walk. Yeah, but I do want to go back to that right now. He was a mix, but he's still pit bull.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

If you're looking for a crime of opportunity, someone walking with a pit bull does not seem to be like that would be most people's first choice. So again, does that go in the column of there's something to this. This person was known to Katie, or Katie was known to the perpetrator. Both.

[Mike Gibson]

I feel like it is.

[Mike Ferguson]

And investigators said the same thing. Right. They said that they believe the nature of the wounds suggests a level of familiarity and emotional intensity from the perpetrator. But no suspects were named right away. And robbery was not thought to be a motive because Katie's phone was not stolen and neither were the $200 headphones she had with her.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, again, if you're going to rob somebody and go through all that effort, you're going to walk away with their phone and their headphones. Right. You're going to get some money on the streets for that.

[Mike Ferguson]

You're getting anything you can get.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

If you're a stranger out to rob somebody and you're going to go to the extent to kill them, you're not leaving that stuff behind.

[State Farm Announcer]

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[Mike Ferguson]

The Atlanta police called in the FBI to assist with the investigation. FBI agents swabbed employees and regular customers at Campagnolo for their DNA. Katie's murder was a major news story, and it frightened Atlanta residents. News outlets noted that the city had experienced a surge of violent crime during the pandemic. Katie was murdered in what is described as an upscale and vibrant area, seen as a symbol of the city's economic and cultural transformation over the past 20 years. And on the same night Katie was killed, an 18 year old girl was shot in a park in suburban Atlanta, which fueled rumors that a serial killer was on the loose. However, the Atlanta police concluded the two homicides were not related.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, they don't even have the same. Same M.O.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

no.

[Mike Ferguson]

I mean, you have a stabbing, you have a shooting. Could one person do both? Yeah, they absolutely could, but they don't seem to fit together on the surface. Fulton County DA Fanny Willis told the Washington Post, it's a very frightening crime. She noted that the killer did not flee the scene immediately. And that is strange. Most people commit a murder and want to get the hell away because they don't want to get caught.

[Mike Gibson]

Exactly.

[Mike Ferguson]

Despite there being cameras inside Piedmont park, officials revealed that their surveillance equipment was outdated and the cameras near the crime scene were not functioning at the time of the murder.

[Mike Gibson]

You know how many times we hear something like that?

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. And it's frustrating. Right. If it's not working or they're not working, somebody has to know that. And at some point you either fix those cameras or you get new one. Yeah, now I get it. Sometimes people think just having the camera up there is a deterrent. Right. It's like the people who own their a little store. They didn't Want to spring for the whole camera system? They bought the fake camera.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And it had like a wire sticking out of it. And that was supposed to. It may even had a light on it that blinked or something.

[Mike Gibson]

Kind of like my current home system.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. But it's not hooked up to anything and it doesn't record anything. But does it help deter people? Maybe? Possibly.

[Mike Gibson]

I think mine does.

[Mike Ferguson]

You also put a sticker in your window of a security system that you don't have.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, Gibby's Security System Inc. Home of the K Bar.

[Mike Ferguson]

It might just scare people away.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

City residents were also outraged to learn that there were only nine security cameras monitoring the massive park. Did we say it was 190 acres or something like that?

[Mike Gibson]

Huge, though. So nine cameras, really? I mean, what can you really capture with that?

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, I guess there had already been a lot of complaints about a lack of lighting and cameras even before the murder. And you know that's only going to intensify.

[Mike Gibson]

Sure.

[Mike Ferguson]

After the murder. Lance Orchid, the chief of staff for council member Jennifer I said in August 2021 that the councilwoman and mayor were committed to filling security gaps such as the outdated surveillance cameras. Orchid told Fox 5 Atlanta. There were broken cameras that no one apparently knew about. There's a significant concern about that. There's no doubt we need to add cameras to this area. All right, Captain Obvious. I mean, that's kind of like the most obvious thing you could ever say.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, the thing is, you've got park maintenance that I would think would be responsible to check and monitor cameras to make sure that they are working and active.

[Mike Ferguson]

Somebody, I don't know who it is, but somebody you would think on a somewhat regular basis would walk by, whatever it is, a bank of monitors, and see a bunch of these cameras aren't working. Maybe we should do something about that. So first off, right. Nine cameras for that amount of land seems laughable.

[Shopify Announcer]

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[Mike Ferguson]

And then the fact that some of them don't work is just amazing icing on top of the cake and that no one knew about it.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

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[Mike Ferguson]

Compton, Vice president of the Piedmont Heights Civic Association, a wealthy neighborhood bordering the park, told the Washington Post that residents were already worried about an increase in property crimes. He said, you can't really point to this and say, hey, crime is increasing because we have an increase in gang violence or someone is out to rob someone. None of that fits in this case. This was someone brutally murdered for no apparent reason. On top of that, the lady had a pit bull with her. Investigators felt almost certain that Katie's dog Bowie engaged with the killer to protect Katie. So the Atlanta police ordered a necropsy to look for potential DNA that may have ended up in or on Bowie's mouth. Bite impressions were also taken and his nails were checked for DNA.

[Mike Gibson]

That's smart.

[Mike Ferguson]

It is smart. It's just something that you don't hear about a lot. But it's hard not to think, right, that this pit bull, again, mix. But pit bull, they're known to be very loyal to their loved ones and they can be very protective.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. I think there's a lot of dogs that would have a problem with you attacking their owner. Yeah. Pit bulls for sure.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. Now, my eight pound Malteses, they might have a problem with it, but they ain't doing no. They might. They might bark at you, but they ain't. They're not doing nothing.

[Mike Gibson]

They are cute, though.

[Mike Ferguson]

They're cute is all.

[Pluto TV Announcer]

Get out.

[Mike Ferguson]

But watchdogs are protectors. They are not.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

No.

[Mike Gibson]

I feel like if I have a piece of meat with me, I could just toss it and they would go towards that.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Mike Gibson]

And then come back afterwards.

[Mike Ferguson]

Or a ball. If you just had a ball and just threw a ball, just something they

[Mike Gibson]

can chase for a minute.

[Mike Ferguson]

But I don't know, man. I. I've never had a pit bull. I know pit bulls get a bad rap because they, you know, there's high profile attacks or whatever.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

What I have seen from pit bulls and. And admittedly, most of it's on the Internet. But they can be very loyal, good dogs, but very protective. Right. I don't think this is a dog that would have just stood by.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

No.

[Mike Ferguson]

And allowed this to happen without at least trying to do something.

[Mike Gibson]

Exactly.

[Mike Ferguson]

Authorities have not released information on the results of the necropsy. And that's not a word I say a lot, so I hope I'm saying it correctly. Months passed, and the murder remained unsolved, with no publicly named suspects. This led to a lot of speculation that Emma Clark was involved. On November 9, 2021, Emma spoke with CBS46 and pleaded for her name to be cleared. She revealed that she had received death threats and she even purchased a gun for safety. People also tried to break into her house. She said about the threats, somebody called my phone, left a voicemail. That's not okay. She called me, some choice words, said I would be caught. I sent it to the police. And, you know, we talk about it from time to time, but, you know, once your name gets mentioned or it gets put out there on the Internet as you possibly being involved. Well, in the era of social media, those things tend to have legs, and they. They take off very quickly. And people have no problem spitting vitriol at you from behind the keyboard.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, of course.

[Mike Ferguson]

Or calling and leaving you a nasty voicemail, getting your phone number, whatever it is. You feel horrible. You know, for someone like Emma, if they had nothing to do with the murder and they are being painted as being the murderer, they're having to deal with that on top of dealing with the loss of their loved one. I just. That is horrible.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. I mean, and to say that it's Emma, I mean, without having any facts behind it, I mean, you're basically saying she killed the person she loved and she killed the dog that was her best friend. That was her baby.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, I'm with you. Right. To just throw allegations out there with no basis, I think that is really wrong, and I think we have to stop doing that. I don't want to be preachy, but I do think that's wrong. In her interview, Emma said that she used about 75% of the $79,000 raised in the Katie Gone Too Soon GoFundMe campaign to pay for a new condo, with the rest going to funeral expenses and a charitable donation.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, I don't know how to take that. I mean, everybody would have a different perspective on that. Right. I. I don't know how the fund was set up and what it was supposed to be used for.

[Mike Ferguson]

And, yeah, that's what I Was thinking. I mean, when you set up the GoFundMe.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

What did you put down there?

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

You know, if it's just for her to. To move forward.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, she's moving forward.

[Mike Ferguson]

Move forward. Use it for whatever you want. I mean, if you put down that you were using it for something and you used it for something totally different. Okay, I. I see how people might have an issue with that, but. But that doesn't mean that you killed your loved one and your dog.

[Mike Gibson]

Exactly.

[Mike Ferguson]

The two don't necessarily have anything to do with each other. Emma said that the police had not named her as a suspect, and she cooperated with investigators. She said. They don't seem to be treating me with any hostility of sorts. They asked me questions, never treated me like they thought I had anything to do with it. Now, to be fair, we talk about murders a lot.

[Mike Gibson]

We do.

[Mike Ferguson]

And more often than not, the perpetrator turns out to be known to the victim.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Right. The percentages say that. The statistics say that. I think on the surface, though, this one is a real tough one to make that assertion, especially with no basis in fact. First of all, why would she want to kill Katie? What would be the motive?

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

I mean, they're not married.

[Mike Gibson]

They're not? No.

[Mike Ferguson]

Monetarily, what would you be getting out of it? As far as we know, there was no infidelity or strife or anything like that. And then, like you said, you're also killing your dog.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. I mean, it's just. It's unbelievable. But, I mean, could something like that happen? I mean, sure. Did. Did Katie, you know, tell her that she wanted to break up, leave her? You know, I'm sober now. I feel like I gotta do my own thing for a while, and I can't do what we're doing anymore. And would that be enough to cause so much anger into your partner that they would want to hurt you in such a bad way and then hurt their own puppy because they had to defend themselves against the. Against the puppy? Or did they have to do that to the puppy to make it look like they could have never done this? Because they would never hurt their own puppy.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

I mean, is it possible? Yeah. In the sense that almost anything is possible.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Right. Everything to me is. Is possible unless it's proven to not be.

[Mike Gibson]

But it's unlikely.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's very unlikely. It doesn't seem to kind of follow any logical pattern. And like we said, there are no facts to back it up. So why would you assert that?

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

If you're just a Keyboard warrior. What are you getting out of it? To assert that she did it when there doesn't seem to be anything pointing to that being true. When asked if they could formally clear Emma's name, the Atlanta Police Department issued a statement saying the investigation into the murder of Katherine Jeanness remains open and very active. Our investigators continue working tirelessly to find the person or persons responsible. We understand it's frustrating for there to be so little information released publicly. However, to ensure the investigation isn't compromised, we simply cannot release much information or on our active investigation. We know how important this case is to those in our communities, and we'll continue our work to bring this investigation to a resolution.

[Mike Gibson]

Now, that's going to make it tough for Emma.

[Mike Ferguson]

It is. Because they can't come out and clear her because they don't know who did it. They're not calling her suspect. But can they definitively come out and say she didn't do it? I don't think they can. Emma later left the city due to threats and harassment.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, in that community at that time, if people thought she had something to do with it, she wasn't going to feel comfortable and safe to be there.

[Mike Ferguson]

No, not if people are getting your phone number, they're harassing you, they're calling you, they're leaving voicemails. On November 12, 2021, Katie's Medical Examiner's report was made public. According to the report, Katie was stabbed dozens of times and had the letters fat carved on her chest. So we talked about kind of an X carved into her face. Now we have the word fat carved on her chest.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, the one thing I'm immediately thinking is this person had some time.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, and I think that's what they were saying. The person didn't just up and run away like most people would. They spent some time there. Katie's cause of death was sharp force injuries of her face, neck and torso. She was stabbed over 50 times and her throat was cut. She also suffered blunt force injuries to the face, neck, and extremities.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, it does sound like it has a. It's a crime of passion.

[Mike Ferguson]

A personal component.

[Mike Gibson]

Yes.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, it sounds like that to me. Doesn't have to mean it, but when you start carving letters. Okay, why?

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

What's the purpose behind all that?

[Mike Gibson]

But 50 times, it's a lot.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

It is.

[Mike Ferguson]

You know, it doesn't take 50 stab wounds to kill someone. So then what does the number represent? And most of the time, authorities say that it represents some type of rage against the victim.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, I mean, you have to be really angry at that person.

[Mike Ferguson]

Fifteen of those stab wounds were from her forehead to her chin, as reported by NBC. The letters FA were carved in the middle and the right side of her lower chest and her upper abdomen. And the letter T was carved on the left side of her lower chest. So it's interesting they weren't in a row as though it was the word fat, but if that's not what it was supposed to be, I don't know what it would be. Cryptic In January 2022, the Atlanta Police Department issued an update on the case. Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. Said the investigation was still very active, adding that they received leads weekly and were meeting regularly with the FBI. Hampton Jr. Added, We're getting close, in my opinion, and that's an interesting statement. He doesn't have to say that. He could have just left it with. It's very active. We're meeting with the FBI. But to add that we're getting close, in my opinion. There has to be something that is making him think that now they're not going to disclose it.

[Mike Gibson]

No. But could they also be trying to shake the bush a little bit too, with that statement? Maybe.

[Mike Ferguson]

Maybe you think maybe they're not that close, but they're saying they're close to maybe try to prompt a response from the perpetrator, get them to slip up because they think they're closing in. It's possible. That month, former Fulton county prosecutor ash Joshi told Fox 5 Atlanta there were elements of the crime that made a stranger to stranger profile unlikely. And that's kind of what we've been saying.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, right.

[Mike Ferguson]

This, to me, doesn't seem like a stranger to stranger crime. It could be that someone was just filled with rage, but it wasn't necessarily at the victim. They were just taking it out on the first person they they found. I just think it's highly unlikely. It's more likely that this rage was built up against this very specific person.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Joshi noted that pit bulls like Bowie are known for being protective of their owners. But the killer was able to get close enough to kill the dog before killing Katie, which suggests a familiarity which

[Mike Gibson]

you can see why some people in that community were pointing their fingers towards Emma.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, that. That might have been a part of it. Now, could they have had other people in their life who had been over and were familiar with Bowie and Bowie was familiar with them? I'm sure that's possible.

[Mike Gibson]

And I feel like it probably did happen that way because they were pretty social in that community.

[Mike Ferguson]

He added, that the derogatory word carved into Katie's skin may suggest something personal.

[Mike Gibson]

Fat.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, I. I took it that way. I also believe that, you know, this X on the face, if that's exactly what it was, to me, that's. That's personal as well.

[Mike Gibson]

I think that's very personal.

[Mike Ferguson]

Nine months after the stabbing, new cameras were finally installed at Piedmont Park. There are now more than 30 cameras active across the park that are linked to a system that is monitored around the clock. It's like we always say, Gibbs, we are a very reactive society.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

You know, somehow nobody knows that these cameras aren't working. Well, all of a sudden there is a high profile murder and what happens? We need to react. Put a bunch of cameras in and make sure they're monitored around the clock. A lot of people would say it doesn't take a genius to figure out that that would have been great to have done in the beginning.

[Mike Gibson]

Right, Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

If you're. You're going to install cameras, why not install more and why not make sure they're monitored?

[Mike Gibson]

Seems pretty simple.

[Progressive Truck Insurance Announcer]

It does.

[Mike Ferguson]

Time continued to pass with no answers and no major leaks made public. In June 2024, the Atlanta Police announced that the investigation was focused on DNA evidence. The following year, in June 2025, the Atlanta Police reaffirmed their commitment to solving the case and issued a renewed plea for information from the public. They're still focusing on DNA evidence that could yield new leads. And to me, if they have any DNA, I mean, that should help them tremendously. Now, if this is somebody that is not connected to Katie and the person's DNA is not in any database. Okay. May not help them that much, but, you know, if you're able to get DNA from a lot of the people that she knew, it might help you.

[Mike Gibson]

I just think knowing that she was stabbed 50 plus times and sliced and, you know, the dog as well, that it's going to be hard not to leave any of your DNA on that site.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, I would agree with you.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

You know, a lot of times it's really hard not to cut yourself when you are stabbing someone that many times. Right. It's a frenzy, and your hand might slip down the knife blade. You cut yourself, you're going to leave your own blood at the scene. Possibly. We don't know. Right. We don't know what DNA evidence they have. Atlanta Police Chief Darren Shirebama addressed the case during a press event at the Public Safety Training center, saying, per Fox 5 Atlanta, it's still an active case by the Atlanta police Department. We have not stopped in our efforts to bring that individual to justice and that committed that crime, and we're confident that we will. We do have a number of initiatives underway, including DNA. There's a couple of people, you know, with knowledge of the case that have sounded very encouraging as it relates to DNA, but they can't be specific.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

They can't come out and say, we have this, this, this, and this, and we're testing it or whatever. I do have some hope, though, just based on the optimism from some of the people in the know. On July 28, 2025, marking four years since Katie's murder, the Crime Stoppers reward was increased to $25,000. In early 2026, Atlanta magazine interviewed Priya Banerjee, a forensic pathologist and clinical assistant professor of pathology at Brown, and Cheryl McCollum, founder of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute. McCollum said she doesn't think the person who killed Katie knew her because if they had, it would have been simpler and less risky to kill Katie at home. Katie was murdered in an area of the park that was near a light with condos across the street. Banerjee thinks to kill her could have had a connection to Katie because of the level of disfigurement, which indicates anger. Both experts thought the killer might have approached Bowie, killed him, and then chased Katie and tackled her.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, to me, that makes sense right there as far as Bowie. Right. Take Bowie out of the picture. It's going to be easier to move on to the victim versus attacking the victim and having a pit bull trying to bite you.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Mike Gibson]

From behind or on top of you or whatever.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. I think, you know, a lot of serial killers have used the same logic. When they have attacked couples, they often attack the male first.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Because they see them as the bigger threat of the two individuals. I. I think that's very likely in this case as well. But I want to go back to these two experts kind of differing on whether there's a connection or not. And, you know, the. The one woman said she didn't think there was a connection because it would have been easier to kill Katie at home. And, you know, maybe that's true, but I think if you kill a person at home, does that indicate maybe even more of a connection, a personal connection, because, you know where they live?

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. I don't know if I go along with what she said there, because I

[Mike Ferguson]

don't know if I do either.

[Mike Gibson]

I. I think if you have the opportunity, or you think you have the opportunity to. To murder Somebody outside the home to take you off the radar or more off the radar than you would have been. I just think the opportunity to do it outside of the home makes more sense to me.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, you know, you got to figure out how to get into the home. Maybe if you're known to the person, they let you in. I get that. But as far as being seen, you could be seen at somebody's house.

[Mike Gibson]

That's true. Maybe even more so.

[Mike Ferguson]

Maybe even more so.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Then you might get lost in the park, or people don't pay attention, maybe as much. In April 2026, Mayor Andre Dickens addressed Katie still unsolved murder during a press conference focused on the violence that occurred in the city over Easter weekend. There were multiple shootings and including one fatal shooting at Piedmont park, where a teen girl died. Dickens said that since Katie's murder, improvements have been made, such as upgrading and expanding surveillance technology in and around the park. He noted that the park hosted hundreds of events in recent years with few violent incidents until that weekend. As of 2026, the Atlanta Police have not named any suspects in the murder of Katie Jeannette. If you have any information, tips can be submitted anonymously to the Crimestoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-8477, online at www.stopcrimatl.org, or by texting CSGA to 738477. So, Gibbs, as we wrap this one up, there's no doubt this was a very vicious murder.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Over 50 stab wounds. Her throat was cut down to the bone. The letters carved into her body, the X that was talked about, you know, on her face, I don't know. To me, all signs are pointing to this being someone, for whatever reason, very upset with her, and they took their rage out on her. Yeah, that's what it seems like.

[Mike Gibson]

I really believe that this is a case that will be solved sooner than we think.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yes, I do, too. Because, you know, some of these individuals are very optimistic as it relates to the DNA evidence. Again, they're not specific, but I do think this will be a case solved through DNA.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And we're gonna find out who the killer is.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, I. I believe that is gonna happen soon.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, it needs to.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Because, you know, Katie deserves that. Bowie deserves that. You know, if it wasn't Emma, she deserves it as well.

[Mike Gibson]

Sure. Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

She deserves to have her name cleared if she had nothing to do to do with.

[Mike Gibson]

Absolutely.

[Mike Ferguson]

And now, let's not forget the person who did it, whoever that is, deserves to be held accountable.

[Mike Gibson]

They do. They need to pay the price.

[Mike Ferguson]

They do. All right, that's it for our episode on the murder of Katie Janess. We got a voicemail. You want to check that out?

[Mike Gibson]

Let's hear it.

[Additional Male Speaker (possibly guest or co-host)]

Hey, guys, it's Terry calling from Colorado. I was listening to the Marlene Hayes episode. I haven't finished it, but got to be an inside job, man. Got to be somebody from the car dealership who knows that this the husband guy was going to have a ton of money in his desk and knew they were going to have valuables. And when this lady was going to be at work and murdered her, because they were clearly. She was clearly going to recognize them. And I'm sure you're going to come to that. But really why I called is because I was wondering if you could cover Hinterkaifeck on Unsolved. So, super creepy story about a German family that was murdered by an intruder who had lived in their attic for weeks before the murder and then for another few days after the murder. And nobody ever figured out who did it because. Forensics. 1920. Not there. But there have been some other English language podcasts that have done stories about it. So I think you might be able to scrounge up enough research materials to cover it. And it's. It's always super fun when you guys do a historic one. It's not quite as dark as thinking about somebody who's died in a vicious way in our lifetimes. So, anywho, hope to hear it coming up. And stay safe and keep your own time taken by.

[Mike Ferguson]

All right, thank you so much for the voicemail. We actually did cover that.

[Mike Gibson]

We did.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's episode 78. It's way back, like 2018 timeframe, so make sure you check that out.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, give it a listen.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, I thought it was a very interesting case. I remember it. All right, buddy, that is it for another episode of True Crime. All the Time Unsolved. So for Mike and Gibby, stay safe and keep your own time ticking.

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