Citizen Detective

Episode 12 Katherine 'Katie' Janness

The big city of Atlanta, GA is a melting pot in many ways. With a population of half a million people, it's as diverse a city as you can find. There are countless people of every race, creed, and religion that call Atlanta home, and there is a very proud, and accpeted LGBTQ community there. Someplace in the big city of Atlanta, a sadistic and vicious killer has managed to get away so far with a brutal crime that shocked residents of Atlanta.

In the early morning hours of July 28, 2021, 40 year old Atlanta resident Katherine 'Katie' Janness was murdered in the scrolling Piedmont park along with her beloved dog Bowie. Katie often walked Bowie in the park without incident, but on this occasion, she crossed paths with a cold blooded killer who savagelt stabbed Katie and Bowie to death. Katie was stabbed dozens of times.Even more shocking, her killer carved letters into her body.
Sadly, it was Katie's girlfriend Emma who discovered Katie and Bowie dead. She had gone out to search the park for them after they didn't come home.

In the aftermath of the murders, it came to light that many of the park's cameras were not working. Had they been operational, this case may be solved. The city has now taken steps to ensure that the park is secure and that cameras are working properly, but sadly, it's too late in this case.

The news of the shocking murders of Katie and Bowie understandably left the community on edge, and some residents were wary of venturing out after dark fearing that a maniac was moving amongst them. But did Katie and Bowie die randomly at the hands of a deranged serial killer, or were they targeted by someone who was familiar with them? Could Katie have been killed in a hate crime because she was a Lesbian? Even Katie's girlfriend Emma has been accused of being involved, and police have not publicly cleared her.
Unfortuately, there are many questions and possibilities, and not a lot that points in any one direction.



Anyone with information about this case can call Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477

This episode is sponsored by Magic Mind #14DaysOfMagic
Use promo code Magicmind.co/14daysofmagic Use our promo code Detective14 to save 20% off your first order of Magic Mind

Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

To find out how to join us live as we record each new episode of Citizen Detective, follow us on Social Media.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CitizenDPod

Facebook Home Page- https://www.facebook.com/CitizenDetectivePodcast

Facebook Discussion group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/233261280919915

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/citizendpod/?hl=en

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgvqIuf4-sEF2aDdNGip2w


Continue the conversation about this case with fellow Citizen Detectives over at Websleuths:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/forums/citizen-detective-true-crime-podcast.719/

The Citizen Detective team includes:
Co-Hosts- Mike Morford, Alex Ralph, and Dr. Lee Mellor
Writing and Research- Alex Ralph
Technical Producer- Andrew Gray
Production Assistant- Ashley Monroe
Suzanna Ryan- DNA Expert
Cloyd Steiger- Retired Seattle PD Homicide Detective

Episode 11 Janette Roberson

In January, 1983, 27 year old mother and wife Janette Roberson was dealing with a lot. She had recently moved to Reed City, Michigan looking towards a brighter future, but as the year began, she found herself facing issues beyone her control.

Janette had recently found out that her husband was having an affair, and the couple were in the midst of a separation. To make matters worse, Janette had been receiving troubling phone calls from an unknown caller at her home. But Janette focused on rasing her kids, and on her job at the local Gambles store in Reed City. Janette's work in the pet department located in the basement of Gambles ensured her a certain amount of peace, but it's location being both quiet and secluded, would provide cover for a dangerous killer.

On January, 19, 1983, Janette worked her shift as she normally did, and somehow despite a store full of employees and customers above her, someone made their way into the basement and brutally stabbed Janette to death. The attack on her was brutal, and sexual in nature. What was perhaps most shocking was that the killer had spent a good amount of time with Janette in the basement before slipping away unnoticed.

Police descended on the gruesome and bloody scene, and what they found was something that they had not seen before in Reed City, a town of only 2,000 people. Police scrambled to find both potential witnesses and suspects. They looked at several people including Janette's husband Alvin, but he was eventually cleared. Sketches were created and circulated of a young man who was a possible person of interest in the case, and police hoped they would ID him. They never did, and the case went cold.

Almost 40 years later, the murder of Janette Roberson remains unsolved. Can clues and evidence collected back in 1983 perhaps lead investigators to the identity of Janette's killer, or is Janette case destined to go unsolved?

In this episode, the Citizen Detective team discusses the possibilities, share their theories. They are joined by Janette's sister, Lana Jarvie who walks the team through what she's been able to learn about her sister's senseless, and violent murder.


Tips and information about Janette’s case may be submitted to both the
Janette Roberson and Who Murdered Janette Roberson Facebook
pages at:

https://www.facebook.com/janette.roberson.1
&
https://www.facebook.com/groups/177173285814467


All tips received on Facebook will be forwarded to police. You
may also call Reed City Police Chief Chuck Davis at 231-832-3743 and
the Michigan State Police at 989-773-5951.


This episode is sponsored by Magic Mind #14DaysOfMagic
Use promo code Magicmind.co/14daysofmagic Use our promo code Detective14 to save 20% off your first order of Magic Mind

Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

To find out how to join us live as we record each new episode of Citizen Detective, follow us on Social Media.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CitizenDPod

Facebook Home Page- https://www.facebook.com/CitizenDetectivePodcast

Facebook Discussion group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/233261280919915

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/citizendpod/?hl=en

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgvqIuf4-sEF2aDdNGip2w


Continue the conversation about this case with fellow Citizen Detectives over at Websleuths:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/forums/citizen-detective-true-crime-podcast.719/

The Citizen Detective team includes:
Co-Hosts- Mike Morford, Alex Ralph, and Dr. Lee Mellor
Writing and Research- Alex Ralph
Technical Producer- Andrew Gray
Production Assistant- Ashley Monroe
Suzanna Ryan- DNA Expert
Cloyd Steiger- Retired Seattle PD Homicide Detective

Episode 10 The Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run

The Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, AKA the Cleveland Torso Killer, was responsible for a series of brutally horrific and shocking murders in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1930's.

While no one is sure of his victim counts, some opinions range between 12 and 20. The killer preyed on the down and out citizens of the impoverished Kingsbury Run neighborhood. The still unidentified killer would leave gruesome clues to be found by area residents which included body parts of those that he dismembered and decapitated; some of them while they were still alive.

Although the odds are against this case being solved, the team tries to get in the killer's head to determine who he might have been, and applies modern investigative thinking, and discusses how modern day tools and Science might one day help solve this case.

This episode is sponsored by Magic Mind #14DaysOfMagic
Use promo code Magicmind.co/14daysofmagic Use our promo code Detective14 to save 20% off your first order of Magic Mind

Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

To find out how to join us live as we record each new episode of Citizen Detective, follow us on Social Media.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CitizenDPod

Facebook Home Page- https://www.facebook.com/CitizenDetectivePodcast

Facebook Discussion group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/233261280919915

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/citizendpod/?hl=en

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgvqIuf4-sEF2aDdNGip2w

Continue the conversation about this case with fellow Citizen Detectives over at Websleuths:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/forums/citizen-detective-true-crime-podcast.719/

The Citizen Detective team includes:
Co-Hosts- Mike Morford, Alex Ralph, and Dr. Lee Mellor
Writing and Research- Alex Ralph
Technical Producer- Andrew Gray
Production Assistant- Ashley Monroe

Episode 9 Tanya Marie Frazier

On July 18th, 1994, 14 year-old Tanya Marie Frazier of Seattle, Washington, left school. She was scheduled to work at a local thrift shop, but never showed up, and she disappeared. Five days later, a dog walker found her partially nude body in an upscale neighborhood, about 10 blocks away from where she was last seen. Her throat had been cut. Weeks later in another location, some of Tanya's belongings turned up.

Police did not have many leads to work with early on, and focused on Tanya's mother, and her mother's boyfriend, but DNA eventually seemed to clear them. Other names and shady people popped up in the case over the years, but police were never able to tie the crime to anyone.

For some reason, whether it's lack of funding, or a misunderstanding of new investigative techniques, the evidence in Tanya's case has not been re-tested recently using the newest technology and tools.

The team is joined in this episode by Rose Winquist and Kathy Decker, two investigators who have not given up on trying to solve the mystery of who murdered Tanya, and why.

Anyone with any information about Tanya’s case to come forward. Tips may be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers TipLine: 1-800-222-TIPS.

You may also contact the Seattle PoliceDepartment Cold Case Unit: 1-206-684-5550 or the homicide tip line at 1-206-233-5000.

Rose Winquist urges people with information to contact her via the Find Tanya Frazier’s Killer Facebook page or by email at winquistinvestigations.com

Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

To find out how to join us live as we record each new episode of Citizen Detective, follow us on Social Media.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CitizenDPod

Facebook Home Page- https://www.facebook.com/CitizenDetectivePodcast

Facebook Discussion group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/233261280919915

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/citizendpod/?hl=en

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgvqIuf4-sEF2aDdNGip2w


Continue the conversation about this case with fellow Citizen Detectives over at Websleuths:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/forums/citizen-detective-true-crime-podcast.719/

The Citizen Detective team includes:
Co-Hosts- Mike Morford, Alex Ralph, and Dr. Lee Mellor
Writing and Research- Alex Ralph
Technical Producer- Andrew Gray
Production Assistant- Ashley Monroe

Episode 8 Barbara Nantais

In the early morning hours of August 13, 1978, 15 year-old Barbara Nantais and her boyfriend, 17 year-old James Alt were brutally attacked as they slept in their sleeping bag on Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego, California. Barbara was sexually assaulted, and her breast mutilated. She was strangled and beaten to death. James was also bludgeoned leaving him with severe head wounds and no recollection of the attack or the killer. After he regained consciousness, he stumbled to get help unable to see clearly from the attack.
When first responders arrived, they found evidence of a sadistic and bloody attack.
Jim was rushed to the hospital and doctors raced to save him and repair the terrible wounds he had suffered. Eventually, metal plates had to be put in Jim's skull. As Jim recovered in his hospital bed from his wounds, shockingly, he soon found himself on the suspect list, a list that he claims he is still on to this day.

News of the 1978 attack shocked Torrey Beach area residents, but it wouldn't be the only shocking crime to occur there. Just over 6 years after the murder of Barbara Nantais, 14 year-old Claire Hough was murdered on Torrey Pines State Beach just a couple hundred yards from where Barbara Nantais was murdered. And as in Barbara's case, Claire's breasts were also mutilated. Despite DNA pointing to possible suspects, one a known sex offender, and one a San Diego Crime Lab employee, there has been no official resolution in either murder.

In this episode, the team dives into the clues in both murders to see if there is anything that actually links them, and they are joined by Jim Alt who walks us through the awful details surrounding the attack on him and Barbara, and he discusses his efforts to see justice done, as well as his frustration with police investigating the case.

If you have information about the murders of Barbara Nantais, or Claire Hough, call the SDPD Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293. For anonymous tips, call Crimestoppers at 888-580-8477

Visit Jim Alt's advocacy group Surviving Victims of Violent Crime Facebook page


Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

To find out how to join us live as we record each new episode of Citizen Detective, follow us on Social Media.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CitizenDPod

Facebook Home Page- https://www.facebook.com/CitizenDetectivePodcast

Facebook Discussion group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/233261280919915

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/citizendpod/?hl=en

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgvqIuf4-sEF2aDdNGip2w


Continue the conversation about this case with fellow Citizen Detectives over at Websleuths:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/forums/citizen-detective-true-crime-podcast.719/

The Citizen Detective team includes:
Co-Hosts- Mike Morford, Alex Ralph, and Dr. Lee Mellor
Writing and Research- Alex Ralph
Technical Producer- Andrew Gray
Production Assistant- Ashley Monroe

Introducing Campus Killings from AbJack Entertainment

Introducing Campus Killings From AbJack Entertainment

AbJack Entertainment, the network that brings you Citizen Detective, is proud to announce a new podcast; Campus Killings, a Bi-Weekly true crime podcast that debuts on September 17, 2022, and releases new episodes every other Saturday.

Campus Killings is hosted by Dr. Meghan Sacks and Dr. Amy Shlosberg (Women & Crime, and Direct Appeal podcasts). In each episode, Meghan and Amy dive into some of the most shocking and tragic murders to happen on school grounds, and provide their analysis as both Educators and trained Criminologists. They discuss what went wrong, and what could have been done differently to prevent the tragic outcome.

As criminologists, Meghan and Amy teach, research, write and podcast about victims, offenders and the issues surrounding our criminal justice system-and each have over 20 years of experience working in the system in various capacities such as law enforcement, mental health and offender reentry.

Campus Killings is researched and written by Jessica Bettencourt (DNA: ID, and Missing Persons podcasts)

It’s produced by Mike Morford of AbJack Entertainment (Criminology, and The Murder in My Family podcasts)

This preview includes a snippet of Episode 1 of Campus Killings covering the case of Jeanne Clery who was murdered at Lehigh University in April, 1986. The full episode is out right now.

Listen to Campus Killings on your favorite podcast app, and follow the show on social media-

On Twitter:
twitter.com/CampusKillings

On Facebook:
facebook.com/Campuskillings

Episode 6 The Colonial Parkway Murders Part 2

In this episode, we wrap up our coverage of the collection of murders known as the 'Colonial Parkway Murders' focusing on the final 3 cases. They include, the September, 1987 murders of David Knobling and Robin Edwards, the April, 1988 disappearance and presumed murders of Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey, and the September, 1989 murders of Daniel Lauer and Annamaria Phelps.
We are joined once again by Bill Thomas, who's a case advoate and brother of Colonial Parkway Murder victim Cathy Thomas. Our expert panel includes DNA expert Suzanna Ryan, and retired homicide investigator, Cloyd Steiger.

If you have information about the Colonial Parkway Murders, please contact the Norfolk FBI at 757-455-0100 or send an e-mail to [email protected]

To visit the most comprehensive online resource on the net for the case, visit https://www.facebook.com/ColonialParkwayCase/

Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

To contact DNA expert Suzanna Ryan, or learn more about her work, visit her website:
http://ryanforensicdna.com/about/

Check out the books authored by Cloyd Steiger.
https://www.amazon.com/Cloyd-Steiger/e/B079PSM3S5?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1661557115&sr=8-2

Check out a preview at the beginning of this episode for Mind Over Murder, co-hosted by Bill Thomas. https://mindovermurderpodcast.com/

To find out how to join us live as we record each new episode of Citizen Detective, follow us on Social Media.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CitizenDPod

Facebook Home Page- https://www.facebook.com/CitizenDetectivePodcast

Facebook Discussion group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/233261280919915

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/citizendpod/?hl=en

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgvqIuf4-sEF2aDdNGip2w


Continue the conversation about this case with fellow Citizen Detectives over at Websleuths:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/forums/citizen-detective-true-crime-podcast.719/

The Citizen Detective team includes:
Co-Hosts- Mike Morford, Alex Ralph, and Dr. Lee Mellor
Writing and Research- Alex Ralph
Technical Producer- Andrew Gray
Production Assistant- Ashley Monroe

Episode 5 The Colonial Parkway Murders Part 1

When 27 year-old Cathy Thomas, and her girlfriend 21 year old Rebecca Ann Dowski were found brutally murdered in October, 1986 inside Cathy's White 1980 Honda Civic along Virginia's idyllic Colonial Parkway, police were at a loss over the brutality and senselessness of the murders. Both women had been bound, strangled, and their throats were cut. Their killer, or killers, had moved their vehicle and pushed it down on embankment towards the water after failing to burn the vehicle using kerosene. Cathy, a stockbroker who had a stellar background as a US Naval academy grad, and Rebecca, a senior at the college of William and Mary, did not seem to have enemies. But a closer look into their background revealed possible motives for the murders. Cathy had essentially been forced out of the Navy because of rules at that time that prohibited gay or Lesbian soldiers from serving in the military. Rebecca also had an ex-boyfriend who was upset with her for leaving him and starting a relationship with Cathy. While there were possible motives for the murders, investigators also needed to consider whether the two women were killed by a random stranger, and were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wouldn't be until more couples were murdered or went missing in the same area, that authorities began to suspect that a serial killer was roaming the Colonial Parkway. But were all of the cases actually connected, and was the same person or persons responsible for all of the cases?
In part 1 of our 2 part coverage of the Colonial Parkway Murders, we look very closely at the murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Ann Dowski, aided by Cathy's brother, Bill Thomas, a staunch advocate for not just his sister's case, but all of the familied and cases in the Colonial Parkway series. He has worked tirelessly for over 3 decades trying to get answers in this case, one that remains unsolved to this day, and he shares the bumpy road he's had to travel to get justice; one that often has left him at odds with the investigators working the case, in particular the FBI. We are also joined by DNA expert Suzanna Ryan who shares her insights and expertise regarding the clues and physical evidence left behind by the killer, or killers.

If you have information about the Colonial Parkway Murders, please contact the Norfolk FBI at 757-455-0100 or send an e-mail to [email protected]

To visit the most comprehensive online resource on the net for the case, visit https://www.facebook.com/ColonialParkwayCase/

Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

To contact DNA expert Suzanna Ryan, or learn more about her work, visit her website:
http://ryanforensicdna.com/about/

Check out a preview at the beginning of this episode for Mind Over Murder, co-hosted by Bill Thomas. https://mindovermurderpodcast.com/

To find out how to join us live as we record each new episode of Citizen Detective, follow us on Social Media.

Twitter- https://twitter.com/CitizenDPod

Facebook Home Page- https://www.facebook.com/CitizenDetectivePodcast

Facebook Discussion group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/233261280919915

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/citizendpod/?hl=en

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSgvqIuf4-sEF2aDdNGip2w



Continue the conversation about this case with fellow Citizen Detectives over at Websleuths:

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/forums/citizen-detective-true-crime-podcast.719/

The Citizen Detective team includes:
Co-Hosts- Mike Morford, Naama Kates, and Dr. Lee Mellor
Writing and Research- Alex Ralph
Technical Producer- Andrew Gray
Production Assistant- Ashley Monroe

Introducing; Pretend A True Crime Documentary Podcast

From Javier Leiva's newest season of Pretend;

What if I told you that 90% of Frank Abagnale's claims are totally made up? Yeah, that's right. The most extraordinary con man in the world never actually did the crimes he claims he did. In the new season of PRETEND, host Javier Leiva debunks Frank Abagnale’s claims one by one, not with opinions but with court and prison records. This series also gives voice to new victim testimonies. In the end, Leiva travels to Las Vegas to confront Abagnale about his lies. This is the real-life Catch Me If You Can. Listen to Pretend on your favorite podcast app, and check out Javier's home page
https://pretendradio.org/

The Scrum Episode 4


Welcome to a free preview of 'The Scrum', the Citizen Detective after-show usually reserved for AbJack Insider & Patreon supporters of the podcast. After every live recording of Citizen Detective wraps up, we hit the record button once again and have an extended behind the scenes discussion about the case we just explored to share more ideas and theories. We talk further with each other, and with our guests, and of course we interact with our Citizen Detectives, taking additional comments and voicemails, that didn't air in the regular episode.

Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes. Alternatively, you can support Citizen Detective with a Patreon subscription.

In episode 4 of The Scrum, you'll hear more from our guests, Landen Wilson and Jared Bradley as we further discuss the case of Catrina Mowrey in more depth.



Want to listen to this episode, and every episode of Citizen Detective AD-FREE plus get VIP bonus access to our show 'The Scrum'? Visit Apple Podcasts to get an AbJack Insider subscription that will grant you VIP access not only to this show, but to every other show on the network; access that includes early and ad-free content, and bonus episodes.