katelyn aikens missing katelyn aikens missing
She died as a result of a gunshot wound to he head. There was a brief window where the rumor mill in Spotsylvania county worried there might be a serial killer among them, because right around the same time period the body of a young blonde woman was found locally. The police had to establish where Katelinwas last seen. Im super excited. And I just called her and Im like, look Katelyn, I don't know what Im doing and Im getting frustrated and I need somebody to tell me how to do this. All FBI Email Updates 122 pounds. This month to honor Pride, we will be covering all LGBTQIA+ cases. Why would he want to harm Katelin in any way? One constant in Katelins life was her best friend Amber Rios. Gabriela had a new baby, a baby boy, and Katelin wanted to meet her nephew so she arranged to go back home to Virginia on a four day trip. Scars and Marks. Investigators say they havent talked with Branton in years. She said, We dont know if shes laying in a ditch somewhere or if shes going to be fine. She wasnt talking like herself. ), 1:52pm- James texts Lisa saying he dropped Katelin off at the airport. The missing items are clothes, high school diploma and phone. I'm not coming back today. Welcome back, everyone. You need ALL 3 of those things to start new elsewhere. The fact that the missing womans stepfather was last to see and talk to her has sparked some speculation on social media and crime case forums like Websleuths. She graduated from Caroline High School in 2011 and worked at the same local convenience store where her mother held a job. Police did not originally take their disappearances seriously as the two had run away together numerous times before. She spent most of the time holding her new nephew and enjoying some quality time with Lisa and Gabi. But she was really there, like, virtually. Akens mother, Lisa Sullivan, spoke to the news outlet about her daughters mysterious disappearance. Nineteen year old Katelin Akenswas inSpotsylvania County,Virginia, United States. However Lisa is more concerned with the property James owns that police didnt search, a fact that most sources leave out but Lisa clears up in that interview with Ashley Flowers. You can't trace a phone with a new SIM card. As police began to investigate the hours leading up to her disappearance, they interviewed the friends she had stayed with the night before who confessed that they did actually all sleep together- the night had gotten carried away, and they all agreed it was something that shouldnt happen again. Fortunately theres a lot of leads, says Pearce. At 7.15pm that evening, Lisa receivedanother text message from Katelin: "I'm staying with a friend. The teen's wallet, identification, credit cards and plane ticket were reportedly among the items found in the luggage. Murdered in Texas: The Case of Amber Hagerman, Missing in Texas: The Case of Patty Vaughn, Unidentified in Virginia: The Case of the Christmas Tree Lady, Missing in California: The Case of Khadijah Britton, Unidentified in Texas: The Case of the Galveston Doe, Seeds of Hope: The Closed Case of Mostly Harmless, Missing in Tennessee: The Case of Summer Wells, Missing in Pennsylvania: The Case of Kortne Stouffer, Welcome to the Lost Souls of America Podcast. Reluctantly, sleepless and scared, Lisa carried on searching for her daughter on her own for the weekend and returned to the police station first thing Monday morning. After Lisa and James separated,it took a while for things to settle between them allbut they did and everything seemed fine. She always, like, asked how I was doing or how the babys doing. The deputy gave her a hug. ", by Chilling Crimes We have worked with, what, three psychics? Detective Sharon Williams told WTTG-TV. Im not coming back today, Ill let you know when I get a new flight. In a separate text, she immediately texts, I wont be able to text for a bit. (Unsure if they ever disclosed where her phone pinged at this time. They searched the home and land, as well as seized his technology and vehicles. Shes currently classified as an endangered missing person, which indicates that police dont think she left on her own free will either, and we can assume that they probably have more evidence than were privy to. When a teenager with her whole life ahead of her suddenly vanished, the authorities were stumped by the lack of solid evidence. View the profiles of people named Kaitlyn Aikens. 6 Comments, "People don't just disappear. By Sarah Robinson. The first thing to rule out in a missing persons investigation is the idea that theyre missing of their own free will. So getting up there quickly. Kaitlin Akens, 19, was supposed to catch a flight from Virginia to Arizona. Battery dying so won't be able to text for a bit.". Sometime after this, Amber texts Lisa saying how Katelin texted her about not coming back. Lisa dropped Katelin off at James' house at 9.20am that morning. Though her family doesnt think shed hide from them to avoid a breakup, the police arrange an intense stakeout just to be sure shes not hiding with any of her friends. However, both cases have area residents on edge. / CBS News. Furthermore, Jameshad told Lisa he was due atwork at 3pm on the 5th of December and that was why he would have to drop Katelin off earlybut James never went into work that day and did not return to that job at all. At 1:52pm that afternoon, Lisa got a text from James: A few moments later at 2:00 pm Lisa got a text from Katelin: Im at the airport. 00:01:53. He said that he dropped her offafter 1pm and gave her $20 to get the metro. "Of course it's suspicious - the young lady was supposed to be on a plane back home to Arizona and we found her luggage in a drainage ditch in the middle of Spotsylvania County, nearly 50 miles from the airport," Pearce told Crimesider. 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In March 2021, a foundation for missing people placed a billboard regarding Katelins case on the route James took to work. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Her wallet, ID and glasses were found inside, but her clothes were missing. Police found Katelin'swallet, identification and phone chargerinside the bag. Officials tell PEOPLE there's no connection between the cases. Investigation Discoverys Disappeared: Flight Risk focuses on the young womans activities and whereabouts leading to her disappearance. olice were able to establish early on that the two cases were not connected. Just too eery. the body of 21 year old Heather Ciccone. But there was one big question when it came to James. They all kept in friendly contact, Lisa eventually remarried again, and all the family relationships seemed to be going well. Fraught with worry, Lisa knew something was very wrong with her daughter and began calling every contact she could think of. Disclaimer: the sources I used have a lot of variation in the order of this next group of incoming texts, which one came first, which one caused alarm first, when they realized she was missing. I want to know if dogs were used to track her scent where her phone has pinged. Investigators are still trying to determine if she made it to the metro or to the airport. Lisa found this alarming behavior from someone who was supposed to be a loving dad figure. unusual and worrying text message from Akens phone: Im staying with a friend and I need some time alone, the messages read, according to the report. But her family don't believe that as they saw her the morning of the 5th of December and she was fine. #Missing 19y/o KATELIN AKENS, 54 140lbs #Spotsylvania #Virginia. 11:56am- Amber gets a text from Katelins phone. But the two friends kept up constant communication which eventually evolved into something more. They deserve justice. James told police he had dropped Katelin off at the Springfield mall. Katelin had her flight booked back to Arizona from Virginia for the 5th of December on the 5.40pm flight. She asked her ex husband, James Branton, if he could bring her instead. If Katelins phone never went to the airport or the mall, if those texts werent her, that leaves one explanation- foul play. Alcohol was involved this night. I think Katelin told James about the night before and how she cheated. said by the sheriffs office to have been. By Joey Fox, May 01 2023 5:28 pm. I can't wait. Her mother's ex-husband, James Branton, was supposed to drop her off at the airport where she would board her . He would not elaborate on the specific nature of those contents, citing an open investigation, but he did say that it gave him hope Akens would be found alive. I believe these were usual teenage messages. In December of 2015, Katelin Akens was to board a plane from Virginia to Arizona. and our Katelintold James about the new course that she was starting. Surveillance video corroborates his account of events. The discovery of the suitcase quickly takes this from possible runaway to endangered missing person, and the investigation kicks into gear with Detective Rob Marshall in the lead. March 4, 2022. Her family says they wouldve noticed if something was wrong. From there, the 19-year-old was expected to take the Metro to Reagan National Airport and catch a flight back to her home in Arizona, Capt. Regardless, they continue their search to this day, making every effort to spread awareness and find her. In 2014, just after her 18th birthday, Katelin moved to Arizona to live with her best friend who had become her fiance. 35-Year-Old Man Arrested After Body of Missing Woman, 25, Found in Oregon Missing Pa. Woman, 76, Found Dead Along Trail After Going for a Walk Near Her Home, Suspect Arrested An Ohio Art Student . Katelin arrived back home in Springfield Virginia on December 1st, ready for a whirlwind four days of visits with family and friends. For reasons unclear, Akens never boarded her flight from Virginia to Arizona, where she was to attend cosmetology school. Captain Jeff Pearce of the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office tells PEOPLE theres no connection between the two cases, emphasizing, Its just an unfortunate coincidence. But the dual mysteries have left the community shaken, particularly after Akens luggage was found in a drainage ditch near Fredericksburg on Monday. White. They were talking about it, sitting on the couch.. She died as a result of a gunshot wound to he head. Katelin Michelle Akens was born September 2nd, 1996, and was raised in Virginia with her sister Gabriella and her mom Lisa Sullivan. The unsolved disappearance of a Virginia teenager four years ago has left family members desperate for answers and investigators puzzled as a key witness who may be able to help refuses to cooperate, WTTG-TV reports. They need answers and will continue to search for her. To add to the mystery of James whereabouts on the day that Katelin disappeared, youll remember he told everyone that he had to drop Katelin off early because he had to work at 3pm. Akens disappeared on Dec. 5, 2015. Police told the news outlet Branton has not told the truth about where he brought Akens that day, has refused to take a lie detector test and will not disclose the password to his phone. Without his cooperation Detective Marshall was forced to execute a search warrant on James house being that it was Katelins last known location. Her former step-father, James Brandon was going to take her to the airport. But she never even made it to her flight. She was supposed to have a bright future. "We just want to ensure she's okay," Pearce said. No clothes were found and her diploma was missing. About two days later, Katelins suitcase with her money, credit cards, and the plane ticket was found in a drainage ditch in Spotsylvania County. I dont know. In 2021, Lisa added that finding Katelins body would provide her with some closure. Katelyn Markham was reported missing Sunday, August 14, 2011, by her fianc, John Carter. All FBI Email Updates. DAHLGREN, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- There's a billboard going up near Dahlgren on Route 301 for Katelin Akens, who disappeared in Virginia in 2015. "The circumstances surrounding this case are suspicious enough to warrant our full investigative efforts, in attempting to locate Miss Akens," Spotsylvania County Sheriff Roger L. Harris said in a statement to WSUA News. If you know anything about this missing womans disappearance, you are encouraged to call the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office. Katelin originally went back home to get her high school diploma. A few hours later, she got a text from James saying he had dropped Katelin off at the airport. There was also a strange Facebook message that Akens account sent a friend, indicating she didnt want to be in either Virginia or Arizona. Powered by Shopify. His phone is encrypted and he will not give up the passcode. Interviewer: So, Katelin, how long has it been since you last saw her? Also near James house. Join Facebook to connect with Kaitlyn Aikens and others you may know. The discovery of Akens' suitcase came a day after police found the body of 21-year-old Heather Ciccone slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle parked outside a Spotsylvania residence. But I strongly believe she was not and is not a runaway. Police looked into whether Katelin decided to leave of her own accord. 3. The area has been home to at least one serial killer, including Richard Marc Evonitz, who was accused of killing three different girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. James told Lisa that Katelin wanted to be dropped off at the mall, the Springfield Mall, as she would be early. James had to work at 3:00pm, so he . Erin Donaghue reports and writes for CBSNews.com on topics including criminal justice, social justice and culture. I mean only respect to Katelins loved ones. James had to work at 3:00pm, so he wouldve had to drop Katelin off at airport early. Her luggage was found five miles from where Heather's body was found. However, its not known if she is actually the person to send the text, or if someone else sent it from her phone. He claimed that Katelin told him there was a lot of drinking involved and she believed they forced themselves on her. James was a complete techie, and everything that he had including his cell phone was built and coded by him. (According to online, James then sent a text to Lisa about how her dropped her off at the Springfield mall and Katelin was going to take a metro to the airport. Katelin Akens was supposed to board a flight to get back home, but she never even made it to the airport. The sites/interviews with Lisa I have not seen this.). When Kaitlin announced to her family just how in love she and Amber were, the family was more than supportive. On Sunday, 21-year-old Heather Ciccone was found dead in a car parked in a strangers driveway. In another interview, Katelins friend Kevin alleges that she confided in him the next morning that she had felt pressured or maybe even forced to join the couple, and that she felt immense guilt over that decision. I dont think it matters too much, but I just want to say that youll notice different timing on these things depending on which source you look at. I would never pack cash in my luggage unless it was in excess of what I needed. Domestic violence speaks many languages, has many colors and lives in many different communities. So that meant, they had to focus on the person who was the last known person to seeKatelin. If she is out there, is she going to be the same Katelin we know? Lisa wasn't sure she would even know how to get the metro. You know, she was just there; like, she wasnt there, obviously, because she was in Arizona. Katelins phone had never been to the mall, to the metro, or to the airport. Lisa told police that it would have been unusual for Katelin to askto be dropped off at the mall as it was not a mall shewent to and the last time Katelin was on a metro was when she was six or seven years old. An investigation would later show that the text message wasnt sent from the airport, but instead hit towers near Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia. Unfortunately theres lots of ground to cover Right now, were keeping a lot of evidence close to our vest and well keep investigating [until we find out who did this].. Though those circumstances explain why she might have sounded like she was feeling out of sorts, it really didnt seem to fit the evidence at hand beyond the text messages. First published on December 9, 2015 / 5:31 PM. Police spoke to James and searched his house and car but they didn't find anything that could assistwith their investigation into Katelin's disappearance. Clothing/Jewelry Description A dark gray fleece pullover sweatshirt with a Bass Pro Shop emblem, black pants and pink and black Vans shoes. Gabriela had a new baby, a baby boy, and Katelin wanted to meet her nephew so she arranged to go back home to Virginia on a four day trip. Lisa next heard from James at 1.52pm that day. Investigation Discovery's ' Disappeared . On the day 19-year-old went missing, Sullivan drove to her ex-husbands home so that he could bring Aken to the airport for her flight back to Arizona, where she lived. Dec 11, 2015. Initially he cooperated fully with investigators, and everytime he shared his explanation of the events they say his story stayed consistent. as a key witness who may be able to help refuses to cooperate. Pearce said police are investigating the case as a missing person under suspicious circumstances, but he said they haven't ruled out that she may have disappeared either by her own accord or for "any number of other reasons.". I'll let you know when I get a new flight. After he told Lisa that he had dropped Katelin off, he also told Lisa that he went to work. He said that he dropped her outside the JCPenney. Battery dying so wont be able to text for a bit.. They believed that an app on her phone that has encrypted messages may hold some answers as to what happened to her. December 9, 2015 / 5:31 PM Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Friend of Katelin claimed she had told him that James was verbally abusive - never said if he was physically abusive. My theory: I believe James had murdered Katelin. Due to the fact that Katelin told him about her diploma and cosmetology school, I think he used this to his advantage. It was roughed up and missing a wheel according to police, it was clearly thrown out the window of a moving vehicle. Katelin Akens was last seen Saturday when her stepfather drove her from his home in Spotsylvania, about 60 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., to a suburban Washington shopping mall. James was happy to see Katelin and to catch up with her. "She wanted to go back because she was excited about school," her mother, Lisa Sullivan, told the station. March 21st, 4:17 AM EDT. Lisa reported Katelin missing. And this is, And Then They Were Gone. Inside were Katelin's wallet, cash, debit cards, and plane ticket home. I honestly, when hes like who or where is Katelin, Im like Katelin is your aunt. I . There is no camera footage of Katelin at any locations, neither is there footage of James anywhere. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Female. None of his testimony is corroborated. Lisa also hopes it will pull on James heartstrings to come forward and share what he knows. Sullivan told WTTG-TV that her ex-husband, James Branton, appeared glad to see them. We don't know where she is. According to the report, investigators would learn days later that Akens never got to the mall, despite the claim by Branton. However, she never made that flight, and hasnt been seen or heard from since her stepfather reportedly dropped her off. The hope was that he would change his mind about not cooperating with the police. James was not cooperative in this investigation. I know they searched James car, but was it looked at for blood? Lisa left shortly afterwards. Were not giving up.. Anyone with information is asked to call 540-507-7200 or Spotsylvania Crime Stoppers at 540-582-5822. They gathered that Lisa had dropped her off at James' house but they could not confirmthat James dropped Katelin off at the mall. aters001 po box 1280 oaks, pa 19458; is dumpster diving illegal in el paso texas; office of personnel management login While Lisa was trying to talk herself down from panic, she received another alarming text from Amber Rios in Arizona. Email Email. This time, the texts were worrying; they said that she was staying with a friend and needed some alone time. Vanished While Traveling To #Arizona 540-507-7200 pic.twitter.com/qdTL7dCvmm, ARC (@AnonRoughCoitus) December 8, 2015, Virginia: Missing: KATELIN AKENS (VA): KATELIN AKENS, Age Now: 19, Missing: 12/05/2015. She was super excited. This case has many small turns, but I think James is very intelligent. As of Tuesday, there is no indication Ciccone's death is connected to Akens' disappearance. Police have reportedly searched Brantons home and seized a variety of evidence, including guns, electronics and his DNA; but have not found any meaningful leads or apparently, cause to arrest him. There were questions as to whether that may have prompted her to leave. Katelin's phone was missing so police looked at the location records anddiscovered that when she sent Lisa the text message saying that she was at the airport, her phone pinged at a location more than 30 miles from that Springfield Metro stop. They had grown up pretty inseparable and the girls were heartbroken when Ambers family moved to Arizona. Where is she?". All Rights Reserved. Her former step-father, James Brandon was going to take her to the airport. . 2:00 pm- Katelins phone texted Lisa saying shes at the airport. Finally at 7:15pm that night came a new round of texts. It is up to the rest of us to take an even harder look at who is minding our children. And they also could not determine that it was Katelin herself that sent the text messages. As for the evidence reportedly found in her luggage, authorities are not clarifying on what was found, nor are they sharing any information about the leads they are currently investigating. Shed been shot in the back of the head. She has blonde hair, blue eyes and multiple tattoos. At about 2 PM the same day, Lisa then received a text from her daughters phone that said, Imat the airport. Immediately this gets Lisas intuition going and she knows something is wrong. Family told CBS affiliate WTVR that she texted them to let them know she had made it to the airport, but she never boarded the flight and they haven't heard from her since. Episode Summary. Katelin never made it on that flight and she has never been seen since. Ruling out all connections to the Heather Ciccone case, the investigators went back to local field and aerial searches. His DNA was also collected. She also has gauge-type piercings in her ears. February 02, 2021 Carter reported he last saw Katelyn around 11:00 p.m. the night of August 13 and that he received a text from her later on, at 1:00 a.m. You can't trace clothes. He told her he dropped Katelin off and she thanked up. Yes, theyre unusual due to her disappearance. At this point, Lisa was completely reeling- what is going on? Despite the similarities in the cases,namely thatthey were a similar age and in the same area, police were able to establish early on that the two cases were not connected. And I was like, yeah, no, I really am. However, authorities have confirmed that Katelin Akens' stepfather is not a person of interest or a suspect in her disappearance. Pearce said no other items were found with the suitcase. According to James, he dropped Katelin off at the Springfield mall with her intending to take the metro to the airport. 00:02:43. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. https://www.facebook.com/HelpFindKatelinAkens/, https://www.spreaker.com/show/lost-souls-of-america, https://charleyproject.org/case/katelin-michelle-akens, https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/katelin-michelle-akens, https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/update-katelin-akens/, Murdered in California- The Case of the Doodler Killer, Murdered in Kansas: The Case of Alonzo Brooks, Missing in Minnesota: The Case of Brandon Swanson, Murdered in DC: The Case of the Freeway Phantom, Unsolved in California: The Case of the Keddie Cabin Murders. Katelin also needed to collect her High School Diploma as she was starting a cosmetology course in Arizona. Detectives have yet to name a suspect or person of interest. They say they want to leave the door open for him to come forward with whatever information he has to clear up the discrepancies within his story. The Huffington Post reports that locals in the area are on edge, with some people commenting that there may be a serial killer in the area, preying on young pretty women. The Free Lance-Star reported Ciccone died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head.