This behavior was all completely out of character for Katelin and Lisa simply didnt understand what to make of it. "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. The fact that the missing woman's stepfather was last to see and talk to her has sparked some speculation on social media and crime case forums like Websleuths. 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. He was a no call no show, and he actually never went back to work there again. 4 talking about this. In an unexpected twist, seven years later in May 2007, a 37-year-old woman named Lea Aikens was found shot at her apartment. When Kaitlin announced to her family just how in love she and Amber were, the family was more than supportive. Katelin arrived back home in Springfield Virginia on December 1st, ready for a whirlwind four days of visits with family and friends. I honestly, when hes like who or where is Katelin, Im like Katelin is your aunt. Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Growing up, Katelin Michelle Akens lived in Caroline County, Virginia, with her mother, Lisa Sullivan. 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. At the time of her disappearance she was approximately 19 years old, 54, 120 lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a dark gray fleece pullover sweatshirt with a Bass Pro Shop emblem, black pants and pink and black Vans shoes. The hope was that he would change his mind about not cooperating with the police. Since Katelin was scheduled to start her new cosmetology school on Monday, she had booked her flight back to Arizona for that Saturday evening, December 5th, at 5:40pm out of the Reagan National Airport in Arlington. But there was one big question when it came to James. Amber had said a Facebook message was sent from Katelins account saying she cant come back because she cheated on her. It was the 5th of December 2015. Katelin Michelle Akens (born September 2, 1996) is an American woman who mysteriously disappeared on December 5, 2015, after being dropped off at her former stepfather's residence in Partlow, Virginia. When Katelin Akens was last seen, she was being dropped off by her stepfather at a Metro station, where she was supposed to travel to the airport to catch a flight to Arizona. She was like, no, youre lying, I don't believe you. He claimed that Katelin told him there was a lot of drinking involved and she believed they forced themselves on her. They believed that an app on her phone that has encrypted messages may hold some answers as to what happened to her. I would never pack cash in my luggage unless it was in excess of what I needed. Sullivan told WTTG-TV that her ex-husband, James Branton, appeared glad to see them. She also did her best to squeeze in some visits with friends- the night before she was scheduled to fly back to Arizona shed spent the night at a friends apartment after an evening of beer and board games. ", by Chilling Crimes I won't be able to text for a bit.". Gabrielle Washington, sister of Katelin Michelle Akens, who was last seen in Partlow, Virginia, talks about how December 5 marks six years since she's seen Katelin. Part of HuffPost Crime. She lived with her fianc, Amber. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST! And, um, yeah. She was due to fly back to Arizona, where shed been accepted to beauty school. February 04, 2022, "The criminal justice system will take a hard look at what happened to Matthew Eappen. Her family says they wouldve noticed if something was wrong. Katelin Michelle Akens was born September 2nd, 1996, and was raised in Virginia with her sister Gabriella and her mom Lisa Sullivan. Growing up, Kaitlin was described as nurturing, adoring little kids and loving to help others in any way she could. Carter was the last known person to see Katelyn . Her bodywas found slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle parked outside a Spotsylvania residence. [Image via Spotsylvania Co. Sheriff handout]. She wanted ultrasound pictures. I also want to know if where her luggage was found, if that area was searched for her body. She was constantly changing her hair and experimenting with different colors and styles. Why would he want to harm Katelin in any way? And that person was her stepfather James. 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. We dont have an easy suspect to go to, Pearce says. Sullivan's thoughts often drift back to Dec. 5, 2015, when her daughter, Katelin Akens, disappeared at age 19. Investigation Discoverys Disappeared: Flight Risk focuses on the young womans activities and whereabouts leading to her disappearance. It didnt sound like her. Missing in Massachusetts: The Case of Neo Maximus AKA Charlie Allen Jr. The fact she left cash in her luggage tells me nothing at all. The Free Lance-Star reported Ciccone died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head. I dont know what his motive couldve been other than a possible vendetta against Lisa, rage, or random killing. And they also could not determine that it was Katelin herself that sent the text messages. Katelin moved to Arizona in 2014 to live with her girlfriend Amber Rios. However, authorities have confirmed through multiple reports that the disappearance of Katelin Akens and the murder of Heather Ciccone are in no way connected to one another. They havent had any recent fights, this was in character of Katelin and Katelins family stated she was excited to go back home to Amber. "We just want to ensure she's okay," Pearce said. When a teenager with her whole life ahead of her suddenly vanished, the authorities were stumped by the lack of solid evidence. A search warrant has been unsealed in the investigation into Katelyn Markham's death in 2011 and the recent arrest of her then fianc, John Carter. But it wasthe body of 21 year old Heather Ciccone. In fact, he didnt go back to work anywhere at all for more than 6 months after Katelins disappearance. The Butler County Sheriff's Office said it has a person of interest in the Katelyn Markham homicide. 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. Lisa reported Katelin missing. But the two friends kept up constant communication which eventually evolved into something more. Gabrielle: Almost six years. Investigation Discovery's ' Disappeared . In 2014, just after her 18th birthday, Katelin moved to Arizona to live with her best friend who had become her fiance. All images are used with permission or licensed. According to Lisa- The mall is not one that Katelin was familiar with, and neither was the metro. The suitcase was scuffed and had a wheel missing. Investigators launched a desperate search to bring her home, but with each new piece of evidence, they learned that home may not have been the safest place for her. Image Credit: Help find Katelin Akens/Facebook. 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. There were questions as to whether that may have prompted her to leave. Even more disturbing were the cell phone tower pings that the investigators looked at to determine the location of Katelins phone when she sent those text messages. White. This was odd to Amber. If these have been answered, please feel free to answer or correct me. Investigators are still trying to determine if she made it to the metro or to the airport. Her last text message pinged off a cell tower in Stafford. Katelins phone had never been to the mall, to the metro, or to the airport. 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. Everyone initially feared it was Katelin. 11:56am- Amber gets a text from Katelins phone. I think all texts were made by him from Katelins phone. However, she never made that flight, and hasnt been seen or heard from since her stepfather reportedly dropped her off. Lisa next heard from James at 1.52pm that day. Like Im going to come down to Virginia when hes born. olice were able to establish early on that the two cases were not connected. However, both cases have area residents on edge. No clothes were found and her diploma was missing. 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. It's Katelin's. And what's inside may put a di. The man eventually committed suicide in 2002. Powered by Shopify. Katelin had an encrypted text app on her phone that has yet to be recovered. She wears eyeglasses with dark frames. Her former step-father, James Brandon was going to take her to the airport. Interviewer: When you told Katelin that you were pregnant, tell us about that. James was happy to oblige but he had to work in Fredericksburg at 3pm, so they agreed that Katelin would arrive at the airport a little bit early and just hang out until her flight. CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. 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James stuck to his story that he dropped her off at the mall. So that meant, they had to focus on the person who was the last known person to seeKatelin. Whenever possible, actual redditors have participated in investigating the events. Furthermore, authorities have stated that . 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. Katelin Akens was supposed to board a flight to get back home, but she never even made it to the airport. Maybe hes keeping secrets for her. Katelin Michelle Akens was born September 2nd, 1996, and was raised in Virginia with her sister Gabriella and her mom Lisa Sullivan. At the time of the incident, Katelin was looking forward to enrolling in cosmetology school in Arizona. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Katelintold James about the new course that she was starting. There is no camera footage of Katelin at any locations, neither is there footage of James anywhere. You know, shes my sister but she is missing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is joining forces with area law enforcement in the effort to find a woman missing for nearly six years. This time, the texts were worrying; they said that she was staying with a friend and needed some alone time. Katelins biological father moved out of state when she was just a toddler, and when Katelin was 7 years old, Lisa remarried to a man named James Branton. Liam Griffin , Patch Staff Posted Wed, Apr 12, 2023 at 10:23 am ET | Updated . At 7.15pm that evening, Lisa receivedanother text message from Katelin: "I'm staying with a friend. That day, the 5th of December, Lisa couldn't drop Katelin off at the airport as she had to work. We don't know where she is. According to my sources, Amber didnt feel there were any signs of trouble in the relationship at all before Katelin left for Virgina, so she felt pretty blindsided by the texts. If you have any information about the disappearance of Kaitlin Akens, please call Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office 540-582-7115. Katelin told another friend that those two forced themselves on her and said that all three of them had sex. Lisa had dropped off Katelin at James home at around 8:30 AM on December 5. Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office investigators say surveillance cameras corroborate Katelin Akens' stepfather's account of events surrounding the disappearance of the teen.Akens vanished after her . They never thought she was Katelin, but the fear was that they may have met the same fate. Weight. According to the police, the case remains open, and any leads that come through would be investigated thoroughly. wallet, ID and glasses were found inside, but her clothes were missing. Markham was a 21-year-old art student who lived in Fairfield, Ohio, and also worked two jobs in addition to her studies. She spent most of the time holding her new nephew and enjoying some quality time with Lisa and Gabi. Guilty as sin! Pearce says that investigators have spoken to the girl in question. / CBS News. He said that he dropped her outside the JCPenney. She said, We dont know if shes laying in a ditch somewhere or if shes going to be fine. 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. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Inside were Katelin's wallet, cash, debit cards, and plane ticket home. This young lady, Katelin Akens is a cousin of mine. Protect yourself and those you love. Share on Facebook Facebook James had to work at 3:00pm, so he wouldve had to drop Katelin off at airport early. Image Credit: Help find Katelin Akens/Facebook. Due to lack of information regarding this case, I have questions. 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. We are not going to turn down any information.. I know they searched James car, but was it looked at for blood? As far as Lisa was aware, Katelin was getting the metro to the airport to get that 5.40pm flight home. said by the sheriffs office to have been. Within days of Akens missing her flight, road crews reportedly came upon her luggage in a ditch several miles from Brantons residence. Um, I don't really sugarcoat it. The police had to establish where Katelinwas last seen. A Saturday. Not one concerned call or text. She has blonde hair, blue eyes and multiple tattoos. the body of 21 year old Heather Ciccone. Shed been shot in the back of the head. They confirmed with the airport that Katelin had never in fact made it on the plane, and they attempted to report her as a missing person to the police. The mall was beside a metro station so James told Lisa that Katelin planned to get the metro directly from the mall to the airport. The flight was not until 5 p.m., and at 1:52 p.m., Branton texted Sullivan that he had dropped Akens off. Akens has a tattoo of five butterflies on her arm and a tattoo of three stars on her right foot. Kaitlin Akens was last seen in Springfield Virginia on December 5th, 2015. They had grown up pretty inseparable and the girls were heartbroken when Ambers family moved to Arizona. ), 1:52pm- James texts Lisa saying he dropped Katelin off at the airport. They also interviewed those closest to her. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. To submit a case for consideration for next season, please see our google form here. SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. --Police in central Virginia say a missing teen's luggage was found ditched along a road days after she went missing on her way to the airport. I dont know. In 2021, Lisa added that finding Katelins body would provide her with some closure. 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. 00:02:43. Authorities in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, are searching for answers after one young woman was found dead and another went missing last weekend. 3. The 19-year-old moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, just days after her 18th birthday in 2014, to live with her fiance. She was the reason why I was able to put up a Pack n Play because I had no idea what I was doing. However, none of these examples mean, in any way, that either of these Virginia girls are victims of a career predator. Or possibly done this before. Katelin's luggage was reportedly found in a drainage ditch two days after she went missing. 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. He said that he dropped her outside the JCPenneystore but there was no CCTV in the area so at that time, they could not determine if she was at the mall at all that day. Her wallet, ID and glasses were found inside, but her clothes were missing. Date of Birth 09/02/1996 (26) Age 19 years old. ", by Chilling Crimes The body was later identified as 21 year old Heather Ciccone. 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. On Monday, her luggage was found by road workers along the side of a road in Spotsylvania, near the Fredericksburg city limit - apparently dumped there. Tabbing Tag Stringing Foil Stamping UV Coating Die Cutting General Foil Die Cutting Engraving General Mailing Fulfillment Mounting and Finishing General Business Printing EVIDENCE BACKS MISSING WOMAN'S STEPFATHER, WHO SAYS HE DROPPED HER OFF AT THE MALL. She lived with her fianc, Amber. Anyone with information is asked to call 540-507-7200 or Spotsylvania Crime Stoppers at 540-582-5822. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office at 540-582-7115. She had been there since the 1st of December and was visiting her mother Lisa Sullivan and her sister Gabriela. Lisa found this alarming behavior from someone who was supposed to be a loving dad figure. 7th 2015 - Katelins suitcase was found in a ditch on an interstate outside Fredericksburg, Virginia - a few miles from James house. Later that day, Amber reached out to Lisa. Katelin was with a friend and her boyfriend. Sullivan told the news station that Branton also failed to show up for any of the events remembering Akens. Katelyn Markham was reported missing Sunday, August 14, 2011, by her fianc, John Carter. Katelins sister says that his relationship with Katelin could be a little rocky while they all lived together, mostly because he was a bit more strict than Katelin appreciated. Where is she?". Her mother's ex-husband, James Branton, was supposed to drop her off at the airport where she would board her . Due to her being raised out of state, I have, Posted by Jule Gallion on Wednesday, December 9, 2015. 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. That was missing from the details. I want to know if dogs were used to track her scent where her phone has pinged. James was not cooperative in this investigation. The suspicious circumstances and timeline of the two cases have led some people to speculate that they could be related. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. David Lohr. Dec. I think she felt guilt and had to talk about it. Akens mother, Lisa Sullivan, spoke to the news outlet about her daughters mysterious disappearance. Her clothes, phone and High School Diploma were missing. 9:20am - Katelins mom, Lisa stayed at James house with Katelin for a little bit. Her suitcase was then found 45 miles away . They searched the home and land, as well as seized his technology and vehicles. I want her to be able to have a life and be happy and spend some quality time with her crazy nephew. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Katelin flew into Virginia to visit her family in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, for the birth of her nephew. Police did not originally take their disappearances seriously as the two had run away together numerous times before. They deserve justice. 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. Boy, 10, Vanished in 2016. Katelin Akens was supposed to board a flight on Saturday, Dec 5, from Virginia to Arizona,. Katelyn's cause of death is currently unclear. Pearce tells PEOPLE that the discovery of the luggage doesnt necessarily indicate foul play in the teens disappearance. However, I think all Facebook messages were made by Katelin. The search for Katelin Akens has produced some new leads, but authorities in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, are not clarifying on what those leads are. The authorities have not charged anyone with Katelins disappearance, and without a body or any other evidence, it became difficult to prove a crime occurred. 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. Race White. And to add to the uneasy feeling this was giving her family, Lisa says that the text messages simply werent sent in Katelins style of texting. Please note, I do not post these theories to negatively affect anyone or anything. More speculation surrounding the disappearance of Katelin Akens surrounds the murder of Spotsylvania woman Heather Ciccone, who was found shot dead in her own car on Monday morning. She was going to take the metro to the airport since there is a stop at Reagan.. He wasn't Katelin's biological father but he helped to raise her. The discovery was made one day after another young woman turned up dead, heightening concerns for Akens' safety. They called and called Katelin with no response at all. . 2:00 pm- Katelins phone texted Lisa saying shes at the airport. The comments below have not been moderated, by Chilling Crimes 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. What happened to this missing woman, and are authorities close to finding her? She believes fervently that her ex-husband holds the key to finding Katelin. Would be interesting to know if cameras at airport were searched? found shot dead in a car in Spotsylvania Sunday. Facebook gives people the power. So much so, that when Lisa asked if he could bring Katelin to the airport, he said that it was no problem and he would be happy to do it. Fortunately theres a lot of leads, says Pearce. Privacy Policy. Nineteen year old Katelin Akenswas inSpotsylvania County,Virginia, United States.

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