On Friday, the Atlanta Police Department once again urged the public to come forward with information about the brutal murder of Katherine “Katie” Janness in Piedmont Park on July 28, 2021.
“The suspect remains unknown,” APD’s Lt. Germain Dearlove, said during the press conference.
Dearlove said homicide investigators – including lead investigator Lt. J. Churchill – have worked countless hours “diligently and thoroughly” to find the killer or killers.
“If you heard or saw anything – even if you weren’t in the park – please come forward and let us check it out,” Dearlove said. “Nothing is too small.”
Dearlove called the murder “senseless,” while Churchill pushed back on a reporter’s statement that it was a “cold case.”
“We don’t consider this a cold case, we’re still working on leads coming in, so we don’t consider it cold,” Churchill said.
Janness was found stabbed to death along with her dog Bowie just inside the 10th Street gate of Piedmont Park. She was discovered by her partner, Emma Clark, who tracked Janness using the find my iPhone app when she didn’t return from walking the dog.
According to the autopsy report, Janness was stabbed more than 50 times with “sharp force injuries” to her face, neck, and torso. The report said the word “FAT” had been carved into her chest.
Anyone who might have information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (404) 577- 8477 or the APD homicide unit at (404) 546-4236.