Two years after a woman and her dog were found stabbed to death at Piedmont Park, investigators are again imploring anyone with information about the case to come forward.
The high-profile killings of Katie Janness and her pit bull, Bowie, just inside the entrance of Atlanta’s busiest park remain unsolved. Detectives have released few details about their investigation.
“We can’t do this alone,” Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said Friday, detailing the “countless hours” investigators have spent on the grisly case. “We’re asking people to do the right thing.”
An autopsy showed Janness, 40, was stabbed 50 times and had blunt force injuries. The letters “FAT” were carved into her chest and torso.
The bodies of both Janness and her dog were found in the early morning hours when the two didn’t return home from their nightly walk. Janness’ girlfriend, Emma Clark, made the gruesome discovery after using a cellphone app to track her partner’s whereabouts.
Lead detective Jeffrey Churchill said he’s traveled to Detroit to meet with Janness’ mother and that he speaks with her on the phone every week.
Detectives said they’re also sharing information with the FBI in the hope of identifying a possible suspect.
There haven’t been any similar cases in Atlanta since, but detectives have been reluctant to say if they believe Janness knew her attacker or if the brazen killing was random. They declined to get into specifics about the evidence collected at the scene that night.
“It is frustrating, but we’re working it,” said Churchill, who was assigned the case on Day 1 of the investigation. “We want to get it right.”
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
Janness’ stabbing was one of two unsolved homicides discussed Friday morning at police headquarters. The other was the Aug. 31, 2022, shooting of Prince Oluzor, who was killed when he rushed out of the BP gas station on 14th Street to prevent his Honda from being stolen.
“He was alerted by other customers inside the convenience store that his vehicle was being stolen,” said Lt. Germain Dearlove, the Atlanta Police Department’s homicide commander. “When Mr. Oluzor stepped outside to check on his vehicle, the suspects inside the silver sedan fired a handgun and struck him in the body.”
Oluzor, 38, died at the scene.
The 2013 Honda Accord was spotted on surveillance cameras leaving the area, but so far no arrests have been made. Investigators said the sedan has a noticeable dent on the driver’s side.
“If you see something, say something,” Dearlove said.
Rewards have been offered for information leading to arrests in both cases. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 404-577-8477 or visit the website. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a cash reward.
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