Liam Griffin , Patch Staff Posted Wed, Apr 12, 2023 at 10:23 am ET | Updated . This behavior was all completely out of character for Katelin and Lisa simply didnt understand what to make of it. Which is why her diploma was missing along with clothes, to throw everyone off or make it look like shes a runaway. They never thought she was Katelin, but the fear was that they may have met the same fate. So, if youre curious about an update in the case, weve got you covered. Katelin had her flight booked back to Arizona from Virginia for the 5th of December on the 5.40pm flight. She was due to start the new cosmetology course on the Monday, the 7th of December. He said that he dropped her offafter 1pm and gave her $20 to get the metro. 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. According to the sheriff's office, a family member was taking Akens to the Ronald Reagan National Airport on Saturday when the teen asked to be dropped off at the Springfield Mall. I won't be able to text for a bit.". The 19-year-old moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, just days after her 18th birthday in 2014, to live with her fiance. Update: Missing Sterling Teen Located Safely: Police Theres no new flight. Katelins sister Gabi had just had a baby, and so everyone was absolutely thrilled to have Katelin make the trip home for some newborn nephew snuggles with 2 week old baby Landon! In 2015, 19 year old Katelin Akens was to fly from Virgina to - Reddit Katelin Michelle Akens was born September 2nd, 1996, and was raised in Virginia with her sister Gabriella and her mom Lisa Sullivan. We dont know if shes living it up, partying around. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. I would never pack cash in my luggage unless it was in excess of what I needed. Katelin stated to this friend she felt remorseful and awful about the entire thing. Lisa spoke to James again to let him know that Katelin did not make it to the airport and she asked him what happened when he dropped Katelin off and if she told him if she was meeting anyone at the mall. She wouldve been starting cosmetology school soon. After Lisa and James separated,it took a while for things to settle between them allbut they did and everything seemed fine. 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. Missing Children of Virginia" Katelin Akens, Tammy Lynn Akers - Reddit Kaitlin Akens, 19, was supposed to catch a flight from Virginia to Arizona. 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. It was the 5th of December 2015. They need answers and will continue to search for her. 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. She was super excited. So just to confirm the story of a concerned father, Detective Marshall pulled security cam footage from inside the mall and the mall parking lot, the metro station, and the airport. She was also extremely smart and a quick learner. Rather than mail it to her, they all decided it was the perfect time for a visit. You know, she was just there; like, she wasnt there, obviously, because she was in Arizona. He told her he dropped Katelin off and she thanked up. Growing up, Kaitlin was adventurous and free spirited. Lisa left shortly afterwards. How did she react? Neither Tammy or Angela showed up to their classes and were last seen hitchhiking in the city. The luggage was found around 50 miles from the airport but just a few miles from Katelin's hometown. Battery dying so won't be able to text for a bit.". They also did not know if she was at the airport at any stage,theRonald Reagan Washington National Airport, but they knew she did not get on the flight back to Arizona. None of his testimony is corroborated. Her mother had dropped her off at Branton's home, and he said he'd drive her to Washington-Reagan National Airport, 80 miles north, for a flight home to her . Copyright 2023 The Inquisitr. Lisa wasn't sure she would even know how to get the metro. If you know anything about this missing womans disappearance, you are encouraged to call the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office. KATELIN MICHELLE AKENS FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation Her flight was scheduled for 5:00pm. The Sheriff . Definitely the stepfather. She then proceeds to send another text that her battery is going to die. James told police he had dropped Katelin off at the Springfield mall. Required fields are marked *. Police found Katelin'swallet, identification and phone chargerinside the bag. Katelin's luggage was reportedly found in a drainage ditch two days after she went missing. Were the two cases connected? No, he has nothing to do with us, Detective Rob Marshall told the television station in 2017. Mother of Katelin Akens Marks Six Years Since Daughter's Disappearance, FBI Richmond - National Crime Victims' Rights Week, Seeking Information-Suspect Wanted in Connection with Armed Robberies, FBI San Francisco: Video Depicting Kidnapping of Monica de Leon Barba (Video 2), FBI San Francisco: Video Depicting Kidnapping of Monica de Leon Barba (Video 1), FBI Jacksonville Diversity Agent Recruitment Event Trailer: Special Agent Alex Silverstein, FBI Jacksonville Diversity Agent Recruitment Event Trailer: Special Agent Justin Brannon, FBI Jacksonville Diversity Agent Recruitment Event Trailer: Special Agent Lauren Regucci, FBI Jacksonville Diversity Agent Recruitment Event Trailer: Special Agent in Charge Sherri Onks, Inside The FBI Podcast: For The Love Of Money, Inside the FBI Podcast: Romance Scams (2021 Rerelease), Inside the FBI Podcast: Submitting Tips to the Bureau, FBI Seattle Discusses Myths of Human Trafficking, FBI Announces $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to Arrest in Unsolved Murders, FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice. Were hoping and this has happened before that she simply decided that she wasnt going to go back [to Arizona] and made other arrangements, Pearce says. Her clothes, phone and High School Diploma were missing. 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. Also near James house. Surveillance video corroborates his account of events. "It bothers everybody," Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office Captain Jeff Pearce told The . Katelin Michelle Akens - The Charley Project 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.". All images are used with permission or licensed. They gathered that Lisa had dropped her off at James' house but they could not confirmthat James dropped Katelin off at the mall. None of that happened, crushing her family and confounding investigators. Lisa says that the distance didnt change their closeness as a family unit one bit- Kaitlin still called and texted multiple times a day, for big things but also small little conversations like how do I make pumpkin bread? Gabi says that they typically texted all day everyday. I think police should subpoena James phone or something in regards to him. March 21st, 4:17 AM EDT. At about 2 PM the same day, Lisa then received a text from her daughters phone that said, Imat the airport. The first thing to rule out in a missing persons investigation is the idea that theyre missing of their own free will. Privacy Policy. 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. Furthermore, authorities have stated that . Shed been shot in the back of the head. She was due to fly back to Arizona, where shed been accepted to beauty school. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 7th 2015 - Katelins suitcase was found in a ditch on an interstate outside Fredericksburg, Virginia - a few miles from James house. Sheriff's office: Person of interest identified in Katelyn - WLWT Her Fianc Was Just Charged with Murder, Arizona Parents Hid Dead Body of 16-Year-Old Son After Claiming He Ran Away: Police, After 30 Years, Police ID Calif. Woman Who Was Stabbed to Death, but Her Daughters Remain Missing, Mysterious 'Lady in the Fridge' Murder Victim Identified After 27 Years, Pa. Police Arrest 'Supposed' Friend, Business Partner in Death of Mom Found in Shallow Grave, 2 Students from Same Atlanta High School Found Dead, Police Say Cases Are Unrelated, Missing Texas Woman Is Found Dead After Planning to Confront Boyfriend About Him Being Married, Missing Architect Traveling in Mexico Confirmed Dead Near Bullet-Ridden Van Along with Fiance, Relatives, Person of Interest Gave 'Inconsistent Statements' in Case of Missing West Virginia Woman: Police, Netflix Documentary Unravels Mystery of 'Texas Killing Fields,' Where Dozens Have Been Found Slain, Young Va. Father Vanished Before Christmas, Family Finds Trail of Blood from His Car to Woods, Ariz. Immediately this gets Lisas intuition going and she knows something is wrong. Or possibly done this before. However, its not known if she is actually the person to send the text, or if someone else sent it from her phone. Katelin had an encrypted text app on her phone that has yet to be recovered. I believe these were usual teenage messages. Detective Marshall feels he may simply be covering up for his step daughter- maybe he helped her. 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. Luggage belonging to Katelin Akens, a 19-year-old woman who disappeared en route to a Virginia airport, has been found in a Spotsylvania County drainage ditch. Markham was a 21-year-old art student who lived in Fairfield, Ohio, and also worked two jobs in addition to her studies. I want to tell the stories of those never came home and went to tell you the story of Katelyn Akins. And this is, And Then They Were Gone. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Katelin Akens' luggage found ditched after she vanished on way to This leads investigators to believe the suitcase was thrown. 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. A career criminal, Evonitz committed suicide in 2002, after police sought him out for questioning in connection with a number of crimes, including the deaths of three girls in Spotsylvania County. I know they searched James car, but was it looked at for blood? Neither the sheriff's office nor Akens' family responded to requests for comment from The Huffington Post on Tuesday. You need ALL 3 of those things to start new elsewhere. 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].. She didnt feel there was any way at all Kaitlin would be in a strange new place and then try to navigate an unfamiliar train system with her suitcase. 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. Just eight minutes later, Sullivan reportedly got a text message from Akens phone that read, Im at the airport. Meanwhile, police said they are willing to hear from anyone with information on the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is joining forces with area law enforcement in the effort to find a woman missing for nearly six years. Officials tell PEOPLE there's no connection between the cases. 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 agree! 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. 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. She supposed to be reunited with her fiance, Amber. At that point, Lisas ex-husband, James Branton, agreed to drop Katelin off at the airport about 80 miles away. She spent most of the time holding her new nephew and enjoying some quality time with Lisa and Gabi. "We just want to ensure she's okay," Pearce said. But the two friends kept up constant communication which eventually evolved into something more. [Image via Spotsylvania Co. Sheriff handout]. katelyn aikens missing Please note, I do not post these theories to negatively affect anyone or anything. The post was likely a reference to Richard Marc Evonitz. Akens mother, Lisa Sullivan, spoke to the news outlet about her daughters mysterious disappearance. Powered by Shopify. Pearce wouldn't comment on the contents of the suitcase or whether anything had been removed. The man eventually committed suicide in 2002. 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. Young Woman Found Dead In Car, Another Missing - HuffPost They were talking about her cosmetology school, her high school diploma. (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 originally went back home to get her high school diploma. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. They gathered that Lisa had dropped her off at James' house but they could not confirmthat James dropped Katelin off at the mall. Katelin Akens' disappearance to get renewed attention - Fredericksburg.com as a key witness who may be able to help refuses to cooperate. This hobby had grown to a passion and Katelin had made a plan to go to cosmetology school. But I think she had all intentions on going back that day. "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. ", by Chilling Crimes He replied that the traffic was not too bad. 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. Friend of Katelin claimed she had told him that James was verbally abusive - never said if he was physically abusive. It's Katelin's. And what's inside may put a di. Katelyn Markham: Unsealed docs reveal new details in woman's death 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. One of Katelin'sfriends said that on the night of the 4th of December, one night before she went missing, Katelinwent out with two friends. Keith Epps. 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. Her suitcase was then found 45 miles away . What they didnt need his help to uncover were those cell phone tower pings, and they indicated that James phone also never pinged anywhere near the airport, and seemed to be at his home all day. But there was one big question when it came to James. Welcome back, everyone. 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. Police did not originally take their disappearances seriously as the two had run away together numerous times before. navigation search. Finally at 7:15pm that night came a new round of texts. By Joey Fox, May 01 2023 5:28 pm. The Free Lance-Star reported Ciccone died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST! It is all the family can seem to talk about. Katelins phone had never left the Fredericksburg area. WUSA 9 News reports that evidence has been obtained from luggage belonging to the woman, which was found abandoned in a drainage ditch. I think Katelin told James about the night before and how she cheated. Interviewer: So, Katelin, how long has it been since you last saw her? They also interviewed those closest to her. His property was around 10 acres in a rural area near Fredericksburg. 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.