A woman who was killed in July as she was walking her dog in Atlanta’s iconic Piedmont Park was stabbed dozens of times and had the letters “F” “A” and “T” carved on her chest, according to a medical examiner’s report.
The gruesome slaying of Katherine Janness on July 28 remains unsolved, her loved ones said.
Janness, 40, died from “sharp force injuries of her face, neck, and torso," according to an autopsy report released by the Fulton County medical examiner.
The report said Janness was stabbed at least 15 times from her forehead to her chin, as well as dozens of other times throughout her body.
She also had wounds in the forms of the letters “FA” in the middle and the right side of her lower chest and her upper abdomen and a wound forming the letter “T” on the left side of her lower chest, the report said.
Atlanta police declined to comment Tuesday about whether they have identified any suspects or persons of interest.
Police have said the body of a woman, later identified as Janness, was found shortly after 1 a.m. July 28 inside Piedmont Park’s Charles Allen Drive entrance near 10th Street.
Janness’ dog was also killed, police said.
In July, police released a surveillance image that appeared to show Janness walking her dog along the city’s rainbow crosswalk.
Joe Clark, 62, said Tuesday that he was essentially a father-in-law to Janness, who dated his daughter, Emma, for seven years.
Clark said Janness routinely walked her dog, Bowie, who also was killed, in Piedmont Park. The park has been a backdrop for movies and television shows filmed in the city.
“She was definitely the love of my daughter’s life,” Clark said. “Whoever did it is just an evil monster. Something is very, very disturbed with them. We are just flabbergasted with the whole situation.”
Clark said the FBI is investigating with Atlanta police. The FBI's Atlanta office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Janness, who went by "Katie," was a bartender and bar manager who wrote songs and poetry and had a warm heart, Clark said.
He and his daughter are concerned that no arrests have been made.
“We are praying every day for the person who did it to be found, mostly just for the safety of others,” Clark said. “There is nothing we can do for Katie anymore, other than to honor her. ... Her last few moments of her life were spent in fear, and she was somebody who would never want anybody to fear her.”
Atlanta police have said a reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information can call Atlanta police homicide investigators at 404-546-4235.