The NBC investigative show Dateline season 33, is about the 2011 case of Katelyn Markham. A young 21-year-old woman disappeared and was later found dead in a far field in Ohio. The investigation spans two states. Her fiancee John Carter turned suspect as the case progressed, after repeatedly rejecting the claims.
However, in 2023, John Carter was accused of killing his fiancee back in 2011. The episode has a duration of 2 hours and is titled "The Butterfly". Here are the 5 harrowing details about the mysterious death of Katelyn Markham.
The 5 harrowing details about the death of Katelyn Markham in Dateline
Before Katelyn's death, she was earning a degree in Arts and was planning to move in with John Carter her fiancee in Colorado.
It all started with a 911 call
Katelyn Markham vanished on August 13, 2011, from her hometown in Ohio. John Carter reported her missing the next day calling 911.
"Hi my name is John Carter. I am calling, I know you're not supposed to report a missing person before 24 hours, um, but my fiancé is missing, I can't find her anywhere."
This led to extensive investigation and search but nearly for about two years it didn't yield anything substantial.
Her remains were discovered, by chance
Here skeletal remains were discovered in April 2013, by a couple collecting scrap metal about 30 miles away from her home. The body had started to decompose therefore making it difficult to identify for the investigation.
John Carter's inconsistent statements
Katelyn's fiancee who first co-operated well started to suggest some suspicious behavior. He became a person of interest for the investigative team because of his inconsistent statements. Some reports suggest that the investigators already noticed that something is "off" with Carter.
There were instances when he referred to her in the past tense while she was just missing raising suspicion. He was then asked to undergo a polygraph test 3 times yet he avoided answering questions directly.
John and Katelyn's relationship was troubled
As the investigation progressed it revealed that Katelyn used to feel trapped with John. A disturbing message by Carter read:
“Deep down, I love her. You want to kill her. But I love her. She must die.”
John is arrested but the case has many unresolved elements
Years later, despite direct evidence, John Carter was arrested. He was charged with two counts of murder. He accepted a plea deal for involuntary manslaughter resulting in just a 3 year prison sentence.
This short prison sentence has left many from Katelyn's family dissatisfied with the justice served. Prosecutors said Carter killed her by "physical violence and by force."
In 2024, the case has many unresolved elements like there is no answer to Carter's precise role in the death and the circumstances that lead to such a situation.
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This Dateline episode will be reported by Andrea Canning, a former WCPO-TV reporter and anchor. The episode will also feature interviews with Dave, Markham's father, her sister Ally, investigator Paul Newton, and TV reporter Karin Johnson. Season 33 of "Dateline" premieres Friday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Most "Dateline" episodes can be streamed the next day on Peacock.
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