Katelyn Markham, 22. Ohio - missing/murdered

[Lady Cop]

Dayton Daily News

FAIRFIELD — “What happened to Katelyn?”

The question has been consuming police, friends and family since Katelyn Markham was last seen late Saturday night. Authorities say there’s no evidence a crime occurred in her Doshire Drive townhouse, and friends and family say she was happy and looking forward to the life she had planned. Her fiance of one year, John Carter, said she’s too pragmatic and responsible to leave willingly.

Markham’s car, keys and purse were still at the apartment, and nothing was out of place.

On Wednesday — three days after she was reported missing — police secured her townhouse at 5214 Dorshire Drive.

Fairfield police Lt. Kevin Haddix said police aren’t securing the area as a crime scene, but are at a point where they need to look at the apartment to see if anything is missing, from a winter coat, to shoes, to the clothes she was last seen wearing.

Police are investigating any and all possibilities, ranging from she picked up her life somewhere else to a situation where foul play is involved, he said.

“It’s logical to infer foul play is involved, but we still don’t know what happened,” Haddix told Local12.

“Everyone has theories as to how a person would disappear under these circumstances,” he said.

Markham’s future mother-in-law, Karyn Winkler, said the family has its own theories as to what happened the night she went missing.

“Her family and our family are kind of feeling like someone has taken her, someone possibly that she knew,” she said.

Winkler said the family believes Markham answered a knock on the door while she was sleeping — her bed looked like it had been slept in that night, and the only thing missing is her cellphone.

“Katelyn is a very sweet, trusting girl, and she is just someone very easy to get along with. Maybe she had a bad judgment,” Winkler said.

Haddix said the family’s theory is “certainly a reasonable thought. That’s something we’re considering.”

But if someone did take Markham from her townhouse, police have said there’s no evidence of it.

“There’s no news on her whereabouts and no information that takes the case in any different direction,” Haddix said.

Search efforts Monday and Tuesday in Fairfield involving more than 100 volunteers, police and fire crews, have led nowhere.

“Nothing turned up, not even an article of clothing that could be associated with her,” said Fairfield fire Chief Don Bennett.

Bennett said over the last two days, “we have covered more territory than I ever thought was humanely possible. ... I think everything that could be covered in a reasonable proximity of her residence has been checked.”

A helicopter was brought in Tuesday from Hamilton County sheriff’s office to check the river, he said, which also produced nothing.

“We know what things we have to get done, and that’s what we’re going to do. I wouldn’t call us confused. We’re looking for the same answers everyone else is. We have a long way to go in the investigation,” Haddix said.

Markham is set to graduate next month from the Art Institute of Cincinnati. She works two part-time jobs — at the Art Institute’s supply store and David’s Bridal at Tri-County Mall. Both declined comment. The couple are planning a move to Colorado in November and plan to marry in two years, after Carter turns 25.

While the family prays for Markham’s safe return, Carter said he is “absolutely” sure something “suspicious” happened to his fiancee.

“She’s literally the sweetest girl,” he said. “She’s so nice and caring. She would never just leave. She’s just too pragmatic. I’m just absolutely terrified.”