PETA doubling reward to $20K in Piedmont Park murder investigation
Police release photos of possible witnesses to Piedmont Park murder
Atlanta police released a series of photos showing people around Piedmont Park close to the time 40-year-old Katherine Janness and her partner's 3-year-old dog Bowie were brutally stabbed to death. Investigators stress those seen in the photos are not suspects, but may have seen something that could crack this murder case.
ATLANTA - Animal rights group PETA is doubling the reward to help solve the murder of a woman and a dog stabbed to death in Piedmont Park.
The murder, which police described as "gruesome," has shocked the Atlanta community. Katherine Janness went out to walk her partner's dog Bowie and was found stabbed multiple times by an assailant.
Nearly a week after her death, police have not made an arrest or publically named a suspect. The FBI is also involved in the investigation, but APD is not releasing additional information on their involvement.
Atlanta police were offering $10,000 for any information that led to the arrest and conviction of any suspects in the murder. Tuesday, PETA said that it would be offering its own $10,000 reward in addition.
Katherine Janness and her partner Emma (Courtesy of the family)
"Anyone who would kill a woman and the dog who likely tried to defend her, as loyal dogs invariably do, is a threat to the entire community of living, feeling beings," PETA Vice President Colleen O’Brien told FOX 5. "PETA knows well the sociological studies of killers who target the most vulnerable among us and urges anyone with information to come forward to help police identify this callous killer."
The group says a member of PETA put up the funds and it is hopeful that someone in the public can help solve the crime before the person involved in the killing strikes again.
If you have any information that could help with the investigation, please call the Atlanta Police Homicide Unit at 404-546-4235 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
Katherine Janness (Courtesy of the Atlanta Police Department)
SEE ALSO: 'We are investigating a callous murder': APD addresses rumors over Piedmont Park murder
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