No real news on this frustrating case. After 6+ years of varied reporting on the crime (press/newspapers, TV, law enforcement, bloggers, podcasts, etc.) much of the information is becoming a blur; difficult to keep track of facts versus speculation, misinformation, and simple inaccuracies; discussion of the case becomes very repetitive, or moving in circles without progress. Things that seemed established suddenly come under question. Aggravating.
One of the most staunch original, independent investigators of the crime, Tom Gasparoli, seems to have abandoned the case entirely [Addendum: Tom writes in, below comment, to say he has NOT abandoned the case and can still be contacted]. Meanwhile, with added publicity many new sleuthers have come to the case even at this late date. So it’s not too surprising that over at the Websleuths’ site/thread debate has even opened again over whether Faith was raped or not, even over whether semen was collected at the scene.
I won’t take time to try and find all the sources of info, but will state again what I believe is true for the case in this regard.
First, the terms “rape,” “attempted rape,” and “sexual assault” have, from the beginning, been loosely thrown around. “Rape” would imply actual penetration, while the latter two terms may only include an attempt at such without completion of the act. My reading of the case has long been that semen was found ON Faith or on her clothing and perhaps on the bedding as well. Semen was NOT found IN Faith (and certainly officers responding to the scene would NOT have collected that at the scene — a coroner or other professional using a rape collection kit would have collected such if anyone did, and it’s never been reported). This clearly points to a MALE perp, and attempted rape, at the crime scene, as the police have always so indicated (talk of some prior consensual sexual encounter for Faith that night to possibly explain away the semen DNA just makes no real sense, IMO — people often seem to want to explain the semen away simply to make it a red herring and cast more aspersions at Karena — I don’t agree with that).
Two things have long struck me about this crime:
1) A young, healthy, fit woman is brutally assaulted in an apt. building yet barely a sound is heard by any neighbor (3 “thumps” hardly constitute much disruptive noise).
2) The victim is murdered by a forceful blow to the head with a rum bottle that just happens to be nearby.
#1 leads me to believe there may well have been two perps, one manhandling/controlling Faith (keeping her silent) while the other attempted rape. Though possibly a large individual could simultaneously keep Faith controlled while attempting to sexually assault (worth noting that no significant drugs, and only minor alcohol, was found in Faith at autopsy, so it’s not likely she was drugged or sedated).
I’ve previously speculated that IF there were two perps involved they were likely VERY close colleagues (perhaps even blood relatives), since it’s unusual for two perps to completely hold their silence on a crime after this many years, unless they are deeply close and involved protecting each other (though possible one or both have died in the interim time!).
A further speculation could be that IF there is a second individual, that individual was part of Karena/Faith’s circle, since they undoubtedly left touch DNA in the apt. Yet police have never mentioned any 2nd example of male DNA in the apt. of unknown origin, and no doubt if fully examined, the apt. would have included male DNA from many visitors. Perhaps 2 males, one known to Faith, showed up at the apt. that morning, and Faith recognizing one, willingly let them in, and fraternized in a friendly manner, before things got totally out-of-hand. (Sheer speculation of one possible scenario.)
#2 above (sudden blow to head from nearby object) implies I think a very rash, unplanned brutal act out of sheer, uncontrolled impulse/rage. Something done to stop immediately whatever Faith was doing. Were they forcing her to perform oral sex, and she bit the perp’s organ? While struggling, did she kick the perp in the groin, gouge at his eyes, bite his arm, spit in or scratch his face?… I can only imagine such a fierce defense causing such a swift, sudden, murderous response (I've never believed the perp(s) went there planning on murder.)
Again, all of this is nothing more than speculation on my part, that I find more likely than some of the convoluted scenarios put forth elsewhere, which require a LOT of individuals to know a LOT more than they’ve ever disclosed in 6+ years.
With all that said, there’s not much I completely rule in or out at this point in this exasperating case. All any of us can do is look over the same sets of information and reach our own logical/common-sense conclusions.
And I still believe/hope (as I've said before) that genetic genealogy analysis may yet offer a solution to this case by the end of February, but that too is mere speculation on my part.
