The Murder of Kathryn "Katie" Sepich Aug. 31, 2003

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Kathryn "Katie" Sepich

New Information On Brutal Death Of Katie Sepich
September 3, 2003--

She had a great big smile and great big eyes. She was the kind of girl that when she walked into the room, she just lit the room up. She was the center of attention, she was the life of the party. Thats how Dave Sepich, father of New Mexico State Student Katie Sepich, remembers his daughter.

The Sepich family remains in shock over the news of Katies death. As weve reported, Katies body was found Sunday morning just east of Las Cruces. Though the Sheriffs Department is not yet releasing much information into the cause of death, they are saying that she appears to have been sexually assaulted. They also say she was not killed with a gun.

Tuesday, Katies father Dave Sepich spoke by telephone with KFOX News at Nine. He says his daughter was hardworking. She had worked in her familys business since she was thirteen, and was working to pay her own way through New Mexico State. Eventually, she planned to pursue a career in marketing or in media communications. Its just amazing now that were learning the breath of how many peoples lives she touched, much more than we ever imagined, said her father.

It was in the area of east Las Cruces where Katie and some of her friends went to a party last Saturday night. Sheriffs deputies say that some point around three oclock in the morning, Katie left the party without her friends, and without her boyfriend, though no one seems to know why. There were about 50 to 60 people at the party, and deputies say it was in the three blocks between the party and her house, that Katie disappeared.

As the Sepich family continues to wait for justice, Dave Sepich wants the public to know that they are the ones who may hold the key to who is responsible. Any information at all, even though they may not think its important, wed appreciate people to come forward.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/2452134/detail.html

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Investigators Confirm How An NMSU Student Was Murdered
Autopsy Confirms NMSU Student Was Strangled

September 3, 2003

For most of the day, Sheriff's investigators combed for clues in the same neighborhood where 22-year old Katie Sepich was last believed to be walking home from a party near her home early Sunday morning.

Autopsy results now reveal that Katie, an NMSU graduate student, was strangled.

Her body was found Sunday morning in the desert just east of Las Cruces. Investigators say she had been raped and then her body was dumped here sometime during the night.

As we first told you, Katie's family remains in shock over the news of her death. Her father-- David Sepich--- spoke to us from Carlsbad about his daugther and why he believes she felt safe enough to walk home that night.

He says she felt comfortable walking home 2 or 3 blocks to her house in a good neighborhood, and that is when she disappeared.

In the quiet Las Cruces neighborhood where Katie lived many are also grieving her loss.

"My heart just broke. I was driving in tears just thinking of the father coming up here-- having to identify the body," Valerie Ruiz says the tragedy has now sparked concern for her and many other neighbors.

Meantime, Sheriff's investigators say they are still looking for suspects and they ask the public for help with any leads.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/2454625/detail.html

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Friends, Co-workers Remember Slain NMSU Student
Friends Prepare For Katie Sepich Funeral

Sept. 4, 2003

A makeshift memorial now stands with a picture of the girl with the blue eyes that many describe as beautiful and full of life.

"Everybody just comes up here and is real sad, looks at her picture and you can see the tears build up in their eyes and the emotion," says Jennifer Dolin, a coworker of Katie's.

At El Sombrero restaurant, where Katie Sepich worked, friends hold on to her memory. They say her smile and energy will never be forgotten.

At NMSU where Katie was working on her masters degree, faculty members say her death has also affected many on campus.

These kind of events set us back dramatically in that regard. Students become rather cautious. They don't want to go out anymore. They're concerned about the safety of their friends," says Garrey Carruthers, Dean for the College of Business. He says the student body is now planning a memorial service for her, and the University has begun a scholarship fund in her name that is quickly growing.

As for her murder, investigators are aggressively looking for leads. They have been canvassing the neighborhood, talking to both people at the party where Katie was last seen alive and the area where she lived. So far a suspect has not been identified.

Katie's Funeral will be held Saturday, September 6, at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The service begins at 10:00 a.m.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/2457660/detail.html

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Sepich's Boyfriend Refuses To Give DNA Sample
"They made a really good couple. They were always together. She was

always talking about him," says Gomez.

Bischoff recently graduated from New Mexico State with a degree in

chemistry and bio-chemistry. He took a job about one month ago in Gallup,

New Mexico. The night Katie disappeared, Bischoff had accompanied her to a

party, but Sepich left that party alone, and no one seems to know why.

"He's lost such a significant part of his life in such a tragic manner.

Somebody left to die in the desert," says defense attorney Carmen Garza.

Garza is now acting as legal counsel for Bischoff. She says her client

was one of the first people to report Katie missing.

"He has been questioned by the police. He voluntarily was questioned

for several hours on Sunday. He gave them consent to search his residence,

where he'd been living," says Garza.

"It is notable that one of the material witnesses at the party is

refusing to provide a DNA sample," says Jess Williams, a spokesman for Dona

Ana County.

Garza says she advised her client to not give the sample for several

reasons. First of all, she admits that because Bischoff had spent the day

with Katie, there might be DNA on her body that has nothing at all to do

with her murder. Also, Garza says after she informed investigators that she

would be representing Bischoff, they have continued to go around her trying

to interview her client.

"When a person invokes their right to counsel, it's understood that an

investigator isn't going to go back to re-question them. To put pressure on

them. Especially in a period of time when my client is dealing with the

loss of his girlfriend," says Garza.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/2460457/detail.html

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Hundreds Attend Sepich Memorial
Hundreds of friends and family of Kathryn Sepich gathered at the Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Carlsbad Saturday. They came to pay final respects to a young woman they say was both remarkable and full of life.

Sepich, as we've reported was only twenty-two years old when her body was found in east Las Cruces last Sunday.

Katie's parents, Dave and Jayann Sepich spoke with KFOX News on Saturday. They say through out her life, Katie brought much joy to their lives. Only now they are beginning understand the depth of how many lives Katie touched.

The family says they believe some good will come out of this tragedy. Good that will help to bring people together. Something they say Katie spent much of her young life doing.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/2461304/detail.html

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Reward In Katie Sepich Murder Case Increases
September 9, 2003

LAS CRUCES, NM --

We have new information tonight on the Katie Sepich investigation.

Dona Ana County officials say the reward for anyone with information on her killer now stands at 52 thousand dollars.

Her family has put up an additional $50,000 in reward funds.

Investigators in the case are continuing their interviews of people who may have seen Sepich the night of her death.

Anyone who has not been interviewed but who saw Sepich the evening of August 30 is urged to contact the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/2467945/detail.html

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Tribute To Slain NMSU Student

September 17, 2003

Hundreds of people turned out to a candlelight vigil on the New Mexico State University campus to honor 22-year old Katie Sepich.

Sepich was strangled to death last month. Her body was dumped in a field in Las Cruces.

Katie's parents were joined at the memorial by Katie's friends, classmates, and even strangers.

Dave Sepich, Katie's Father, "The memories of Katie are strong here on campus. We miss her very much but events like this help us."

Jayanne Sepich, Katie's Mother, "This is amazing that her friends and the university would do this for her. Our family thanks them."

The tribute to Katie was tempered by the fact that a month after her death Katie's killer has not been caught.

A Dona Ana County spokesperson tells KFOX that investigators are still interviewing witnesses and examining evidence.

While a suspect has not been arrested, they hope to have one in custody soon.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/2492806/detail.html

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Katie Sepich Murder Not Solved One Year Later

Aug. 29, 2004

This Tuesday will mark the one year anniversary of the death of NMSU student Katie Sepich.

There have been no arrests and very few leads in the case.

The body of 22-year old Katie Sepich was found at an old dump near Las Cruces last August 31st.

Sepich was last seen leaving a party in the early morning hours her body found later that day.

Investigators say they are looking for a person of interest.

A man wanted for the abduction, torture and rape of a Green Bay, Wisconsin woman.

District Attorney, Susana Martinez says the lack of progress is frustrating but they continue to follow every lead.

"But we are also going to be following all other leads that come their way so they are not going to zero in on one individual definitely not, they will investigate every lead that comes their way," said District Attorney Susana Martinez.

Martinez says already tens of thousands of dollars have been spent on DNA tests.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/3690060/detail.html

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Sepich Murder To Be Featured On America's Most Wanted

Nov. 6, 2004

The killing of Katie Sepich in August of 2003 stunned the Las Cruces community, and more than a year later with no real resolution in the case, the show America's Most Wanted will feature the case to help solve the horrific murder.

Katie disappeared about 8 blocks from her house when she was walking home from a party. The next day she was found raped, strangled, her body half-naked and partially burned, dumped in the Las Cruces desert.

For most of Saturday, the show filmed around Las Cruces, including at the NMSU campus where friends and family held a candlelight vigil. The vigil will be featured next Saturday on the show on KFOX at 8 p.m.

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New Evidence In Katie Sepich Case

Nov. 19, 2004

New DNA evidence may help shed some light on who killed NMSU student Katie Sepich in the Summer of 2003.

The District Attorney's office used DNA profiling and determined that the suspect is most likely a Hispanic man.

There is a more remote possibility the suspect may be Native American.

As we reported, Katie was found raped and strangled at the old Las Cruces dump in august 2003.

County authorities say the profiling will help narrow the search for the killer.

"We think the most important message it sends is that the case remains open and we are still working it. It's a very active case, nobody is giving up on it and this is another tool we are going to use in our investigation,"said Jess Williams, Spokesperson for Dona Ana County.

As we reported, Katie's story aired on FOX's America's Most Wanted last Saturday.

It has since received more than one hundred calls on the case.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/3935655/detail.html

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Katie Sepich Murder Suspect Update

December 7, 2004

We have an update on the man who may have a link to the Katie Sepich murder.

As we reported, Juan Nieto was arrested Monday in Atlanta, Georgia and is wanted for the rape and attempted murder of a woman in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Police say he and an accomplice assaulted the woman, lit her on fire and left her for dead.

The similarities to the murder of NMSU's Katie Sepich are striking and that's why Nieto was wanted for questioning, because his whereabouts at the time of Katie's murder are unknown.

Monday it was released that Nieto is still in Atlanta, no word yet on his extradition to Green Bay.

But he is expected to be in court later this week.

As for his alleged accomplice, Gregorio Morales, he's already in Green Bay and goes to court January 12th.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/3980066/detail.html

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DNA To Help Identify Sepich Killer

Feb. 25, 2005

Detectives could be closer to finding the killer of NMSU student Katie Sepich.

DNA of Juan Robert Nieto will be tested to see if it matches that found on Sepich's body.

Nieto is already charged with the kidnapping, rape, and attempted murder of a Wisconsin woman.

Detectives expect the results back in three to four weeks.

As we've reported, 22 year old Sepich was raped and strangled in August of 2003.

Her body was burned and left at an old Las Cruces dump.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/4223577/detail.html

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Sepich Featured In Magazine
Mar. 4, 2005

Did a 22 year old NMSU student who was raped and killed a year and a half ago, cause her own death?

That's what a national magazine is implying about Katie Sepich.

But surprisingly Katie's mother doesn't disagree entirely with the article about her daughter.

Inside this month's Cosmopolitan magazine, is the story of 22 year old Katie Sepich or at least part of it.

As we've reported, Katie was a graduate student at NMSU when she was abducted, raped and killed. It happened in the early morning hours of August 31st 2003. She was at a party with her boyfriend when they argued and an angry Katie decided to walk home.

The article in Cosmo magazine says by storming out of the party, Katie made a fatal decision.

"I think that night Katie made a bad decision. She decided to walk by herself in the middle of the night. She shouldn't have put herself in that dangerous position," said Jayann Sepich, Katie's mother.

Katie's mother says she had mixed reactions when she read the article. She agrees her daughter did not stop and think the night she was murdered. But she says in the article Katie was portrayed as one dimensional, only tellIng of her death, not her life.

"I just think it portrayed her as kind of reckless and i don't know .. I just would have liked to see the Katie that I knew and her friends knew and I talked to several of her friends that read the article and they felt the same," said Sepich.

But because the story goes on to give advice to young girls about risky behavior and controlling their anger, Jayann Sepich says she doesn't mind that Katie is being used.

"If that article causes young women to stop and think before they put themselves in a potentially dangerous situation I think it could save lives," said Sepich.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/4256474/detail.html

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Update On Katie Sepich Case

May 5, 2005

Dona Ana County authorities investigating the murder of Katie Sepich have hit a snag.

They've received the DNA results from a person of interest and it's not a match.

Juan Nieto was arrested for the rape and murder of a Wisconsin woman and the crime bared similarities to the Katie Sepich case.

The 22 year old NMSU student was raped, strangled and set on fire in August of 2003 after she left a party in Las Cruces.

"Anytime you have a lead you are interested to see how it plays out. When you can eliminate someone as a suspect that is a good thing. You don't to prosecute or convict the wrong person. Still we still feel strongly that this case needs to be solved and we are pursuing all other leads that are available to us at this time." says Dona Ana Spokesman, Jess Williams.

Williams says investigators still receive leads because of the profile that aired here on the FOX show, "America's Most Wanted" last November.

There is a 52,000 dollar reward for information leading to the arrest of Katie's killer.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/4457468/detail.html

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Break In Katie Sepich Murder?

Aug. 16, 2005

A big announcement is expected Tuesday afternoon in the unsolved murder of NMSU student, Katie Sepich.

Sepich's parents will hold a press conference at 2:00 pm.

Details about what it involves have not been released.

As we reported, Katie Sepich was last seen alive at a party in August of 2003.

Her body was found the next morning near a Las Cruces city dump.

An autopsy later showed she'd been strangled.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/4856811/detail.html

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New Reward Offer In Sepich Murder

Aug. 16, 2005

With new leads in hand the parents of Katie Sepich hope more money will bring more answers about their daughter's murder.

Katie's parents are now offering $100,000 dollars to anyone who can help lead authorities to the person responsible for her murder.

"$100,000 is enough to begin a new life, please, please, please call, so those of us who love Katie and this community can see justice done and begin to heal." says Katie's mom, Jan Sepich.

The $100,000 dollar reward expires on midnight of November 15th.

Sheriff officials say they are pursuing new leads in this case, and they're hoping new information can lead them in the right direction.

If you have any information, you're asked to call the Dona Ana Sheriff's Department at 1-800-332-2121 or call crime stoppers at [phone].

Authorities assure you can remain anonymous.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/4861058/detail.html

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Katie Sepich Murder Reward Expires

November 15, 2005

What was hoped to be a monetary spark to get the Katie Sepich case going has failed.

A $100,000 reward for information leading to the killer of the New Mexico State University student expires at midnight Tuesday.

The reward will now drop back to $10,000.

The Sepich family upped the reward back in August in hopes of generating new information about the case.

Katie Sepich was killed in August 2003 and no arrests have ever been made.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/5334331/detail.html

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Investigators Renew Effort To Catch Katie's Killer

Sept. 17, 2006

The Dona Ana Sheriff's Department announced they will begin distributing hundreds of flyers with Katie's picture and a number you can call if you have any information.

As KFOX reported the body of the 22-year-old college student was found dumped in Las Cruces more than three years ago.

No suspect has ever been named.

The reward for any information leading to who killed Katie Sepich stands now at $50,000.

If you have any information you are asked to call Las Cruces Crimestoppers at

[phone].

www.kfoxtv.com/news/9870687/detail.html

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Police Get Break In Katie Sepich Murder
The Dona Ana County sheriff and district attorney announced on Friday that a convicted felon, from his prison cell, confessed to the murder of Katie Sepich.

Police said Gabriel Adrian Avila, 27, confessed after his DNA matched DNA found on Sepich's body. Avila is being charged with capital murder and rape.

"It means everything to the family to finally have a name of the person that will be found hopefully responsible for the death of Katie," said District Attorney Susana Martinez.

Avila is a Mexican national who has been an inmate in the New Mexico Corrections System since November 2004. He was sentenced to nine years for aggravated burglary and intent to commit aggravated assault. He was arrested for that crime in November 2003, just three months after Sepich was murdered.

And more than three years after her death, Martinez said a sample of Avila's DNA practically solved the case.

"DNA was taken from him two months ago because all prisoners have to submit to DNA. It was tested and came back as a match," said Martinez.

Since 1997, New Mexico has required that felons provide DNA samples in the hopes those samples will help solve more crimes. Because of her parents' efforts, Sepich's unsolved murder led this year's New Mexico Legislature to expand the number of people who must provide DNA samples to include anyone who's arrested on a violent felony charge.

Katie's Law, as it's called, takes effect Jan. 1. The samples will be placed into a database for comparison to DNA samples associated with unsolved crimes.

"Without that sample, that was one of the things that led us to the suspect in the first place," said Dona Ana Sheriff Todd Garrison.

After the match, investigators questioned Avila, who not only confessed to the crime but provided them with details about the murder only he could have known. He told investigators he raped and killed Sepich outside her bedroom window in the early-morning hours of Aug. 31, 2003.

Investigators said she went to a party the night before and left the party after midnight. She wasn't seen again.

Investigators also have located and seized the truck believed to have been used to transport Sepich's body to the desert east of Las Cruces. The truck had been sold, and the new owner consented to its seizure.

Investigators also were able to obtain a ring worn by Sepich on the night of the murder. The right had been left in the truck.

The ring and the truck are being processed for evidence.

"I've always known that this case could be solved and just knew it," said Garrison.

Martinez said if Katie's Law had been in effect in 2003, Avila would have been brought to justice much sooner.



Dave Sepich, Katie's father, said his biggest fear was that someone else would have to die at the hands of Katie's murderer. But now he can put that fear at ease.

"It was like, were we dreaming that this was actually happening. We had become pretty resolved with the fact that we may never know," said Sepich.

For three years they've known the details of their daughter's murder, how she died, how she was only a few steps away from getting home before she was raped and many more. One question surrounding the case was if she knew her killer.

"He saw Katie walking home and followed her, then murdered her. It was totally random she didn't know him and he didn't know her," said Sepich.

Now, they have a name to the person who has changed their lives forever.

"We're especially grateful because Christmas has been a sad time for us since Katie died," said Sepich.

This Christmas will be different. Katie would have been 26-years-old on Tuesday. Her parents are grateful that investigators never gave up.

"She was never forgotten. No one ever gave up," said Jayann, Katie's mother.

Jayann said there's no such thing as closure, but she's ready to move on.

"We've been healing we've been going forward with our lives. We have two other incredible children we love so much. But this will allow us to heal in a way we couldn't have otherwise," said Jayann.

www.kfoxtv.com/news/10592247/detail.html

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12/22/2006
SUSPECT CONFESSES TO SEPICH MURDER FROM HIS PRISON CELL

Doña Ana County Sheriff Todd J. Garrison and Third Judicial District Attorney Susana Martinez announced at a press conference today that convicted felon Gabriel Adrian Avila, 27, has confessed to the 2003 rape and murder of Katie Sepich.

Avila, a Mexican national, has been an inmate in the New Mexico Corrections System since November of 2004, when he was sentenced to nine years for aggravated burglary and intent to commit aggravated assault. The offenses occurred in November, 2003, about nine weeks after the Sepich murder.

At the time Avila was processed into the corrections system, his DNA was sampled and set aside for testing. The sample was not tested until a few weeks ago, and it immediately provided a partial match to DNA found on Sepich’s body.

Investigators obtained a search warrant to get a new sample from Avila, and on Dec. 11, the samples matched. Investigators subsequently questioned Avila, who provided details of the murder scene that only he could have known. He soon will be formally charged with capital murder and rape, Martinez said. She said Avila and Sepich had never met until the night of the murder, when he saw her walking home.

Investigators also have located and seized the truck used to transport Sepich’s body from the murder scene to a former dumpsite east of Las Cruces. Avila told investigators he raped and killed Sepich outside her bedroom window in the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 31, 2003. The truck had been sold, and the new owner consented to its seizure. Investigators also were able to obtain a ring worn by Sepich on the night of the murder. The ring had been left in the truck. Both the truck and the ring are being processed for evidence.

Sepich, 22 at the time, of Carlsbad, was a graduate student of business administration at New Mexico State University. She had attended a party Saturday night, Aug. 30, in the neighborhood of Veterans’ Park. She left the party sometime after midnight.

At about 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, target shooters reported the discovery of a partially clothed body in the desert near the old city dump east of Las Cruces. Doña Ana County Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene shortly after noon and began investigating the death as a homicide. In the meantime, Sepich’s roommates reported to police that she had not returned home.

More than 100 people were interviewed during the course of the investigation, which attracted national media attention.

In announcing Avila’s confession, Garrison said several area law-enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation. He singled out the Las Cruces Police Department, the New Mexico State Police and the New Mexico State University Police Department.

After Garrison and Martinez spoke, Sepich’s mother and father – Jayann and Dave Sepich – thanked law enforcement, the Las Cruces community and the media for keeping hope alive that their daughter’s killer could be brought to justice.

“Next Tuesday would have been Katie’s birthday,” Jayann Sepich said. “She would have been 26. This is a very fitting birthday present for our daughter, Katie.”

Jayann Sepich also vowed that she and her husband will continue to work to have Katie’s Law passed in all 50 states as a tribute to their daughter. The law – which takes effect in New Mexico on Jan. 1, 2007 – will require DNA samples to be collected at the time of arrest on any violent felony charges. The samples will be placed into a database for comparison to DNA samples associated with unsolved crimes.

Martinez said that if Katie’s Law had been in effect in 2003, Avila would have been brought to justice much sooner.

www.co.dona-ana.nm.us/news/story.php?news_ID=1281