Katelyn’s dog had also been locked in a bedroom, but she was nowhere to be found.
Leaving everything behind was not only uncharacteristic of Katelyn, but it was also highly suspicious.
“She was supposed to report to work,” explained retired Butler County Detective Frank Smith in an interview with FOX19.
“She was a student. Katelyn had never done anything like this in her life, and, from the get-go, the moment she was reported missing, foul play was suspected.”
In turn, an extensive investigation was launched by authorities over the following days. Meanwhile, hundreds of members of the Fairfield community showed up for Katelyn and aided police search efforts.
Unfortunately, though, the community and Katelyn’s family were left with no answers for nearly two years.
Then, in April of 2013, her remains were discovered in a dumpsite about thirty-three miles away in Cedar Grove, Indiana.
And when Dave Markham, Katelyn’s father, heard a knock on his front door that spring afternoon, his heart dropped.
“I knew what they were there to tell me,” Dave said.
Unlike standard remain recovery procedures, though, Dave opted to accompany the Texas EquuSearch team and the Franklin County Coroner’s office while they collected Katelyn’s remains.
“It was gut-wrenching to sit there and just watch a man take scoops of dirt and try to find pieces of what was left of his daughter. We don’t normally do that, but he insisted on it, and how can you tell a father no?” Ohio Chapter Director Dave Rader recalled.