#katelyn markham

Many cases featured on this page had major updates during 2023. While these cases still aren't resolved, these updates created movement in their investigations and more awareness to the case overall. Here's part one of the list of cases with major updates this year. Lots of you are already familiar with them so I provided a brief TL;DR description with each, but links to the full case write-up are there as well! Part two will be posted at a later date.

The Disappearance & Death of Cheyann Klus. TL;DR update: The remains of Cheyann Klus were identified in January 2023. Cheyann had been missing since December 2017; she vanished at the age of 22 from Chicago, Illinois. Her remains were reportedly found in 2020 but remained unidentified until January 2023.

The Disappearance & Murder of Katelyn Markham. TL;DR update: In March 2023, John Carter was charged with Katelyn's murder. Weeks earlier, Jonathan Palmerton was charged with perjury in relation to Katelyn's murder. Katelyn originally vanished in Fairfield, Ohio at the age of 21 during 2011. Her remains were found in 2013. Carter was Katelyn's fiancé and he had been a person of interest in the case since her disappearance. The cases against both men are currently pending.

The Murder of Courtney Phillips. TL;DR update: Isaac Estrada was finally charged with Courtney Phillips' murder after being captured by authorities in Eagle Pass, Texas. Courtney was found stabbed to death at a residence in San Antonio, Texas in April 2015. Estrada was a suspect early into the investigation, but police were unable to locate him. After 8 years on the run, Estrada was finally captured in March 2023. He is currently facing charges for evading arrest, first-degree aggravated robbery and first-degree murder. 

The Disappearance of Irene Gakwa. TL;DR update: During March 2023, Nathan Hightman was sentenced to six years in prison for using Irene Gakwa's credit cards, bank accounts, and Facebook/email accounts after she went missing in February 2022. Irene is still missing, and Hightman still denies knowledge of her whereabouts.

Katelyn Markham was just days shy of turning 22 years-old when she vanished in August 2011. At the time of her disappearance, Katelyn was a student at The Art Institute of Ohio, and she was passionate about her studies. She was also working two jobs and participating in an internship. By all accounts, she was a responsible person and reliable employee. Katelyn's disappearance left both her inner circle and investigators baffled. After Katelyn was reported missing, it was determined that she was last seen alive by her fiancé, John Carter. On the evening of August 13th, John went over to Katelyn's condo in Fairfield, Ohio after she had finished her day at work. A friend of Katelyn's also came over to hang out with the couple, but she ended up leaving after she sensed tension between Katelyn and John. The friend noticed that Katelyn seemed quiet, which John said was due to magic mushrooms that the two of them had taken.

According to John, he left Katelyn's condo between 11:00 PM and midnight to go hang out with some friends who were having a bonfire. The couple reportedly continued to text throughout the night. Katelyn sent her final text shortly before 1:00 AM. She was never seen or heard from again. John returned to his own home around 4:00 AM. He sent a "good morning" text to Katelyn shortly before going to sleep until the late afternoon. When he awoke to go to his job at Papa John's, he noticed Katelyn had not responded to the text. John said he continued to call or text her throughout the afternoon, but he never got a response. Worried, he left his job early to go check on Katelyn at her condo.

  John used his own key to enter the residence. When he got there, nothing seemed out of place - except Katelyn's dog, which was found locked in an upstairs bedroom. This was not the usual spot where Katelyn kept her dog. It also appeared that the dog had not been let out at all that day, which was unusual. Additionally, Katelyn's car was parked in its normal spot outside the home, but Katelyn herself was nowhere to be found. At this point, the worries for Katelyn continued to build. Soon, John learned that Katelyn's friends and family members had not heard from her either. He also learned that Katelyn had never shown up from her scheduled shift at David's Bridal. Shortly before 8:00 PM, John called police to report Katelyn as missing. The search began shortly thereafter. Over the next few weeks, volunteers passed out fliers, and search teams scoured the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, nothing was found. Over time, Katelyn's case went cold. Police followed tips and conducted interviews, but they seemingly got no closer to locating her. Then, on April 7th, 2013, human remains were found at Big Cedar Creek in Cedar Grove, Indiana - located approximately 30 miles from Katelyn's condo. A couple was searching for scrap metal in the area when they spotted what looked like a human jaw wrapped in a grocery bag. Police were called, and a search of the area resulted in the discovery of more remains. Dental records later confirmed that the remains belong to Katelyn Markham.