Kevin Pickett

She was stabbed three, four times in the neck on the left side. She had a T-shirt wrapped around her neck. It appeared to be trying to choke her. It was kind of over her face. She was beaten. There was a curling iron with a cord wrapped around her neck. So this was a horrific, horrific crime. This was not just a beating. This was pure torture. That's what it was.

She was stabbed three, four times in the neck on the left side. She had a T-shirt wrapped around her neck. It appeared to be trying to choke her. It was kind of over her face. She was beaten. There was a curling iron with a cord wrapped around her neck. So this was a horrific, horrific crime. This was not just a beating. This was pure torture. That's what it was.

Katie's condition was very critical. She was essentially in a medically induced coma the entire time that she was at the hospital. It wasn't as if police were ever able to talk to her or get information from her after the fire.

Katie's condition was very critical. She was essentially in a medically induced coma the entire time that she was at the hospital. It wasn't as if police were ever able to talk to her or get information from her after the fire.

Katie's body was burnt up all the way from her inner thighs all the way up to just above her breasts. And you don't have to be a great detective to figure out, okay, somebody's trying to cover something up here in areas of concentration would lead you to believe it's some type of sexual assault.

Katie's body was burnt up all the way from her inner thighs all the way up to just above her breasts. And you don't have to be a great detective to figure out, okay, somebody's trying to cover something up here in areas of concentration would lead you to believe it's some type of sexual assault.

Those agencies all met and decided that Western's police department would take the lead in the case. Definitely, fire, arson investigations, and murder were not the kinds of cases that Western police handled with any kind of regularity or at all. The investigators' first steps were trying to figure out where Katie had been and who she might have been with.

Those agencies all met and decided that Western's police department would take the lead in the case. Definitely, fire, arson investigations, and murder were not the kinds of cases that Western police handled with any kind of regularity or at all. The investigators' first steps were trying to figure out where Katie had been and who she might have been with.

They interviewed Danica Jackson, who was Katie Autry's roommate. Details is huge in an investigation of this size. So Danica Jackson was filling in these details for us.

They interviewed Danica Jackson, who was Katie Autry's roommate. Details is huge in an investigation of this size. So Danica Jackson was filling in these details for us.

According to both police records and an interview that I'd done with Danica, that night, the two of them had gone to the Pike party together, a fraternity house not too far from campus. And Danica told police that at one point, Katie got into a fight with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Maurice, and she slapped him.

According to both police records and an interview that I'd done with Danica, that night, the two of them had gone to the Pike party together, a fraternity house not too far from campus. And Danica told police that at one point, Katie got into a fight with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Maurice, and she slapped him.

She was drunk, and after both of those things, just kind of had decided it was best for her to go home. Often at the fraternity parties, they would have either pledges or freshmen that were designated to be sober. And so they were kind of there to give people a ride home. Danica helped connect Katie with somebody to get a ride home from the party. It was about 1.30, two o'clock in the morning.

She was drunk, and after both of those things, just kind of had decided it was best for her to go home. Often at the fraternity parties, they would have either pledges or freshmen that were designated to be sober. And so they were kind of there to give people a ride home. Danica helped connect Katie with somebody to get a ride home from the party. It was about 1.30, two o'clock in the morning.

Danica was pretty protective of Katie. In addition to making sure she got home with a sober driver, she called Katie later that night to make sure she was OK after the fight with Maurice.

Danica was pretty protective of Katie. In addition to making sure she got home with a sober driver, she called Katie later that night to make sure she was OK after the fight with Maurice.

So she calls her approximately 2.30 AM in the morning. Katie answers. Danica says, what are you doing? She said, I'm back, but somebody's here with me. And Danica says, who is with you in the room? And she said, I don't know who it is, but I just want to go to sleep. Danica Jackson says, put him on the phone. I want to talk to him.

So she calls her approximately 2.30 AM in the morning. Katie answers. Danica says, what are you doing? She said, I'm back, but somebody's here with me. And Danica says, who is with you in the room? And she said, I don't know who it is, but I just want to go to sleep. Danica Jackson says, put him on the phone. I want to talk to him.

Danica told police that Katie handed the phone to the man, and he told Danica that he was the person who took Katie home from the fraternity party. And so at that point, Danica said, OK, just make sure you put her on her stomach so she doesn't throw up. She's been drinking a lot. Or if she does throw up, then she's not going to choke.

Danica told police that Katie handed the phone to the man, and he told Danica that he was the person who took Katie home from the fraternity party. And so at that point, Danica said, OK, just make sure you put her on her stomach so she doesn't throw up. She's been drinking a lot. Or if she does throw up, then she's not going to choke.