Man gets just three years for killing his 'butterfly' fiancée

John Carter wrote a poem that described what he was capable of

- GAIL SHORTLAND

Katelyn Markham was on the brink of so many new beginnings and her loved ones were excited to see just what the creative young woman was going to achieve. They would later celebrate her life with butterflies because, at the time Katelyn went missing, she was transforming into something beautiful. They felt it was the perfect way to describe her.

It was August 2011 and Katelyn was days away from turning 22. The talented student was a few weeks away from finishing her graphics arts degree at the Art Institute Of Cincinnati. She lived in Fairfield, Ohio, but had plans to move to Colorado with her fiancé John Carter.

Katelyn’s life was about to change in so many ways and everyone knew she’d make the most of it. Katelyn made friends easily. She would talk to anyone she met and loved to make people laugh. Then she went missing.

On 14 August, Carter called 911 to report his fiancée missing. He said he’d seen her the night before, but had gone back to his mum’s home where he was staying. Then Katelyn hadn’t turned up for work at a bridal wear shop and she hadn’t been replying to Carter’s text messages.

Some of her belongings, like her keys, handbag and purse, were found in her home, but her mobile phone was missing. When the police checked records, it was “dark”, meaning it had been switched off, the battery had died or the SIM card had been removed. Her car was parked outside and her dog hadn’t been locked up, which was unusual.

A huge search was launched. Friends, relatives, locals and the authorities conducted dozens of searches. Hundreds of volunteers carefully explored parks, waterways and remote areas on foot and trained dogs and mounted rescuers were brought in. Carter spoke to the media and pleaded for her safe return, saying he had a “gut feeling” that she wasn’t dead. “I have to believe she’s alive,” he told reporters. “I have to believe I’m going to have her in my arms soon.”