I’m in shock. I grabbed The Traveler this morning, and the headline was about the death of a friend of mine, Katie Wood.
The last time that I talked to her was Thursday March 6th, around 12:30pm. She IM’d me, asking me if I could call her phone, because she couldn’t find it. There was no answer – it went directly to voicemail.
She said that she suspected that Zach took it, and he’d been “acting crazy”. They had been dating for awhile, and recently broke up, but were still friends. While we were talking, Zach wrote her back saying that he didn’t take it and had no idea where it was.
She was going to fill me in more later about what was going on, but she had to go offline so she could work on some things. We never had a chance to talk again.
from the Traveler:
Fayetteville Police are investigating an apparent homicide that occurred Sunday morning, according to a press release from the Fayetteville Police Department. A suspect was arrested in southern Oklahoma at about 5 p.m., FPD officials said.
The victim, Katherine Wood, was found by police inside her apartment after FPD received a call about a disturbance at Colonial Arms Apartments on North Leverett Avenue.
Officers found a purse outside the apartment when they arrived. The information inside the purse led them to check an apartment where the owner of the purse was believed to reside, according to the press release.
The officers received no response and after they checked the interior of the apartment, they discovered Wood’s body. The circumstance of Wood’s death appeared suspicious, given the information supplied to the police by the caller and the purse found outside, according to the press release.
Fayetteville Police obtained a warrant for the arrest of 28-year-old Zachariah Marcyniuk and plan to charge him with first degree murder. Marcyniuk was arrested Sunday afternoon by Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Wood’s body will be sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner’s Office to assist with determining the cause and manner of death. A Katherine Wood, residing at Colonial Arms Apartments, is listed in the University Directory as a student in the English department.
Chris,
Do you happen to know anything about the funeral arrangements? Or even her parents names? Kurt plans on flying in and riding with me. I’m assuming things will be held in Greenbrier? If you hear anything, please let me know. My email is dalal.sakaan@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Dalal
commented posted on my livejournal, by halfdeserted:
Oh my god. I am so sorry for your loss. I know Zach, and I can’t believe he did that. I mean I can believe it, but I don’t want to. What a crazy. I went to high school with him, and he stalked my friend two years ago. She broke up with him after a four-year relationship. At first they were still friends, but then he started acting crazy. He broke out her car window because he saw her with another guy when he was following her one night. He broke into her apartment and sat in the dark until she came home. One time he got her to sit in his car to talk about things, and he drove off, wouldn’t let her leave the car, didn’t stop for stop signs or lights, and held a gun to her head, threatening to kill her. She got a restraining order, but it didn’t make any difference. It was awful. And scary.
Detectives showed up at her house yesterday, asking her questions about where Zach might have gone. They said people had told them that he’d been looking for her, but luckily she’d moved several times, changed jobs, and changed her number. I am so sorry your friend lost her life, but I have to admit that I’m glad my friend is okay. What a fucking asshole. I hope he gets life in prison, and I hope many unmentionable horrible things happen to him there.
Katherine’s parents are Dale and Sharon Wood. I do not have any information regarding a funeral yet. I live near Greenbrier and know Dale and Sharon. I found this site doing a search to find info regarding the murder. I will post the pobit and/or funeral info once I have it.
from michelle bradford (mbradford@arkansasonline.com)
I’m trying to quickly write a news article today about Katie’s death and I saw the post on your site. I need someone to say a few things about who Katie was, who will miss her and why. Would you be willing to call me?
Michelle Bradford, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Lowell, AR, 479.770.8478
I miss her so much. I hate hate hate hate that this sick motherfucker killed one of the only true friends I’ve had. But hey, at least she’s with Patrick partying it up. In a pool, singing “I’m going home”
I worked with Katie at Hastings and though I didn’t know her for very long – just a few months – she was such a superstar, funny and smart with great style. I loved hanging out with her and wish I could have gotten to know her better. My condolences to you and all the rest of the many, many folks who loved her.
Yeah. To say I’m confused and bewildered would be an understatement. I just don’t understand how someone could do something like that to anyone else.
Very sad.
I only met her a few times. My sincerest sympathies for everyone who was touched by her.
This is the worst news I have heard in a really long time. I also knew Zach. I went to high school and graduated with him. He was weird, but not murderer weird. At least I didn’t think so. I saw him for the first time in several years just three weeks ago. He didn’t seem like a crazed maniac. I did not know the young girl that died, but it sounds like she definately would have been a really cool girl to get to kick it with.
I cannot describe my sympathies for her friends and family.
I knew Katie when she was a mousey, freckled kid in grade school, and have always regarded her as my little sister. I watched as she grew and blossomed into a beautiful young lady, who had intelligence that matched her witty smile. She was an insperation to many, and brought joy to all around her.
Katie you will be missed, but never forgotten.
Joey, Katie spoke fondly of you often. She truly loved you.
I am so sorry that this happened to Katie. I had several photography classes and a figure drawing class with her, we would always sit by one another. She was a great artist!!!! She did some amazing photographs. When she was working in the Fine Arts Library, I would always make it a point to speak to her, or compare schedules, she was so sweet. She was an amazing person. If anyone knows when her funeral is scheduled for please let me know.
I am still shocked that he did this to her. I had a couple of classes with him, I never suspected that he would do something like this but I didn’t really know him that well.
I truly send my condolences to her family and friends.
Katharine “Katie” Marie Wood
August 25, 1983 – March 9, 2008
Roller-McNutt Funeral Home
115 South Broadview
Greenbrier, AR 72058
Map to Funeral Home
Roller-McNutt Funeral Home (Memorial Service)
115 Broadview
Greenbrier , AR 72058
3/15/2008 at 1:00 p.m.
Map to Service Location
Kathy Wood Scholarship Fund
c/o First Service Bank
134 s. Broadview, Hwy 65 N.
Greenbrier, AR 72058
Katharine Marie (Katie) Wood, 24, of Greenbrier died Sunday, March 9, 2008.
She was born August 25, 1983 in Downey, CA to Dale Albert Wood and Sharon Charlene Blatt Wood.
She was a 2002 graduate of Greenbrier High School and was attending the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
She is survived by her parents, Dale and Sharon Wood of Greenbrier; brother, Matthew Joshua (Woody) Wood of Fayetteville and her grandfather, Dale Wood of Russellville.
Memorial services will be 1:00 PM Saturday at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Greenbrier, Rev. Gaylon King officiating.
Memorials may be made to the Katie Wood Memorial Scholarship Fund at First Service Bank, 134 S. Broadway, Hwy 65 N., Greenbrier, AR 72058, (501) 679-7300.
I am hoping that the parents of Katie will get in touch with me when they are able. I am forming a group of parents whose children were victims of violent crime while enrolled in college. I have worked with Security on Campus, http://www.securityoncampus.org and others for the past two years since my daughter was attacked while enrolled at Indiana University. If anyone knows them and thinks they might be ready to hear more about what we are doing please pass this message along to them with my email; help@campusrape.org.
I am very sorry for your loss, sometimes life just does not make one bit of sense.
From an ex:
I caught up with her at Common Grounds a few weeks before the incident. Her parents called me the day it happened (good thing too, I would’ve freaked if I’d read it in the paper). I must say this event caused me more pain than it should have. I couldn’t go to work the next day…my friends tried to console me…nothing helped.
She was glad to have always had reasonable ex-boyfriends. Except this time; she mentioned his weird behavior and complained about having ‘pyscho’ ex-boyfriend…if only she had *really* meant it and been more wary…