Years after Upstate woman's murder, search continues for husband suspected of killing her
Simpsonville Police say John Blauvelt disappeared shortly after his wife Catherine 'Cati' Blauvelt was found dead
Simpsonville Police say John Blauvelt disappeared shortly after his wife Catherine 'Cati' Blauvelt was found dead
Simpsonville Police say John Blauvelt disappeared shortly after his wife Catherine 'Cati' Blauvelt was found dead
A wanted man is still on the run, nearly five years after an Upstate woman's murder.
On Oct. 24, 2016, police say Catherine "Cati" Blauvelt, 22, was found stabbed to death in an abandoned home in a wooded area in Simpsonville.
“It just kind of feels like we’ve been stuck for the last five years in the same place,” Cati Blauvelt's sister Brandi Blackwell said.
Police say Cati Blauvelt's estranged husband John Blauvelt is the suspected killer. Police say warrants are out for Blauvelt's arrest.
“I didn’t get to say goodbye. It was that quick,” Cati Blauvelt's mother Patricia Piver said.
Cati Blauvelt's family is begging him to turn himself in.
“What could I have done to change things," Piver said. "What could I have done to save her if I had only known.”
Simpsonville Police say Cati Blauvelt had been reported missing before she was found dead. They say they questioned John Blauvelt, who had worked as a U.S. Army recruiter, in their initial investigation in 2016.
“We interviewed John," investigator James Donnelly said. "At that point, we didn’t have enough probable cause to sign a warrant.”
Shortly after, Donnelly said Blauvelt disappeared. He said they were eventually able to issue warrants for his arrest in Cati Blauvelt's murder.
“It’s extremely frustrating," Donnelly said. "Extremely frustrating. Nobody wants to catch John more than us. I promise you.”
Donnelly said they've received several tips over the last five years, but they've proven unsuccessful. He said they initially thought Blauvelt could be on the West Coast.
“Just anything we can find," Donnelly said. "Maybe somebody in Oregon knows John, but knows him as somebody else and all of a sudden, these pictures pop up and they’re like, 'Oh yeah, that's him.'"
U.S. Marshals are involved in the search, which Donnelly says now spans nationwide.
As the years go by, Cati Blauvelt's family says they feel helpless.
“It still feels like it’s just not enough," Blackwell said. "It’s not doing anything. We haven’t seen the end result, so it’s very frustrating.”
Her mother has a standing message for John Blauvelt, saying it's her hope and prayer he's found.
“Turn yourself in," Piver said. "You’re on the run. You’re going to get caught.”
Cati Blauvelt's case was recently featured in the podcast 'Unsolved Mysteries'.
Donnelly said they're relying on tips at this point to find John Blauvelt. If you have any information, you're asked to contact the Simpsonville Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 23-CRIME.