ATLANTA — "Nothing is too small" -- that was the message Friday from Atlanta Police as they marked two years into the investigation of the violent stabbing murder of Katie Janness at Piedmont Park.
APD held a morning press conference at its headquarters to give new details on the deaths of Janness, 40, as well as 38-year-old Prince Oluzor in a separate case.
Friday, July 28, marked exactly two years since Janness was stabbed to death at Piedmont Park.
"Our gut feeling, we have to go off of when providing tips," APD implored the public. "Let us investigate them."
There were no new specific details in the case, and there has still never been a suspect named. The vicious stabbing of Janness and her dog, Bowie, while she was out on a late-night walk near Piedmont Park deeply shook the Midtown and broader Atlanta community when it happened.
APD Investigator J. Churchill remains the lead detective on the case, and has been in that role since day one. He said Friday he has returned to the case for one reason or another every week the last two years, continuing to work every lead.
"Every week there's something going on with this case," he said. "No days have went unanswered, so we're working on it."
He said he speaks with Janness' mother once a week about the case.
Emma Clark, Janness' partner at the time of her death, and her family sent 11Alive a statement ahead of the two-year mark:
The Clark family continues to mourn the senseless murder of our Katie every day that goes by. Katie was a beautiful talented soul that had so much to give to the world and always was a champion of those less fortunate. We are still in hope of justice being served to the person/persons responsible and pray that the Atlanta Police Department and the FBI find this monster before they repeat the heinous acts done to our sweet Katie and her precious dog Bowie. If anyone has any information concerning this case please reach out to the APB.
APD added that it is not considered a cold case, and that they regularly work and solve cases even older than this one.
"This is an active case. We’re not letting it go," Lt. Germain Dearlove, APD's homicide commander, said. "Investigator Churchill has put in hours and hours of time while working here for the police department. He is dedicated, he is motivated. Yes, there are times when there’s frustration, but once we get frustrated, we don’t walk away. We pick back up where we left off and we continue with the work. Because our work is important for the department, but most importantly for the family and community as well.”
Another question that surrounded the case was why some of the cameras in Piedmont Park were not working the night of Janness' murder.
11Alive asked for an interview with the city's parks and recreation department. It responded with a statement updating the state of security in the park:
The Department of Parks and Recreation has installed 31 cameras within Piedmont Park since 2021; all of these cameras are interior park-facing and have been fully integrated into the Video Integrated Center (VIC) for APD and DPR to utilize and facilitate monitoring. This year, the Department will invest $600,000 in cameras alone at Piedmont Park adding nearly 60 more cameras to the current inventory.
The murder of Katie Janness | What we know
Janness left with her dog Bowie for a walk shortly after 10 p.m. on the night of July 28, 2021.
Janness' partner Emma Clark said she had come by sometime after that to the restaurant Clark worked at, Henry’s Midtown Tavern on 10th Street, to say hi along the walk.
Few details were released about what happened between the stop at Henry's and Clark later finding her in the park. Clark found Janness in the park by tracking her phone after she didn't come back from the walk.
APD said a surveillance camera near 10th and Piedmont captured her and Bowie as they walked across the Rainbow Crosswalk a little after midnight. It was in the opposite direction of her home.
When Janness didn’t come home, her partner got worried and found her through the find my iPhone app.
Police said they got the call that her body was found at the Charles Allen entrance around 1:00 a.m.
Bowie, too, was found by Clark stabbed to death "maybe 100 feet away," Clark said.
An autopsy report later revealed she was stabbed more than 50 times, with "sharp force injuries" to her face, neck, and torso, causing "injuries of major blood vessels and internal organs." The report also noted letters carved into her chest.
Photos | Katie Janness
The murder of Prince Oluzor | What we know
Atlanta Police also provided an update on a second homicide on Friday.
Prince Oluzor, 38, of Nigeria, was shot and killed outside a gas station near Georgia Tech on the night of Aug. 31, 2022. The shooting happened outside at the BP gas station at 329 14th St NW near Atlantic Drive.
Atlanta Police previously said Oluzor was leaving the store of the gas station when he noticed suspects attempting to break into his car. As he approached, APD said Oluzor was shot by one of the suspects.
Oluzor was taken to the hospital, where he died, according to APD.
Investigators previously said they were looking for a gray or silver four-door car with no license plate.
Investigators are actively working on both cases. Anyone with information is asked to call the Atlanta Police Homicide Unit or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477