I just started reading the book tonight by her mother, "who killed my daughter?" I never really paid much attention to this case when I watched it, until I started reading the book. It is an interesting and very sad story. I searched for topics about it on this board, but couldn't find any. What do you feel happened? I don't think it was random, some foreign people get very serious when it comes to their money/scams and I don't doubt that the vietnamese murdered her. It is very tragic that she was on her way home from her friends when it happened.

Sounds good, but was it ever on UM?

Sounds good, but was it ever on UM?

Yes, it's even on one of crystaldawn's dvds.

It was always strange her boyfriend would not speak in English when he would talk to his friends. This always led me to believe he was involved with her murder. Plus, the phone call made the night of her death from the apartment makes me think something more was going on. The segment did say the boyfriend came to the hosiptal and stayed at her bedside until she passed away, but maybe he did this to throw off investigators. Maybe she was finally going to expose the insurence scam and give the police names...

Well I will have to read the book written by Kaitlyn's mother it sounds interesting. Well, her boyfriend wasnt the one that made the calls from the apartment because he was at the hospital all night and he never left Kaitlyn's bedside. While it sounded like him and Kaitlyn had their problems and while it is certainly possible that he stayed at the hospital all night to throw off investigators, it is my opinion that he was not directly involved in her shooting and that he didnt know it was going to happen in advance, but it is my opinion he knows more than he is telling and probably knows who did it but doesnt want to talk because it was his own friends that probably killed Kaitlyn in my opinion.

In my opinion Kaitlyn was probably killed either because she had said she was going to blow the cover off the insurance scam business or the boyfriend's friends were afraid that she was going to blow the top off so they decided to kill her to ensure her silence. The boyfriend talking to his friends in Vietnamese in front of Kaitlyn tells me that they were talking about stuff they didnt want her to know, since if it didnt matter if she knew or not they would probably have spoke in English, unless h is friends didnt speak English well, than I guess it wouldnt be so weird than I guess.

Back in 1989 also, bi-racial relationships were largely taboo, they are somewhat better accepted now although depending on where you are they are still taboo, this certainly created tension and I could be wrong, but I got the impression Kaitlyn's family didnt particularly like the fact that she was dating a guy that wasnt white, but maybe that is just me drawing conclusions. I mean they were not mean to the boyfriend ever and never said anything against him, but I just kind of got that vibe that they would have perferred she not date him.

However the bi-racial thing probably created tensions in Kaitlyn and her boyfriend's relationship, the boyfriend said while they had their disagreements and their arguments that they were not close to breaking up or anything, while Kaitlyn's family has said Kaitlyn was close to breaking up with her boyfriend and moving out of the apartment, so clearly someone is lying there. I do feel the police kind of bungled this investigation as well.

The book is very well written. I read it about five years ago, and I am in full belief that Lois Duncan was correct: Kaitlyn knew too much and was assassinated as a result of it.

I really hope her family gets the answers they seek.

I agree, they killed her because they knew or thought she was going to come clean regarding there insurance scams.

the re-enactments on the fraud scams always cracked me up but on the serious side it was a sad case. It looked like the work of a hitman

A ton of new information has come to light since that book was written. (And I agree that "Who Killed My Daughter?" is fabulous and heartbreaking. Maybe the best true crime book I've ever read). You can visit the Arquettte Family's website here: http://kaitarquette.arquettes.com/ I don't think Kait was killed because of the insurance scams. I think her boyfriend and his friends were involved in much more than that, like drug trafficking. I think Kait saw someone important buying drugs and that is why she was killed. I also think the cops know more than they are telling and that some of them may have even been involved in the murder.

It was always strange her boyfriend would not speak in English when he would talk to his friends. This always led me to believe he was involved with her murder. Plus, the phone call made the night of her death from the apartment makes me think something more was going on. The segment did say the boyfriend came to the hosiptal and stayed at her bedside until she passed away, but maybe he did this to throw off investigators. Maybe she was finally going to expose the insurence scam and give the police names...

One thing that I have wondered about is : since these guys were involved in scams and crimes did they ever get busted or go to jail at some point in time ?

Back in 1989 also, bi-racial relationships were largely taboo, they are somewhat better accepted now although depending on where you are they are still taboo, this certainly created tension and I could be wrong, but I got the impression Kaitlyn's family didnt particularly like the fact that she was dating a guy that wasnt white, but maybe that is just me drawing conclusions. I mean they were not mean to the boyfriend ever and never said anything against him, but I just kind of got that vibe that they would have perferred she not date him.

However the bi-racial thing probably created tensions in Kaitlyn and her boyfriend's relationship, the boyfriend said while they had their disagreements and their arguments that they were not close to breaking up or anything, while Kaitlyn's family has said Kaitlyn was close to breaking up with her boyfriend and moving out of the apartment, so clearly someone is lying there. I do feel the police kind of bungled this investigation as well.

Didnt Kaitlyn`s parents say they liked him in the segment ? Her parents would have had misgivings over his age more than his race I believe ....

You raise an interesting point regarding tensions in their relationship , she wanted to break up with him not long before she was shot - I wonder if this was the catalyst to events that followed .........

and what is very revealing is the phone calls made from her apartment as she lay in hospital - connection or what ?

Didnt Kaitlyn`s parents say they liked him in the segment ? Her parents would have had misgivings over his age more than his race I believe ....

You raise an interesting point regarding tensions in their relationship , she wanted to break up with him not long before she was shot - I wonder if this was the catalyst to events that followed .........



Her father said after the fact that he had misgivings about Dung (the boyfriend), but didn't want to be looked at as racist. I agree that it was more about his age and probably his shady acquaintances than his race.

About them being busted, I believe at least some of them were caught and deported. I can't remember for sure. Kait's mother is very open and will answer any questions you have on the message board portion of their website.

Her father said after the fact that he had misgivings about Dung (the boyfriend), but didn't want to be looked at as racist. I agree that it was more about his age and probably his shady acquaintances than his race.

About them being busted, I believe at least some of them were caught and deported. I can't remember for sure. Kait's mother is very open and will answer any questions you have on the message board portion of their website.

Interesting info about their website , after checking out their website I was totally shocked ! Some of the details and revelations of events surrounding Kait`s shooting certainly leave a lot to be desired thats before you even consider allegations against some APD ooficers .......

The information on the Arquette`s website is quite unsettling, the way the cops behaved at the scene , the subsequent misconduct issues surrounding them , the boyfriend , the way they quickly dismissed the case as a drive by , the alleged heroin that went through the store Kaitlyn worked ........

Although the boyfriend has come up a lot in this case , Kaitlyn`s friend Susan I believe should have been checked out thoroughly based on her behavior after the events surrounding Kaitlyn . The way she changed her stories is quite questionable .......... I personally think she should be a higher priority suspect than Kailyn`s boyfriend ....

After watching the KA segment, I've got several theories as to why she may have been killed:

1) The most evident was that the activities she/her boyfriend were involved in somehow led to someone wanting to "shut her up" - just as her mother believed.

2) A drive-by shooting, that was completely random - possibly a gang initiation?!

3) KA and her live-in boyfriend were having problems; per the segment, she told her mother she was going to break up with him. I wonder if her death was connected to this.

After watching the KA segment, I've got several theories as to why she may have been killed:

1) The most evident was that the activities she/her boyfriend were involved in somehow led to someone wanting to "shut her up" - just as her mother believed.

2) A drive-by shooting, that was completely random - possibly a gang initiation?!

3) KA and her live-in boyfriend were having problems; per the segment, she told her mother she was going to break up with him. I wonder if her death was connected to this.

I just rewatched this one a few days ago. I don't believe Kaitlyn was killed in a random act of violence. I used to think it was connected to the insurance scam and I still lean towards that, but it COULD also have been her boyfriend, who she was going to leave. I didn't think about that theory over nearly as much as I should have.

UM did a decent job of presenting both scenarios in this segment, assassination or random violence. Obviously they leaned more into the assassination theory, but I don't think the random act of violence theory should be completely discounted.

Call me crazy, but I don't believe her boyfriend or his friends were involved, at least not directly.

This thread (link (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=301036&highlight=arquette)) has more information. I'm not sure where 88keys got this information (there was a link to an interview that was later removed?), but this specific passage is intriguing to me:


Kait told her parents she was going to Sharon's (her friend) home when she left, and she told Sharon she was having dinner with her parents. She lied to them both to give herself some free time. This is presumably when she went outside of town to the mountains and saw whatever she saw that got her killed. In one of the psychic readings, Kait insists that who she saw was what got her killed. And at one point, an anonymous caller told the Duncans that Kait was killed because she saw "some big shot buying coke."



A party or some other gathering, where she just so happened to witness some big shot buying drugs could be a valid possibility, but after reading through the above-linked thread and doing some thinking, that seems a bit far-fetched IMO.

DarkDante brought up an interesting point.


- Regarding Kait's boyfriend and his friends: There is another possibility regarding how Kait's boyfriend was aware of Kait's death before being officially informed of it by the authorities.

Lois Duncan believes that if Kait's boyfriend and his friends were not involved in Kait's murder, they may have suspected what was about to happen nonetheless. If this is to be believed Duncan suggested that Kait's boyfriend and his friends may have attempted to locate Kait on the evening of her murder to warn her but obviously were unable to communicate this message to her in time.

Duncan believes it's possible that Kait's boyfriend and his friends came upon the crime scene after the murder had already been committed. This would explain how Kait's boyfriend would've known about the murder hours before he was informed of it by the authorities. It would also cast an interesting light on his frantic phone call to Kait's friend on that evening stating "Kait's dead! They shot her!" (Note the word "They")

Lois Duncan also believes that an attempt was made on the life of Kait's boyfriend in the days following Kait's murder. Kait's boyfriend had his wrists slashed but he has always maintained that it was due to a suicide attempt due to the extreme grief he was experiencing over Kait's death.



That Kaitlyn's boyfriend & his friends were up to their necks in shady stuff isn't in question. I think a more likely possibility is that they either got into a feud with some other group/gang/criminal organization and Kait became collateral damage as a result -or- the lawyers running the insurance scam decided that Kait and her boyfriend were liabilities that needed to be taken care of.

Either possibility would explain how her boyfriend knew about her death before being informed of it, would explain why an attempt was made on his life and also would explain why he explained it away as a suicide attempt.

I am surprised this case isn't talked about more on a national level. You have a myriad of possibilities and suspects. From the Vietnamese insurance gang angle, to the random drive by shooting by Miguel Garcia, to the shady man (Paul Apodaca, who has a history of violence towards women) who police saw standing next to Kaitlyn's car on the night of her murder...you really cannot apply Occam's Razor here. There really isn't a "simple" answer to this. I want to lean towards some sort of random drive by gang initiation (which would explain why this case has never been solved, because it was indeed random), but the boyfriend's bizarre behavior and the note found not matching Kaitlyn's handwriting bothers me. As does the police department's insistence that the Vietnamese had nothing to do with this.

There is a major new development in Kaitlyn's case. Last week, Paul Apodaca, the man who police found hanging around the crime scene (and who would later go on to rape a young relative), was arrested and charged with the 1988 murder of Althea Oakeley. She was stabbed to death while walking home from a party near the University of New Mexico campus. He allegedly confessed to her murder to police (along with other crimes). Interestingly, he was working as a security guard at the school at the time.

Man Charged in 1988 slaying of UNM student (https://www.abqjournal.com/2420779/man-charged-in-1988-slaying-of-unm-student.html)

Today, it was announced that he confessed to Kaitlyn's murder as well. However, he has not yet been charged in her case.

New Mexico man confesses to killing two women more than 30 years ago, Albuquerque police say (https://www.koat.com/article/paul-apodaca-new-mexico-cold-cases/37387793)

There is a major new development in Kaitlyn's case. Last week, Paul Apodaca, the man who police found hanging around the crime scene (and who would later go on to rape a young relative), was arrested and charged with the 1988 murder of Althea Oakeley. She was stabbed to death while walking home from a party near the University of New Mexico campus. He allegedly confessed to her murder to police (along with other crimes). Interestingly, he was working as a security guard at the school at the time.

Man Charged in 1988 slaying of UNM student (https://www.abqjournal.com/2420779/man-charged-in-1988-slaying-of-unm-student.html)

Today, it was announced that he confessed to Kaitlyn's murder as well. However, he has not yet been charged in her case.

New Mexico man confesses to killing two women more than 30 years ago, Albuquerque police say (https://www.koat.com/article/paul-apodaca-new-mexico-cold-cases/37387793)

It wasn't the boyfriend after all. Kinda figured that out years ago.

There is a major new development in Kaitlyn's case. Last week, Paul Apodaca, the man who police found hanging around the crime scene (and who would later go on to rape a young relative), was arrested and charged with the 1988 murder of Althea Oakeley. She was stabbed to death while walking home from a party near the University of New Mexico campus. He allegedly confessed to her murder to police (along with other crimes). Interestingly, he was working as a security guard at the school at the time.

Man Charged in 1988 slaying of UNM student (https://www.abqjournal.com/2420779/man-charged-in-1988-slaying-of-unm-student.html)

Today, it was announced that he confessed to Kaitlyn's murder as well. However, he has not yet been charged in her case.

New Mexico man confesses to killing two women more than 30 years ago, Albuquerque police say (https://www.koat.com/article/paul-apodaca-new-mexico-cold-cases/37387793)

For now, I'm taking this update with a grain of salt. The MOs for each murder were different and what was the motive for Kait? If I hear more evidence, I'll reconsider my opinion.

For now, I'm taking this update with a grain of salt. The MOs for each murder were different and what was the motive for Kait? If I hear more evidence, I'll reconsider my opinion.

Kind of reminds me of the Megan Barroso case. Used a shotgun to shoot at her car several times, ran her off the road. Completely random; saw a girl drive by in the middle of the night who either looked like, reminded him of, or he mistook for his girlfriend he was angry at. Crashed into her on the freeway, went ahead of her as she exited the freeway and opened fire multiple times, wounding her in the abdomen. He got her out of the car and left her in a remote location to die. She was found a week or two later with no pants on, but he claims he did not sexually assault her.

Had he ever done anything like that before? NO. Was he known to police? NO.

He came to their attention when his roommate found a tape thrown in the trash. The killer recorded himself tying up, raping and torturing women. Megan's jacket was also found discarded on the property. When interrogated he eventually confessed.

Just goes to show MO's and crimes don't always have to match.

So after all that talk of "assassinations" and the racial profiling and it was a random white guy.

For now, I'm taking this update with a grain of salt. The MOs for each murder were different and what was the motive for Kait? If I hear more evidence, I'll reconsider my opinion.

The evidence is he was at the scene that night, and then confessed, what more do you need?

For now, I'm taking this update with a grain of salt. The MOs for each murder were different and what was the motive for Kait? If I hear more evidence, I'll reconsider my opinion.

Probably the same motive as his other crimes, he wanted to get off.

It wasn't the boyfriend after all. Kinda figured that out years ago.

No one ever said the boyfriend killed her. Just that he had information and knew about her murder.

So after all that talk of "assassinations" and the racial profiling and it was a random white guy.

I believe Apodaca worked for the police, or was an informant for them. He's been on the family's radar for years, so this actually fits in quite well with their theory about the crime.

No one ever said the boyfriend killed her. Just that he had information and knew about her murder.

The mother went on UM and declared her boyfriend and his friends had her "assassinated"

So after all that talk of "assassinations" and the racial profiling and it was a random white guy.

He was not a white guy to my knowledge.

He was not a white guy to my knowledge.

He’s Hispanic (I guess) and Hispanics can be white. There is no “brown” race. He certainly isn’t Asian, African American, native. Well maybe he could be native (indigenous.)

The mother went on UM and declared her boyfriend and his friends had her "assassinated"

They received more information in the following years that pointed towards the APD. The UM episode was kind of early on. The book "Who Killed My Daughter?" had a lot more information. So did their family website, though I don't know if it's still up or not.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/new-confession-solves-albuquerque-cold-case/6236271/?cat=500

I'm surprised no one has posted this.

A suspect has been implicated in her murder - seems to be a random crime

https://www.koat.com/article/paul-apodaca-murder-kaitlyn-arquette-new-mexico/39178659

I'm surprised no one has posted this.

A suspect has been implicated in her murder - seems to be a random crime

https://www.koat.com/article/paul-apodaca-murder-kaitlyn-arquette-new-mexico/39178659

I just caught wind of this myself this morning. It’s great that it’s been solved but I honestly feel bad for the boyfriend now. The dude had to live with the finger pointed at him for over 30 years and he was 100% innocent all along. I have a strong distaste for the media in cases like these where there is no actual evidence against a particular person but the media puts their slant/spin on it and there you go. For every Paul Flores (obviously guilty) there are numerous Duke Lacrosse Teams (obviously innocent) that get dragged due to sensationalist media members like Nancy disGRACE.

I'm surprised no one has posted this.

A suspect has been implicated in her murder - seems to be a random crime

https://www.koat.com/article/paul-apodaca-murder-kaitlyn-arquette-new-mexico/39178659

I'm amazed to hear this.

New Mexico has always had a dismal success rate in their cases being solved.

A shame that Kaitlyn's mother is no longer with us to finally see this development.

This (https://www.insideedition.com/alleged-serial-killer-indicted-for-1989-murder-of-18-year-old-kaitlyn-arquette-daughter-of-author) link is pretty detailed about the confession of Paul Apodaca. Apparently, this was indeed a random act. Apodaca confessed to killing her and said that the reason for it was because he hated women. Hopefully he receives a lengthy prison sentence.

Such a strange turn of events. I always figured her boyfriend had some part in her murder or just so happened to be doing something else shady the night she was murdered, because of the note left in their apartment that was said to be from Katelyn, yet wasn't in her handwriting. Clearly that letter has nothing to do with her murder.

I stumbled upon a totally random episode of Sightings on YT after not even thinking about that show for years and what would I find?

A segment on Kaitlyn Arquette, some crazy theories tied to a book the mother wrote and of all things ... Noreen Renier :lol:

Sightings July 9 1992 if anyone wants a laugh.