I feel like it's pretty obvious someone else was texting from her phone

Its so obvious the stepdad did something to her..

I’ve spoken to her mom. The case is thankfully still open, and there is an ongoing investigation on James, her now ex-stepfather. They celebrated her birthday this year in front of his house.

There's no way it isn't the stepfather, like they've arrested people for less HOW can they not arrest him and interrogate him more.

100% sounds like the stepfather did something and then texted from her phone and then disposed of the evidence

People don't usually think of stuff like this but the diploma and clothes missing from her suitcase could have just been something the stepfather did to throw everyone off and make them think she left on her own!

Emotional abuse and verbal comes before physical abuse. Add homophobia to that and James is the clear suspect. My theory is that she told him about the 3 way which triggered some male entitlement in him and led to him trying to sexually assault her. He either succeeded and then decided to kill her or it went "wrong". He disposed of her and sent the texts. We've seen this story play out so many times, and I trust her family's instincts. The mum must feel terrible asking James to drive her to the airport. You never know what someone is capable of.

The fact that James didn't go to work and actually left work makes him the prime suspect in my eyes

why am i low-key obsessed with Bella’s voice?

The Stepdad is the only person I would suspect

Am I the only one binge watching these at night stuffing my face ?

What kind of police can’t get into an app or someone’s phone in general? Smh

Feel so bad for her mum...she's gonna feel guilty letting that bastard "drive her to the airport" forever. He clearly did something to her.

Bella never fails to amaze me with her earring collection

This is from my town. It's always been such a weird case. Her missing persons flyers are still hanging up in all the local gas stations.

Who the hell did IT for this investigation? Surely an expert could have been brought in to unlock the information on both phones

Her mum shared your video on her Facebook profile💛💛💛💛

She lived in my cousin’s neighborhood... hung out with her many weekends when we would go to a mutual friend’s named Pier to swim.... she had her pink hair at the time. My brother went to school w her... I didn’t know she went missing because I live with my mom and my dad ended up moving so I no longer saw her during weekends. However, like I said, my brother went to school with her as he lived w my dad. She lived in Fredericksburg. Her family even believes it was her stepdad. I can’t believe I saw this girl almost every weekend... it’s wild... it’s been like four years now

The stepdad James is pretty much the only person I suspect in this. He clearly lied about dropping Katelin off at the airport then at the mall then ended up clamping up all together. Something terrible must have happened I cannot imagine Katelin being alive and not contacting her family with them being so close.

I'm friends with her mother on Facebook and its heartbreaking to watch her mom post every single day looking for her daughter and just wanting answers. Her mother will actually help out other families as well by posting other people who have disappeared. I hope Lisa finds out what happens and the stepfather needs to tell her

I think the ex stepfather is involved in her disappearance. Why else would he lie over and over again? She had a future she was looking forward to and no reason to disappear on her own. Those text messages don’t seem like they were sent by her either. It was like the sender was trying to buy time before the police got involved.

She’s a family member of mine. I appreciate you taking the time to spread word and bring more awareness.

“100 kilometers away” me, an american: 🤯

literally as soon as you mentioned a step father my mind was like “it was him. he did it.”

You should do a series of solved cases too, I think those would be as interesting as unsolved ones but can you do a small one on the Black Dahlia?

The step father knows way more than he's leading on. I mean come on! He's the last one to be with her.

The mom made a statement that the stepfather hasn't shown up to ANYthing the family has done in memory of Kaitlin and that to me says enough She trusted him with her daughter and now lives with that regret 💔

I genuinely think this girl is alive. I think there’s a lot of unanswered questions, why didn’t the police search james’ second home? How can they NOT access the secret messaging or crack james’ phone?! I think there’s definitely something fishy there... I think james knows where she is.

This girl met with foul play, period. She is not going to run away and just never have any contact with her family ever again because she cheated on her girlfriend! Especially when she was away from her family, she kept in contact with them a few times a day via phone and she has a new nephew. James has everything to do with her disappearance! How does he explain that he told her mom he dropped her off at the airport when he (according to him) actually dropped her off at the mall, but then there is no sign of her ever being at the mall. Also, I don't think someone is going to chuck a big suitcase out of a car window while it's moving, when they could be easily seen doing so by people in other cars. But he COULD have stopped on the side of the road, got out, walked to the other side of the car, get the suitcase out, the suitcase is then hidden from passersby by the car. Then he waited for the coast to be clear, and then chucked it and got back in his car. And then he doesn't show up for work EVER AGAIN from that day forward?? Come on, this guy did something with her!!

Bella it looks like Katelin’s mom actually saw this video and shared it on Facebook! Amazing thing you’re doing bringing the case back into the spotlight. You’re amazing 💕

It makes me sick that while searching for this young woman, they just so happen to stumble upon oh *another* young woman who is dead. Watch your backs, girls!

I scrolled for quite a while without seeing this information - so wanted to post it. I have watched/listened to so many things about this case. The "second property" that he has is where his mother lives. For some crazy reason, the cops are not allowed to search it because she resides there, not him, which obviously still makes no sense. So she is not likely to be being held there unless the mother doesnt know or is on board with it. Katelyns mother has suggested James's mother could be part of the suitcase throwing as James has seemingly no friends or social life except for her, but I find that crazy to imagine (but i don't know her so anything is possible). I'd love to think that she just ran away - but if thats the case, James should be more cooperative with the family and police. He probably talked to a lawyer which (smartly) advised him against a polygraph... but if he helped her in any way that day, by lying about driving her or where he drove her (obvious by her pings that he was), or actually taking her somewhere else, he should have come clean by now. I agree with most people that he more than likely did something to her. I hope they get some answers to this one for her poor family.

hi Bella! i'm from Poland and we had a couple of national mysteries as well, I think that some of them are great topics for your videos: Magdalena Żuk, a girl who went to Egypt and died there, I think this case still remains unsolved (she allegdly comitted suicide) Ewa Tylman, a girl who was found dead 6 months after she disappeared and Iwona Wieczorek, a girl who disappeared over 7 years ago and still hasn't been found I think these three were the loudest cases in Poland and I am honestly clueless as to what could've happen. it would be great to hear about them in your videos!

He took her diploma and clothes to make it look like she ran away

I’ve seen this story done many times, and you’ve honestly had the most detailed info and most pictures I’ve seen on any report! Good job!!

*solved sundays* should definitely be a thing you do on this channel!

this has nothing to do with the video, but i’ve been watching so many of your videos that i referred to a parking lot as a “car park” yesterday while at the grocery store. my mom was so confused!!

I want to watch this rn but I’m gonna save it for when I’m walking on the treadmill bc it makes time go by so much faster bc I’m so into your videos I forget I’m walking🤣🤣

Most beautiful KZfaq journalist , inspired by your beauty and professional reporting on these cases , and very respectful to the missing and missing kids families. Thankyou for uploading and also spreading awareness with these children you really never know if they could be led home some day from someone watching these videos

It's way too big of a coincidence that both the stepdad and katelin have encrypted phones... I'm sure he encrypted her phone so he could send texts from it from a different location

Thank you for cover this case! She a family friend. The exposure is always needed!

Right off the bat why would James tell her mother he already dropped her off at the airport & wait until she figured out she really didn't for him to switch his story and say "oh I dropped her at the mall". Being a man he probably just threw the most obvious place a teen would hang out in the mix to cover up something. What would she had needed so important that she HAD to stop at the mall before her flight. Makes no sense! (I might reply with other agitations of this case that y'all might agree with)

I've heard this story many times, but you did the best job because you made it very clear with all the visuals and photographs. Thank you!!!!!

Thank you so much for speaking about her case. She was my best friend in highschool. It's crazy to think it's been over three years now..

I was watching this as I was falling asleep and when you said "Amber" I instantly zoned back in I had to skip back and see the context I thought you broke the fourth wall and were somehow talking to me through a video

if theres one thing i take from these cases are that the victims are usually compassionate, kind, and self less innocent people who had their lives or normalcy taken from them and i guess thats what really hurts since they dont deserve what ever happened to them.

Just found your channel at 8 am and I can tell you now I got you on headphones binge listening while I drink my coffee and do word searches in this rainy weather! Great videos and hello from Maine US

I usually don't like these channels but I love how you present everything respectfully.

I would love to watch you dissect and present cases that have been solved as well. 🙌 It’s still very interesting. This one is very weird... I have no idea what to think 🤔

bella works so hard on these videos and it shows ✨💌

Listening to you is like having a friend telling you one of her stories. So natural.

You do great research! I was home sick from work today and binge-watched your mystery episodes 👍😁

Could they not do fingerprint tests on her phone to see ifJames was using it??

Can you please do a video on the Daniel morcombe case! I know it’s been solved but would still love to see a video on it xxx

Such great information. Thank you for your hard work. I pray she finds her way home.

I always re-watch this video because i live in dc and that airport is literally here we’ll almost in between va and dc. , I always rewatch your videos btw, love your channel, I literally won’t watch another channel I don’t know how you do it but you make your videos so interesting! 🦋 keep going at it, you’re amazing !

I don't see the "she left on her own" theory If I was to leave a town and start fresh I wouldn't leave my id and cards behind Just doesn't make sense

If the stepfather is innocent and did help her run away then he would have definitely said something when he started looking like a suspect so I don’t see that being the case at all he definitely hurt her

If I learned anything from criminal minds. The killer will almost always try to insert themselves into the investigation to deter the suspicion from themselves. So this will be voluntarily polygraphed. They will go out of their way to answer questions and “help” to make it look like they are innocent. When you read the first text that she sent her fiancé I knew for a fact he killed her and that he was the one sending the texts

"You can't lug a suitcase out while you're driving." Obviously you've never seen The Big Lebowski :)

thank you for all the hard work you've been putting into releasing so much content lately!!

Bella thank u for all your hard work. I’ve sooo enjoyed these

CAMERA QUALITY IS ON POINT BELLA 🔥‼️🙌❤️

Bella pls do a case on the tinder date u mentioned. The guy got away with it and many people think he did push her out the balcony. He recorded the whole fight leading up to and during the fall and it's so haunting; he even threatens to throw her off the balcony before she 'fell'

This happened in my town! Can't believe you're talking about it, this was a really big thing and then slowly it was just silent, happy you are talking about it!!

Beautiful as always!!! I’ve been enjoying these 12 days of Christmas so much!!! Keep up the good work!❤️❤️❤️

Stuck in quarantine no better time then to binge your videos!

I am just discovering bella but i loveeee her and the earrings she wears, these videos are getting me through quarantine

I like it when it says ‘bizarre’ in the title

love how much you put so much effort into these videos!

I’m currently on a 3 hour bus ride on Christmas Day because I’m a flight attendant and need to go to work and I just want to say thank you Bella for the content you bring and making my ride easier. You’re a light to this world. ✨

Loved the video!! I know I'm not the only one obsessed with listening and watching these so I def want to recommend everyone listen to the "Crime Junkies" podcast on Spotify and Apple podcasts. They did an episode dissecting this case as well as an update episode interviewing Katelins mom! I feel like Bella would love it too!!!!

You know when you’re just craving one of Bella’s mystery videos and like one just happens to drop. Best feeling

I love these videos, they’re perfect to sit back and relax to but as entertaining as they are they’re so important. They’re introducing so many people to the story which means raising awareness to missing people and maybe one day because of this a case will be solved or a missing person will be found 🤷‍♀️

I love your mystery Monday videos, they’re so interesting and sad

You’re voice is so mesmerizing. I could listen to it all day.

Love you Bella so sad you putting up videos everyday is almost over.. but can’t wait till Christmas!!!

I’d love if you talked about the Meredith Kercher murder. I know it’s technically a “closed case” but there are SO MANY shady things that it would be amazing know your point of view and theories

THANK YOU for doing this case justice! I follow a lot of true crime, I've heard a ton about this story; and literally every telling I've heard before yours characterized Katelin so differently. Her and her family are so often portrayed as dumb, naive, incapable of planning something elaborate, etc. (probably because of the area they are from tbh. These are common stigmas of Virginia). I had heard so many versions of the story with the theory that Katelin was aloof, not very bright, easily confused, too emotional, too trusting..... there's always theories included that put more blame on her for her supposed shortcomings. I was shocked to hear you start your retelling by saying how smart and gifted she was. Now I'm mad at how prevalently she's been disrespected by others. Thank you for doing right by her. Putting your video out was so important.

I’m so glad you did this series, Bella! Maybe for Valentine’s Day, you can do another series about cases involving couples? Like fatal attraction cases or cases where couples commit crimes together? xx

I feel like all I hear about is youtubers complaining about consecutive days of filming and honestly it makes me not enjoy watching a video knowing the person didn’t enjoy filming it. I love you so much more from you saying that you’ve had fun filming these 12 days of Christmas videos. Thank you for being positive and light ❤️

I’m so happy you’re doing this case! She’s from the county below mine, we went to high school at the same time. People talked about it a lot around here, it’s interesting to hear you telling a mystery about a case so close to me

The fact that the person knew where she was going and who her spouse was so needed to text her that she would be late is a gigantic red flag!

thank you for making such interesting videos, love you bella!

Bella, there is a case about a dozen of women that were found in a plain Mesa area in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They were all believed to be involved in prostitution and authorities never found the person or people responsible for the murders. I hope you can cover this story that has slowly died out in our city but is an still alarming and nerve wrecking murder case. I love your videos btw! Thank you in advance.

I've been enjoying and loving these 12 days of Christmas videos so much, I appreciate you❤️❤️

It’s not actually impoverished youth, it’s just “high-risk” preschool aged children. It’s actually pretty easy to qualify for it. Love your videos!

Bruh. If she ran away, she would have come forward by now! Someone who loves to text and be on social media (me) is not going to just throw their whole life away. I moved out of state for a year and a half and I had to come home because I couldn’t take it anymore.

the video quality is amazing , Bella you look amazing xxx

Whether she ran away or something else, I think it's highly likely the step dad was involved in some way. Also, like you said, how would the person texting know she had cheated unless someone was somehow blackmailing her with that information? So intriguing

Love these videos!!! Keep up the hard work!❤️

omggg you made me think of gable tostee when you said about the tinder balcony bit, you should do a video on that!

I've never been this early to one of Bella's videos it's a Christmas miracle!!😍

The stepdad probably made advices towards her, she fought him off, he killed her so she wouldn't talk or he got to rough and hid her body, wrote all those text to make it seem like it was her, ditched her clothes and tried to make it look like he just ran.

I binge watch your videos everyday much love 💙

i love listening to these while i do school work from some reason.

For some reason I kind of feel like the cheating thing was just a coincidence.. before she even said that Katelyn HAD in fact cheated and she said that Katelyn texted amber I thought to myself “that’s something a kidnapper would text from her phone as a way to get the gf off his back...” idk if that’s just me, I just feel like I could see James texting amber that off katelyns phone even if he didn’t know about her cheating?

I have a theory that he is keeping her because he is either alone, or sexually abusing her either one, but he was grooming her in the beginning and he is using her diploma as leverage and she needs clothes to live but she wouldn't need any of the other stuff otherwise. He had her in a car so he had the upper hand and he took her to a place where she wouldn't be found so he could continue to have a relationship with her

So happy that I came across your channel ☺ 💓

I'm from Fredericksburg VA, well Colonial Beach I know one of the girls and remember both of these things happening. Crazy you are covering all the way over there. Love what you do.