Katherine Merry “Kathy” Devine

Advertisement

Katherine Merry “Kathy” Devine

Birth
Seattle, King County, Washington, USA
Death
25 Nov 1973 (aged 14)
Olympia, Thurston County, Washington, USA
Burial
Seattle, King County, Washington, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
There's a million things I could tell you about Kathy but I wouldn't even know where to start.
Since she was born on Christmas Day, she felt it was her calling to become a minister. I don't know if she would've ever done it but she always talked about it.
She constantly brought home both stray animals and unfortunate children.
She had such a big heart and was always looking to help someone.

Like most young people of this age in life. Katherine was struggling emotionally at the time of her death.
She was confused and depressed much of the time.
The day Katherine ran away, the last time her family seen her, She had a fight with her boyfriend. She needed to escape and so she decided to go to Oregon where her cousins lived.
She left her mom a note explaining why she was leaving.
The noted ended with ....
"PS. Don't worry mom I'll be back."

Katherine is a real person that lived and breathed and had dreams and loves and hope for a great future.
Katherine lives on in her smile, and the love that her family and friends have for her.

The Murder of Kathy Devine
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/bundy/17.html
On December 6, 1973, a young couple stumbled across the remains of a 15-year-old girl in McKenny Park, Washington.
Kathy Devine was last seen by friends on November 25th hitchhiking from Seattle to Oregon, trying to run away from home.
Shortly after she began her journey, pathologists said she met her death.
Kathy Devine had been strangled, sodomized and her throat cut.
Everybody believed that Kathy Devine was one of the many victims of Ted Bundy.
It took 28 years and DNA evidence to find the truth.
Jim Carlile of The Olympian reported that Sheriff's Captain Dan Kimball never closed the files on this old case even though Ted Bundy had been executed and would not tell whatever he knew about the young woman that lost her life in Thurston County in 1973.
Kathy's clothing was shown on a television news program in Seattle and one of Kathy's sisters recognized an embroidered patch on the pair of jeans shown as belonging to a murder victim.
At the time of the murder, William E. Cosden Jr. had been living in the area and had been seen at the truck stop where he worked with blood on his clothes. Cosden had been released in 1973 from a mental hospital where he was confined after the 1967 murder of a woman.
Carlile quoted police reports in his article:
"Witnesses saw Cosden come in the night of the murder with stains on his clothing.
The witnesses called police.
After leaving the truck stop, Cosden's truck caught fire and was destroyed three miles from the truck stop.
During initial interviews with police, Cosden denied ever seeing Kathy Devine."
In 1986, based on additional investigative information, a search warrant was obtained for Cosden's blood, hair and saliva.
At that time, Cosden was in prison for rape.
In 2001, these samples from Cosden were subjected to DNA testing.
It was evidence which linked Cosden to Kathy Devine. Cosden, 55, did admit to having sex with Kathy, but denied killing her.
"DNA made the case," said Sheriff Gary Edward. "This came about as a result of technology and a lot of hard work."
Cosden is already serving a 48-year sentence for first-degree rape.
He is not likely to go free again.
"She was beautiful inside and out, but she was a normal troubled teenager," Sally Ann Devine said of her daughter. "I don't think she had more troubles than anyone else her age during that time.
It is nice to know that this has finally been solved.
We've been wondering for 28 years.
I still feel like it's a dream and I'm going to wake up and it'll all be over."
There's a million things I could tell you about Kathy but I wouldn't even know where to start.
Since she was born on Christmas Day, she felt it was her calling to become a minister. I don't know if she would've ever done it but she always talked about it.
She constantly brought home both stray animals and unfortunate children.
She had such a big heart and was always looking to help someone.

Like most young people of this age in life. Katherine was struggling emotionally at the time of her death.
She was confused and depressed much of the time.
The day Katherine ran away, the last time her family seen her, She had a fight with her boyfriend. She needed to escape and so she decided to go to Oregon where her cousins lived.
She left her mom a note explaining why she was leaving.
The noted ended with ....
"PS. Don't worry mom I'll be back."

Katherine is a real person that lived and breathed and had dreams and loves and hope for a great future.
Katherine lives on in her smile, and the love that her family and friends have for her.

The Murder of Kathy Devine
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/bundy/17.html
On December 6, 1973, a young couple stumbled across the remains of a 15-year-old girl in McKenny Park, Washington.
Kathy Devine was last seen by friends on November 25th hitchhiking from Seattle to Oregon, trying to run away from home.
Shortly after she began her journey, pathologists said she met her death.
Kathy Devine had been strangled, sodomized and her throat cut.
Everybody believed that Kathy Devine was one of the many victims of Ted Bundy.
It took 28 years and DNA evidence to find the truth.
Jim Carlile of The Olympian reported that Sheriff's Captain Dan Kimball never closed the files on this old case even though Ted Bundy had been executed and would not tell whatever he knew about the young woman that lost her life in Thurston County in 1973.
Kathy's clothing was shown on a television news program in Seattle and one of Kathy's sisters recognized an embroidered patch on the pair of jeans shown as belonging to a murder victim.
At the time of the murder, William E. Cosden Jr. had been living in the area and had been seen at the truck stop where he worked with blood on his clothes. Cosden had been released in 1973 from a mental hospital where he was confined after the 1967 murder of a woman.
Carlile quoted police reports in his article:
"Witnesses saw Cosden come in the night of the murder with stains on his clothing.
The witnesses called police.
After leaving the truck stop, Cosden's truck caught fire and was destroyed three miles from the truck stop.
During initial interviews with police, Cosden denied ever seeing Kathy Devine."
In 1986, based on additional investigative information, a search warrant was obtained for Cosden's blood, hair and saliva.
At that time, Cosden was in prison for rape.
In 2001, these samples from Cosden were subjected to DNA testing.
It was evidence which linked Cosden to Kathy Devine. Cosden, 55, did admit to having sex with Kathy, but denied killing her.
"DNA made the case," said Sheriff Gary Edward. "This came about as a result of technology and a lot of hard work."
Cosden is already serving a 48-year sentence for first-degree rape.
He is not likely to go free again.
"She was beautiful inside and out, but she was a normal troubled teenager," Sally Ann Devine said of her daughter. "I don't think she had more troubles than anyone else her age during that time.
It is nice to know that this has finally been solved.
We've been wondering for 28 years.
I still feel like it's a dream and I'm going to wake up and it'll all be over."