[Lux1969]

In Cobb County, GA, at about 4:00 a.m. on March 14, 1985, neighbors heard loud screams coming from Belinda Wood's second-story apartment and called the police. The evidence showed that the victim had been stabbed in the back with a six-inch blade with such force that the blade pierced her lung and broke one of her ribs. She was also stabbed in her lower left lung. However, she remained conscious enough to call the police. When a police officer eventually arrived at the apartment, he found the victim lying in a pool of blood. There were bloodstains throughout the apartment, and a knife was found near the victim's bed.

Don Catchings emerged from his lower-level apartment, stated that he was a respiratory therapist, and offered his assistance. As the investigation proceeded, investigators noticed him observing the events. Specifically, he was seen underneath the balcony of the victim's apartment as the investigators were discussing toe prints on the track of the victim's sliding glass door, the knife found near the victim's bed, the bloodstains in the apartment, and a bloody handprint found on the victim's front door. Within five minutes of this conversation, smoke was detected rising from beneath the victim's apartment. The flames spread so rapidly that the murder investigation had to be discontinued, and an evacuation of the apartment building was begun.

The arson investigation established that the fire was set intentionally, and the point of origin was found at various locations in Catchings' apartment.

The jury found the Catchings guilty of arson in the first degree and of felony murder, but the jury did not recommend that the death penalty be imposed. Catchings was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder conviction and a consecutive sentence of 20 years' imprisonment for the arson conviction.

[m14brian]

Detectives ears most likely perked immediately when he introduced himself as a respiratory therapist.

[Mr.NoCredit]

Psychopath or sociopath!?! Doesn’t matter really does it!?!

[JuiceWRLD999]

Respiratory therapist???: did they think he would get her breathing again? Then to just let him have the opportunity to set her on fire??? At least it made him the obvious suspect

Edit: oh, he actually was a respiratory tech in a hospital

[JuiceWRLD999]

Originally Posted by Mr.NoCredit ↗

You can never see behind someone’s eyes.

Except a killer's cold dead glaze

[Kinky_John]

Why is her face so white in the second picture, is that due to such rapid blood loss?

[shadowstein]

Can I say that it's facsinating to see a murder scene before and after arson was used in a cover-up attempt?

[FukADuk]

I remember seeing this case in the Autopsy series on HBO. #4, if memory serves me right. Good find.

[Lux1969]

[QUOTE=JuiceWRLD999;8764902]Respiratory therapist???: did they think he would get her breathing again? Then to just let him have the opportunity to set her on fire??? At least it made him the obvious suspect

He set the fire in his apartment, not hers.

[wthomas78]

Is it just me or does the killer look like an 80s Ashton Kutcher?