Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
CBS 48 Hours will re-examine the May 2008 murder case of a Georgia woman, Kay Wenal. Titled “Who Killed Kay Wenal,” the episode will reveal shocking details about the gruesome crime and explore why someone killed an innocent woman. It would also shed light on how authorities investigated the case and couldn’t solve it despite having a confession letter. The upcoming episode will air on the network on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET.
According to CBS News, Kay Wenal’s husband, Hal, discovered the lifeless body of his wife inside their house in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Wenal’s husband called authorities after seeing her body in a pool of blood lying on the kitchen floor. The publication mentioned that Kay Wenal didn’t go to work on the day of the murder and called in sick. Moreover, the killer had an idea that Wanal would be at home. Investigators believe the unknown assailant came inside the house through the front door. Although there was no sign of forced entry, they deduced that she must have let the murderer inside the residence.
Investigators believe the unknown assailant came inside the house through the front door. Although there was no sign of forced entry, they deduced that Wenal must have let the murderer inside the residence.
Officials told CBS News that the assailant allegedly attacked Kay Wenal as soon as she let the killer inside. Moreover, they believe that the killer chased her into the kitchen and slashed her throat twice to make sure Wenal didn’t survive. After an investigation was initiated, police tried to find a murder weapon but couldn’t find one. Despite the case going cold, it’s been 16 years since any suspect has been arrested in Kay Wenal’s murder case.
Kay Wenal murder case: How did she die & was the killer caught?
CBS News reported that Kay Wenal’s murderer slit her throat twice. Citing the investigators, the outlet stated that the killer “decided to do what we call an insurance cut, a second cut to make sure that she was going to die.” Even though authorities didn’t find any murder weapon, they believed that the killer used a sharp weapon. CBS News stated, “It could’ve been a hunting or fishing knife…it did not cause any jagged lacerations.”
As the investigation progressed, investigators noted that the killer knew Kay Wenal’s address. Police told CBS News that they discovered a towel with traces of the victim’s blood. Moreover, the only physical evidence they found was a latex glove. Police had initially suspected Kay Wenal’s husband, Hal. However, they ruled him out as a suspect after discovering that he had no motive to kill his wife. CBS News further mentioned that Hal even hired a team of private investigators for the case and offered a reward of $250,000 for anyone who would provide information about the killer.
Although investigators couldn’t find the murder weapon, they had a small breakthrough when one of Kay Wenal’s neighbors told them he saw an unknown man in the neighborhood. The witness said that the man was seen in their closed passage on the day of the murder and before that, following which a sketch of the unknown man was made after consulting the neighbor. Unfortunately, authorities couldn’t identify him.
A few months after the murder, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution received a letter made out of letters from magazines. The letter seemingly claimed why the killer murdered Kay Wenal. The outlet handed over the letter to the investigators, who confirmed its authenticity. Authorities then sent the letter to the forensics, but they couldn’t find any DNA.
As of now, the case remains unsolved, with Kay Wenal’s family still hoping to catch the killer.
