How a man murdered his estranged wife and fled state with teen girlfriend
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Key Points:
- Cati Blauvelt, 22, was found murdered in the basement of an abandoned house in Simpsonville, South Carolina, in 2016 after being reported missing; she died from a fatal stab wound to the neck.
- Blauvelt's estranged husband, John Blauvelt, became the prime suspect after security footage showed suspicious activity involving her car post-mortem; he fled with his teenage girlfriend, Hannah Thompson, prompting a nationwide manhunt.
- Thompson later cooperated with authorities, revealing John confessed to the murder and implicating herself as the getaway driver; John was apprehended in Oregon in 2022 and subsequently convicted of murder, receiving a life sentence without parole.
- Thompson pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and misprision of a felony, receiving probation, while John Blauvelt is currently appealing his conviction.
- The case is featured in a "20/20" episode titled "Born to Kill," highlighting Blauvelt's life and the investigation, with her family remembering her as a kind and beloved individual.
