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Over four decades ago, in February 1982, Cathy Krauseneck was discovered dead in her upstate New York home with an ax embedded in her skull. The 29-year-old mother-of-one was found in bed at a horrific crime scene, while her daughter Sara was unharmed in a separate room. The incident was termed as "one of the worst outcomes of domestic violence."
The case remained unsolved for decades until 2019 when James Krauseneck was arrested in connection with the murder. Further examination proved that he was likely present inside the house when she was attacked, contradicting his previous claims of being at work. James was found guilty last September.
On Friday, January 20, NBC's Dateline will release an all-new two-hour episode, titled The Bad Man, revisiting the decades-old "Bright Ax Murder" case of Cathy Krauseneck. The episode will premiere at 9 pm ET.
Cathy Krauseneck murder case: Five quick facts to know about the decades-old case dubbed the Brighton Ax Murder
1) Cathy Krauseneck was found in bed still dressed in her nightclothes
On February 19, 1982, Cathy Krauseneck was found dead in her bedroom at the Brighton residence she and her 30-year-old husband, James Krauseneck, resided in. She was killed with a single ax blow to the head and the incident was first believed to be the outcome of a botched burglary.
Given that Cathy was discovered in her nightclothes at the time, authorities concluded that she was attacked in her sleep and that the crime occurred early in the morning. Sara, the couple's three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, was by herself at home.
2) The crime scene was discovered by James Krauseneck, who then sought assistance from neighbors
Cathy Krauseneck's husband, James, worked as an economist at Eastman Kodak Co. back then. He claimed to have arrived home shortly before five o'clock in the evening and saw the garage door and another adjoining door open. James also mentioned finding glass on the floor. He then discovered Cathy dead, with an ax embedded in her skull, upstairs in their bedroom while she was still in bed.
Their daughter was unharmed and in another room, and as soon as he found her, James allegedly rushed over to a neighbor's house to ask for assistance. The neighbor reported to the police that he had "a look of terror on his face."
3) James claimed that he left for work before the incident but later investigation contradicted his statement
James Krauseneck initially admitted to authorities that he left his house for work at approximately 6.30 am on the day his wife was murdered. The medical examiner's initial finding that Cathy had died between 6.55 am and 8.55 am caused the timing to shift the blame away from James initially.
However, a later investigation in 2015, when the case re-opened after remaining cold for decades, revealed that Cathy was killed sometime between nine o'clock the previous evening and three or four the following morning, which meant that she was killed before James left for work.
Moreover, Cathy's body temperature indicated that she was slain while her husband was still at home. Dr. Michael Baden, a renowned forensic pathologist, concluded that she died sooner than what the original medical examiner's analysis revealed indicated. The partially digested food in her stomach and body stiffness backed up the theory. In addition, body stiffness only develops at least 12 hours after a person has died.
4) The couple were allegedly going through a rough patch in their marriage
Investigators eventually learned that James never completed his doctorate but was able to hold down a job at Eastman Kodak. Moreover, he previously even taught economics at Lynchburg College. Both positions demanded that particular degree. Investigators thought the tension between the two was based on his bogus degree. Cops also found a pamphlet on marriage therapy in the family's vehicle.
5) The husband was found guilty in Cathy Krauseneck's 1982 murder
During his September 2022 trial, James Krauseneck was found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury after prosecutors alleged that he murdered his wife using an ax from their garage, staged the crime scene, and departed for work that morning, leaving behind their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter alone in the house. He then returned home and pretended to find the murder scene.
After the conviction of the 70-year-old, he was given a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison for the decades-old murder of Cathy Krauseneck.
