commentary by Patrick H. Moore
Until you’ve actually murdered someone with your bare hands, you have no way of knowing how hard it really is. (My disclaimer here is that I have no intention of ever finding out.) We’ve all seen horror films where no sooner do you think your victim is dead and gone, he or she comes back to life with a vengeance. Sometimes it happens over and over again in films. I suppose the only way to be sure, unless you’re a doctor, is to stay with the body for a good long time to make sure your victim doesn’t wake up.
David Michael Kalac, 33, of Port Orchard, Washington, which is across Puget Sound from Seattle, appears to have done something of this sort either late Monday or Tuesday. Police believe that Kalac killed his girlfriend Amber Lynn Coplin in a domestic dispute at their Port Orchard apartment.
The police apparently believe it was not premeditated first-degree-murder though why they think this is not readily apparent.
What sets this slaying apart from your typical domestic dispute ending in the death of one of the parties is what the alleged slayer Kalac did after poor Amber was finally dead. Or maybe it’s what many violent killers feel the need to do these days before running from the law – while planning your escape you take the time to photograph and post images of the deceased party’s body complete with evocative text.
M. Alex Johnson, Alexander Smith and Phil Helsel of MBC News report:
Kalac is accused of killing his 30-year-old live-in girlfriend, Amber Lynn Coplin, late Monday or Tuesday. Photos showing a woman’s naked body with red marks around her neck were then posted to the online forum 4chan and a person claiming to be the killer stated, “Turns out it’s way harder to strangle someone to death than it looks on the movies.”
In an affidavit of probable cause filed Wednesday morning, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office states that Amber Coplin’s body was found Tuesday afternoon in the apartment she shared with the suspected killer.
Kalac’s 4chan postings have since been deleted but they certainly created a stir while they were up. Understandably, numerous site users doubted the authenticity of Kalac’s posting leading him to reply:
“Check the news for Port Orchard, Washington, in a few hours. Her son will be home from school soon. He’ll find her, then call the cops. I just wanted to share the pics before they find me.”
And share them he did.
The police affidavit stops short stating a cause of death, but says “Coplin’s body showed obvious signs of “homicidal trauma”, which, of course matches the graphic images that appeared on 4chan.
Oddly, Kalac seems to have felt the need to communicate not only with the often faceless cyber crowd, but also with the investigators and Amber Coplin’s son.
His “driver’s license was beside her head, with the word “dead” scrawled on it, according to investigators. The statement “she killed me first” was written on the bedroom wall, and “bad news” was written on the window blinds.”
You get the clear impression Kalac is trying to wring every possible ounce of notoriety out of his horrific act.
Amber Coplin’s body was found by her teenage son, who called his father shortly before 3 pm on Tuesday. The boy’s father then called 911.
Once he finally decided to clear out of the apartment, Kalac left with his clothes, laptop and cellphone, apparently in Coplin’s 2001 Ford Focus which was missing, along with its keys.
His grandstanding notwithstanding, based on his text messages, Kalac may have felt (and be feeling) the same post-homicide regrets that we’ve been seeing so often in the past week. The investigators traced two texts he sent to a friend, which although not without a certain tinge of bravado, do seem to reveal the suspect’s point-blank realization that he’s messed up in a manner which allows for no recourse.
According to the affidavit, his first text read:
“S— is all f—-d now. You’ll see me in the news.”
The second continued, “There will be no more me. ever, You’ll read about it. That’s all.”
Once he finally vacated the Port Orchard apartment, Kalac headed South. Just after 1 am on Wednesday, Coplin’s Ford Focus was reportedly spotted in Portland and the local police report that a driver thought to be Kalac was pulled over during a traffic stop. He escaped, however, when he “suddenly roared off” in the Focus. They police “pursued him across a bridge and down a major road before calling off the chase when the driver began swerving into oncoming traffic.”
Based on these facts, Kalac appears to be desperate, determined and, perhaps, oddly capable. It will be interesting to see how long he remains on the lam, but I certainly don’t expect him to pull an Eric Frein. In his Portland escape, the fact it was the middle of the night probably helped him get away. And, given his seemingly compulsive need to communicate with both friends and strangers, it wouldn’t be too surprising if he continues to send out texts or other communiques periodically, which would make it all the easier for law enforcement to pinpoint his location.
You would think that by this point the police have probably contacted the recipient of his earlier texts with all due requests, warnings and instructions. I’ve never thought of a Ford Focus as being a first-rate getaway car but so far it’s worked for Kalac. I’m also curious as to how he managed to avoid crashing and burning when he “swerved into oncoming traffic” while eluding the police chase. His luck will run out though, more likely sooner rather than later.
Update:
Kitsap County sheriff’s Deputy Scott Wilson in Washington state said police in Portland, Oregon, about 160 miles away, found the dead woman’s car abandoned late Wednesday afternoon. There was no sign of Amber Lynn Coplin’s live-in boyfriend, David Michael Kalac, 33, Wilson said.
2nd Update:
David Michael Kalac gave it up as a lost cause and surrendered at about 8:50 (PST) pm last night and is said to cooperating with the authorities.