The Murder of Katy Hawkelka
Katherine Hawkelka, known as Katy, was a 19-year-old Clarkson University student. She was the second oldest of four siblings.
Katy had recently arrived back at university to begin her second year of studies. On 1st September 1986, she was walking back to her apartment early in the morning when she was attacked. The attack happened outside the university's ice hockey arena, with the attacker initially struggling with Katy before smashing her head into the wall several times until she collapsed. When she was unconscious he then raped her, beat her so severely her family could not recognise her and then strangled her. Two security guards witnessed the beginning of the attack but failed to intervene, they later claimed they had thought it to be a couple having consensual sex. Hours later, the security guards returned to find Katy unconscious, she was rushed to hospital but never regained consciousness and died three days later.
Brian McCarthy, then 23, an unemployed carpenter was arrested and later pleaded guilty to the murder. The attack was said to have been completely random and he had not met Katy before. McCarthy was sentenced to a 23 year to live prison sentence. McCarthy went on to appeal his sentence seven times in 13 years all of which were rejected. Katy's family spoke on the trauma the frequent appeals forced them to go through.
