text: The mother of a Shelby County wife and mother who was found partially-nude and dead outside of her home one week ago today has launched an online fundraising campaign to help with a funeral for Kathleen Dawn "Kat"West. 
   
   The body of the 42-year-old Calera woman, who had subscription-only website where she went by the name Kitty Kat West, was discovered about 5 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, in the 100 block of Green Wood Circle. Calera Police Chief Sean Lemley said the case is being treated as a homicide but has not revealed the cause of death, citing the ongoing investigation. No arrests have been made, and police have not indicated whether they believe her online activities may have played a role in her death. 
   
   Family members have not responded to requests for interviews, and the words of her mother, Nancy Martin, are the first public statement from family. This is what she wrote on Saturday: 
   
   "It seems so impossible for the extreme sadness and grief we feel as the loss of our beautiful daughter Kat to ever diminish or decease however, the Lord is our hope and our salvation, and he can turn our mourning into comfort. God wants to encourage us and relieve our suffering if we will just go to him at all times. And his word is powerful enough to bring healing and solace even during our darkest hours. 
   
   My family asks for your prayers and support in our time of loss. My beautiful daughter Kat was not just my daughter but a cherished wife to Jeff, as well as a loving mother to their daughter. So much negativity is out there, but with God all I see and hear is the goodness of my Kat. My family and I ask for help in the services to lay our daughter to rest with the good Lord, to where she will be guiding her daughter and husband through this. If you're not able to make a donation we ask for prayers." 
   
   West and her husband, an unsworn Birmingham Southern College campus police officer, kept to themselves, neighbors said. They lived at the home, which they built in 2015, with their 12-year-old daughter. Kat West was often seen mowing their lawn, neighbors said, and was known to have a fascination with Marilyn Monroe. 
   
   Kat West touted herself on social media as a stay-at-home mom but also had a subscription-only website, where she went by the name Kitty Kat West. Her Twitter and Instagram accounts, also under the name of Kitty Kat West, featured revealing photos of West, and directed viewers to her paid adult website, which cost $15.99 per subscription. 
   
   Neighbors said they didn't hear any commotion Friday night or Saturday morning at the West home. One man, who asked that his name not be used, said his daughter made the gruesome discovery Saturday morning when she was heading to work 
   
   She saw the woman in the roadway and went back home to get her father. He said West was face down, partially in the street and partially in the grass of the across-the-street neighbor's yard. He touched her back to see if she was breathing, and she was not, he said. 
   
   The witness said West was wearing only a sports bra, and that she was bleeding from the head. A cell phone was nearby and a green liquor bottle was on top of it, as if it had been placed there, he said. West's husband was briefly on the scene, and then neighbors called 911. Police have not confirmed that account. 
   
   The slaying shocked the normally-tranquil neighborhood, the community and beyond. Calera is a city with few violent crimes, and averages only about one homicide a year. 
   
   Friends and family have been tight-lipped on Kat West's death. She was a member of a Facebook group called The Cougar Club, which emphasized that it is not a dating site, but rather a place to "spread the word that a Cougar is a beautiful, intelligent, classy older woman who men of all ages find attractive." 
   
   The administrator for that page declined a request for an interview but sent AL.com this statement: "We're heartbroken to hear that such a beautiful, sweet young woman had her life ended so suddenly. Although we never spoke with her, any correspondence with her was always pleasant and professional. We will miss her and pray for her family and friends." ||||| Kathleen Dawn West, a 42-year-old mom who lived in Calera, Alabama, was found dead in the street near her home last week. Police, who have classified her death as a homicide, are offering no further details at this time. But that hasn’t stopped swarms of amateur sleuths on Facebook from searching through her digital dirty laundry for clues—or major news outlets from following their lead, baselessly suggesting that her death might have something to do with “risque photos” she posted online. 
   
   Two private Facebook groups created to examine West’s death, Murder of Kat West Discussion Group (Official) and Kat West Murder Discussion, have over 3,000 members combined. The discussions offer a litany of conspiracy theories about what happened to West, with posts featuring local hearsay, screenshots of her and her family’s social media accounts, and even a bloody photo of the street where she died. 
   
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   The Facebook users’ initial interest in West was spurred by her apparent social media accounts, which linked to a subscription-only website promising adult modeling photos. Since then, topics in the Facebook groups have come to include a wide range of conjecture, clues and updates from both locals and out-of-state true crime fanatics. Much of this analysis, however, is ultimately spun from the few threads the late West left online when she died. 
   
   Administrators encourage members to share their own guesses about what happened, with West’s online “lifestyle” figuring prominently in their conclusions. One popular (completely unsubstantiated) theory posits that a “deranged stalker” who subscribed to West’s website killed her. Other users point to her husband as a more likely culprit. And others still combine various existing theories to create their own. 
   
   
   
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   One member suggested West’s (proposed) stalker murdered her because they knew her husband was out hunting. Another posted a photo from West’s husband’s Instagram account of a green liquor bottle—similar to one described by a witness as near the crime scene. Another user expressed skepticism about the hypothesis that West was murdered during a fight with her husband, noting that her body was found across the street from their home. 
   
   
   
   The overriding tone of these discussions is a mixture of lurid interest and small-town hysteria, with users desperate for clues to inspire or reinforce their own unproven theories. As Sophie Kleeman wrote in recent story about local Facebook groups for The Outline, “while people may join these groups for ‘community’ or hyperlocal information, they often stay for the drama.” 
   
   
   
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   “Our admins are a group of friends who’ve always been interested in true crime and an Alabama local posted the little blurb from her paper that did little more than ID her body,” Ashley, an admin of one of the Facebook groups and who asked to only be identified by her first name, told Gizmodo over Messenger. “As soon as we searched for her profile, we saw that she was gorgeous, young, and had this sort of salacious double life that she seemed to live pretty openly, and wondered if the fact that she didn’t separate the two could have been an aid or catalyst in her death. It was just odd to see so much out there wide open, yet the local reporters basically said nothing. We were all fascinated and we thought that others might be as well.” 
   
   
   
   Melissa MacKinnon, also an admin for one of the Facebook groups, told Gizmodo over Messenger that the admins are involved in a larger group, True Crime Society, a private club for the “crime-obsessed” that has nearly 2,000 members. MacKinnon said that they create separate, dedicated pages for “something that looks like it could turn into something bigger,” noting that West’s case “struck us because of her line of side work, the fact that nobody seemed to hear anything that night and the fact that no news media or police were talking about it at all.” 
   
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   But West’s case did receive the usual, non-lurid coverage by local outlets in the immediate aftermath of her death. After the fanatical Facebook groups were created, however, AL.com published a story covering the more salacious details of West’s online presence and the existence of the groups. And on Friday, the Associated Press ran an article with even more information about West’s online life and the Facebook groups, which was syndicated by The Washington Post and The New York Times. 
   
   Bearing the headline “Killing of Small-Town Online Exhibitionist Shocks Community,” the AP story specifies the monthly subscription price for West’s “sexier images” site and claims police “are now faced with a question: Did West’s online activities play a role in her death?” But no publicly disclosed evidence or statements from authorities have connected West’s social media activities to her killing in any way. Asked for comment, the Calera Police Department provided Gizmodo with a public information form on West’s case, saying, “this is the only information we have to release at this time.” The report doesn’t include any information linking the her death to her internet presence, nor does it identify a suspect. At this point, attributing West’s homicide to provocative photos she shared online is pure conjecture at best, and victim shaming at worst. 
   
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   “I think her lifestyle is part of who she is,” an admin of one of the groups who asked to speak anonymously said over Messenger. “You project to social media what you want known about yourself. As long as someone isn’t saying she deserved to die because of the lifestyle she led, or shaming her because of them, we don’t shy away from them.” The admin added that victim shaming isn’t permitted in the Facebook groups. 
   
   
   
   It’s clear that these private Facebook groups offer members with similar interests a space to freely entertain their most ludicrous ideas. With West’s case, crime-obsessed users can feed off each other’s fanaticism, unimpeded by the scrutiny of outside observers. (For the most part, at least: Multiple posts by users questioning the substance of the “discussion” show their authors are no longer members.) Such groups make Facebook’s new focus on “building community” seem deeply misguided. In a bubble, any suggestive detail is easily mistaken for absolute proof. 
   
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   As we know, internet investigations like these can lead to serious, even violent, consequences in real life. “Pizzagate,” the conspiracy theory that John Podesta and Hillary Clinton were running a child-trafficking ring out of a Washington DC pizzeria, was chiefly driven by “citizen investigators” on 4chan and other websites. In the end, it inspired a 28-year-old North Carolina man to travel to the pizza parlor and fire a rifle inside the restaurant. And after the Boston marathon bombing, internet sleuths tried to identify the bombers by inspecting photos of the crowd. They did—incorrectly—and innocent men unconnected to the attack were harassed, interrogated by reporters, and even ended up on the cover of The New York Post. 
   
   
   
   In addition to the dangers posed by promoting rumors and misidentifying suspects, these amateur investigations can directly interfere with actual police inquiries. According to the Shelby County Reporter, police claimed on Friday that “much of the information and speculation” shared by media outlets and on social media “has hindered their investigation” into West’s death. 
   
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   “Everything is a false theory until the case is solved,” MacKinnon assured Gizmodo. “We like to speculate and theorize and discuss those theories and speculations. We make it clear that they are only speculations and that they are not facts.” 
   
   
   
   We have reached out to the Associated Press for comment and will update this story if and when they respond. ||||| This Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018 photo, shows the home of homicide victim Kathleen Dawn West in Calera, Ala. West identified herself as an exhibitionist on a website offering adult photos. She was found dead... (Associated Press) 
   
   This Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018 photo, shows the home of homicide victim Kathleen Dawn West in Calera, Ala. West identified herself as an exhibitionist on a website offering adult photos. She was found dead outside the house, and no arrests have been made. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves) (Associated Press) 
   
   This Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018 photo, shows the home of homicide victim Kathleen Dawn West in Calera, Ala. West identified herself as an exhibitionist on a website offering adult photos. She was found dead outside the house, and no arrests have been made. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves) (Associated Press) This Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018 photo, shows the home of homicide victim Kathleen Dawn West in Calera, Ala. West identified herself as an exhibitionist on a website offering adult photos. She was found dead... (Associated Press) 
   
   CALERA, Ala. (AP) — Kathleen Dawn West described herself as a full-time wife and mom on Facebook but lived another life on other social media platforms, calling herself an exhibitionist and posting risque photos with a chance for subscribers to see sexier images for $15.99 a month. 
   
   West, 42, was found dead outside her home near Birmingham, and authorities are now faced with a question: Did West's online activities play a role in her death? 
   
   Police have classified West's death as a homicide, but they haven't said how she died. What appears to be the remainder of a blood stain darkens the asphalt across the street from the two-story brick home she shared with her husband and middle school-age daughter. 
   
   No charges had been filed by Friday, six days after she died. But the mysterious nature of West's death — she was found dead early Saturday in the quiet bedroom community of Calera, a town of 14,000 people about 35 miles south of Birmingham — has people buzzing. 
   
   At least two Facebook groups with more than 2,200 members total have been created to discuss the case, and neighbors are concerned in West's subdivision, where homes are still under construction. 
   
   "It's shocking that it happened so close to home, so all you can do is worry and think about your family, and that's all I've been doing," Xavier Lee, who lives two door down, told WIAT-TV. 
   
   Word of West's death was met with sadness at the gym where she worked out until dropping her membership a few months ago. 
   
   "She'd come in, do her thing and leave. She kind of kept to herself," said Austin Lockhart, owner of Fit 24 Calera. "She'd wave and smile. She was a nice lady." 
   
   On Facebook, West posted lots of selfies and commenters often mentioned her attractiveness. But there were also photos of her wedding to longtime husband William Jeffrey West and images of West and her daughter playing in the snow last month. 
   
   But West, a Florida native with blonde hair and a resemblance to Marilyn Monroe, seemed like a different person on other online accounts. 
   
   With a personal description that included "exhibitionist," West had a private Instagram account with nearly 52,000 followers that linked to a paid site that featured adult content and "naughty fun." Some of the images were included on a site for "mature hotties." 
   
   Similar content was posted on Twitter, where West's presence began March 2016. 
   
   Initially, West just tweeted links to a site where she sold clothing items, including dresses, coats, shoes and kid's clothing. The feed took a sharp turn Aug. 11, when she tweeted: "Happy Frisky Friday - Let's get this party started," with a link to the pay-per-view site. The description included a link to a "wish list" page where viewers could purchase lingerie for her. 
   
   The posts continued until the morning before her death, when West tweeted a link to sell a women's wool jacket. A few days earlier, she had posted a lingerie photo showing her bare buttocks that linked to her adult site. 
   
   In Calera, neighbors don't know what to think about West's slaying. 
   
   "This child doesn't have their mother anymore. Don't know why, don't know what happened, that led up to the incident, but to wake up to that news, it makes you think," Lee said. 
   
   Federal court records show West and her husband filed for bankruptcy in 2007 while living in Cartersville, Georgia, but the case appeared to be handled routinely and closed within months. Tax records indicate they moved into the home in Calera in 2015. It was valued at $169,000 last year.
target: – Kathleen Dawn West described herself as a full-time wife and mom on Facebook but lived another life on other social media platforms, calling herself an exhibitionist and posting risque photos with a chance for subscribers to see sexier images for $15.99 a month. The 42-year-old's partially nude body was found dead outside her Alabama home, and authorities are now faced with a question: Did West's online activities play a role in her death? Police have classified West's death as a homicide, but they haven't said how she died. No charges had been filed by Friday, six days after she died. But the mysterious nature of West's death—she was found dead early Jan. 13 in the quiet bedroom community of Calera, a town of 14,000 people about 35 miles south of Birmingham—has people buzzing. At least two Facebook groups with more than 2,200 members total have been created to discuss the case (Gizmodo digs into their theories). West posted photos of her husband and daughter on her own Facebook account, but seemed like a different person on other online accounts, reports the AP. With a personal description that included "exhibitionist," West had a private Instagram account under the name Kitty Kat West, reports Al.com, with nearly 52,000 followers that linked to a paid site that featured adult content and "naughty fun." Some of the images were included on a site for "mature hotties." Initially, West just tweeted links to a site where she sold clothing items, including dresses, coats, shoes, and kid's clothing. The feed took a sharp turn Aug. 11, when she tweeted: "Happy Frisky Friday - Let's get this party started," with a link to the pay-per-view site. The posts continued until the morning before her death. The AP has more.