Suvechha Sarkar
The community of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was shaken to its core when 22-year-old Catherine Ann Blauvelt, lovingly known as Cati, went missing in October 2016. Just two days later, her remains were discovered in an abandoned house. What followed was an intensive investigation that led officials to someone close to Cati. The episode titled ‘Cati Blauvelt: Death of A Soldier’s Wife’ of CBS’ ’48 Hours’ sheds light on the troubling details of the murder and the cross-country search for the killer for 6 years. It also features emotional interviews with Cati’s mother, stepsister, friend, and detectives who worked on the case.
Cati Blauvelt’s Remains Were Discovered in an Abandoned Farmhouse
Catherine Ann Boyter, affectionately known as Cati, arrived as a beacon of light on August 8, 1994. While growing up, she received immeasurable love from her parents, Patricia Ann Piver and Richard Boyter. She also developed a strong connection with her sisters, Brittney Boyter and Brandi Blackwell, and her brother, Brandon Boyter. Sadly, the union between Patricia and Richard didn’t work out, and they eventually parted ways. Patricia then married Daniel Piver, which led Cati and her siblings to welcome their stepsisters, Taylor Piver, Jennifer Piver, Danielle Piver, and stepbrother, John Piver, into their lives. After graduating from high school, Cati began working at Firehouse Subs. It was located near the Armed Forces Career Center, where Cati met Army Recruiter John Tufton Blauvelt in 2014.
It didn’t take Cati and John long to grow closer, and soon they began dating. By the summer of 2015, she also enlisted in the army, but a medical issue with her spine prevented her from completing her training, leading her to get a medical discharge after just two months. Cati’s love for animals ultimately paved the way for her to begin working at PetSmart. In 2016, Cati and John reportedly married at the courthouse, and she moved into his home in Fountain Inn, near Simpsonville, South Carolina. However, owing to some issues in their relationship, Cati moved out less than 3 months later. Things changed on October 24, 2016, when Cati’s loved ones were unable to reach her.
Reports state that Cati was last seen leaving her job at PetSmart and was scheduled to meet her friends on October 24, but she never made it. After Patricia reported Cati missing on October 25, the search began. The following day, two of her friends reportedly visited an old farmhouse in Simpsonville in search of Cati, where they found Cati unresponsive in a concrete box in the basement. When officials rushed to the house after the 911 call, Cati was declared dead from a stab wound in the neck. Further search uncovered her 2011 Ford Focus at a car wash near White Horse Road. The autopsy reportedly determined her cause of death to be the stab wound. It also revealed that the knife broke during the attack, and the blade was lodged in her neck. Moreover, they found a male’s DNA under her right fingernails.
The Killer and His Girlfriend Went on the Run After the Investigation Began
During the initial missing person investigation, authorities spoke with Cati’s mother, Patricia, who informed them that Cati had been estranged from her husband, John, for the past few months. According to reports, Cati objected when John brought high school students into their house to party, which eventually led her to move out. Police records state that a 17-year-old girl, Hannah Thompson, who often came to parties at the house, moved in with John soon after. Hannah’s father reportedly contacted the police, informing them that he hadn’t seen his daughter for two weeks on February 26, 2016. John was arrested the following day and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, as per records.
Investigative reports indicate that when authorities spoke with Cati following that arrest, she alleged that just a month prior, John pulled a gun on her and claimed that he also threatened to harm her family. Court records state that after investigating the matter, John was charged with domestic violence. Furthermore, according to official records, Cati was granted a restraining order to prevent John from seeing her. It is essential to note that John was seemingly not convicted of either of the two charges against him. Patricia stated that despite the restraining order, Cati allegedly visited John’s house since her dog was there. According to police records, due to his run-ins with the law, John’s pay was cut, and he was suspended from his duties as an army recruiter.
According to Cati’s friend, Aly Somerville, she had allegedly heard John say on multiple occasions that he wanted to kill Cati. Reports state several witnesses came forward claiming that John believed Cati destroyed his career. When investigators finally questioned John, he denied any involvement in the crime, reports state. Further court records suggest that John was in a relationship with Hannah. Shortly after the interrogation, John fled from the state along with Hannah. In the meantime, forensic experts reportedly discovered that the DNA under Cati’s fingernails belonged to John. On November 18, 2016, John was charged with the murder of Cati and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, although he was still on the run.
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Nationwide Search and Crucial Confessions Helped Officials Solve the Case
Police records state that in the months that followed, several license plate readers caught John’s car passing by Texas, Alabama, California, and New Mexico before heading south. According to reports, on December 12, 2016, Hannah made contact with her family from Eugene, Oregon, informing them that she was abandoned by John. By December 20, she reportedly arrived in South Carolina for an interview. As per official reports, Hannah claimed that John told her the details about how he killed Cati. In her statements, she reportedly confessed to helping John hide Cati’s car but claimed that she didn’t know where John was.
Reports state that in early 2022, Hannah finally confessed to the authorities that she had been in contact with John through Messenger and Snapchat, which ended in 2019. As per investigative reports, Hannah told officials that John was likely in Oregon with another woman. With assistance from the US Marshals and local authorities, they reportedly tracked him down in Medford, Oregon. According to court records, on July 20, 2022, John, who was living under the fake name Ben Klein, was finally arrested and extradited to South Carolina. Reports suggest that investigators found his journal, in which he wrote, “I did it.”
Further records indicate that during the arrest, John claimed he was Ben Klein, but his identity was confirmed through fingerprint analysis. On October 12, 2022, Hannah was taken into custody and charged with two counts of misprision (or concealment) of a felony, two counts of obstruction of justice, and one count of accessory after the fact. The jury trial of John began in September 2024, and he was convicted of both charges. He was ultimately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On the other hand, Hannah avoided a trial by pleading guilty to one count of obstruction of justice and one count of misprision of a felony on August 20, 2025. Right after, Hannah was sentenced to 3 years of supervised probation.
