Homicide of small-town wife, mother, and 'secret' online exhibitionist spurs local rumors and internet sleuthing

Kathleen Dawn West’s death on Jan. 13 has inspired much internet sleuthing. (Photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10214327846983544&set=pb.1637959250.-2207520000.1516488278.&type=3&theater" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Facebook;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Facebook</a>)
Kathleen Dawn West’s death on Jan. 13 has inspired much internet sleuthing. (Photo: Facebook)

Kathleen Dawn West, 42, was found dead outside her home in Calera, Ala., in the early morning hours of Jan. 13. A mother of a 12-year-old daughter and married for 14 years, West is also reputed to have led a secret life as an online exhibitionist.

A neighbor discovered West’s body on her way to work. She was found face down, partially nude, with half of her body in the road and half in the yard of her neighbor across the street. Beside her body was a cellphone and a green bottle of alcohol, the neighbor said. It looked as if the bottle had been placed on the phone.

Police are ruling the death a homicide but have released few details, and no charges have been filed. Growing speculation about West’s death has let to the creation of at least two private Facebook groups where local residents share information and theories about what happened.

An autopsy was performed by the Shelby County Coroner’s office, and its report was unable to confirm a cause of death, the Shelby County Reporter reported.

Many believe West’s death has something to do with her activities as a self-proclaimed “exobitionist” online. West, who went by MeowMeowKittenChow75 on Instagram and Twitter, posted countless photos of herself posing in lingerie and bikinis.

West also had a private site on OnlyFans.com, where subscribers had access to further photos for a $15.99 monthly subscription fee. West also posted an Amazon wishlist where patrons could buy lingerie and swimwear for her.

It is not known whether her family was aware of what some news outlets are calling a “double life,” and the question of who took the photos of West has not been revealed.

Her husband of 14 years, William Jeffrey West, a 21-year army veteran and an unsworn officer for the Birmingham—Southern College campus police, has deleted his Facebook account in the wake of his wife’s death.

Kat West and her husband, William (Photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213487665099522&set=a.1521777617886.71217.1637959250&type=3&theater" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Facebook;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Facebook</a>)
Kat West and her husband, William (Photo: Facebook)

West never posted about her other online activities on her personal Facebook page, but was apparently active for years on the Cougar Club Facebook group. That group posted a memorial to her after news of her death was made public.

In posts she made to the group, users would leave comments like “Gee. Wonder if they’re real!” and “Bet she gets dirty.” One person even went back to one of her posts from November to write “rest in peace”.

West did, however, post the occasional sexually suggestive post to her personal page, calling some of them “Frisky Friday” posts, which could, again, raise questions about how much her family knew of her online activity

.

The mysterious circumstances of her death have led internet sleuths to speculate that an online admirer is the most likely culprit, while others accuse West’s husband. Since little to no information has yet been released yet by police, it’s impossible to say at this point what the facts are surrounding her death.

West described herself as a “full time wife and mommy” on Facebook. She shared videos of cute animals and inspirational quotes, as well as selfies showing her and her 12-year-old daughter.

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