After eight years of anticipation, John Blauvelt finally faced justice this week. On Monday, September 16, Blauvelt, who had been charged with the 2016 murder of his estranged wife, Catherine “Cati” Boyter-Blauvelt, stood trial in Greenville County, facing charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The high-profile case, which drew national attention due to Blauvelt’s years on the run, culminated in his conviction on Friday, September 20.
During pre-trial motions, both the state and the defense debated the inclusion of Blauvelt’s history of domestic violence in the trial. Prosecutors argued that Blauvelt had a “to-do” list on his fridge, with the chilling note “get rid of Cati” written on it, and they alleged he had approached several people, offering money to have his estranged wife killed. The defense denied these accusations.
Both sides acknowledged that John and Cati had separated just four days before her brutal murder. Cati’s body was discovered on October 26, 2016, in an abandoned house in Simpsonville, South Carolina. She had been stabbed to death.
Blauvelt, a former U.S. Army recruiter stationed in Greenville County, fled after the murder, sparking a nationwide manhunt. He remained on the run for six years, living under the alias “Ben Klein” before being arrested in Oregon in October 2022. During the trial, the court heard audio recordings of U.S. Marshals interviewing a woman Blauvelt had lived with during his time in Oregon, who said he had given her a false name and hidden his past.
On Friday, the jury found Blauvelt guilty of both charges, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The conviction marked the end of a tragic chapter for Cati’s family, who had waited years for justice.
The murder of Catherine Boyter-Blauvelt occurred just days after the couple’s separation in October 2016. Cati’s family had reported her missing on October 24, after she failed to meet friends after work. Her body was found two days later in a deserted Simpsonville home. Arrest warrants revealed that she had been stabbed to death, leaving her family and community devastated.
Blauvelt, instead of facing the charges, fled the state and took his 17-year-old girlfriend, Hannah Thompson, with him. Thompson was reported missing on November 21, 2016, but was later found safe in Oregon after being abandoned by Blauvelt. She eventually returned home to South Carolina, but Blauvelt continued to evade authorities for years.
The U.S. Marshals finally caught up with him in 2022, thanks to a multi-agency investigation. His ability to stay hidden for so long exemplified the challenges law enforcement faces when tracking fugitives willing to assume new identities and cut all ties.
While his arrest and conviction provided long-awaited relief to Cati’s family, the trial brought back painful memories of her brutal death. Blauvelt’s sentencing to life in prison without parole closes a case that captivated both South Carolina and the nation for nearly a decade.
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