Here is background information about his two failed marriages to teenage girls and his troubled work history.
News Updates:
10/23/06: John Mark Karr has moved to Atlanta, Georgia to live with his father. Although his father has lived there for 55 years, the neighborhood is concerned.Source: CBS46.com
The dismissal of the case means that John Mark Karr will not have to register as a sex offender.
8/29/2006: The results of DNA tests led Boulder prosecutors to drop their murder case against John Mark Karr. He is awaiting extradition back to California on 2001 charges of child pornography.
8/20/2006: While authorities await his arrival in the U.S., conflicting information has created concerns that John Mark Karr is just seeking media attention and that he wants to be in the spotlight.
8/17/2006: John Karr, 41, a divorced father of 3 children, confessed to being involved in the death of JonBenét Ramsey.
After Karr's deportation from Bangkok, Thailand, he could be charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, child sexual assault, and child pornography charges.
John Mark Karr: December 11, 1964.
John Karr's Family Background:
John's father, Wexford Karr, had two failed marriages to women who were 19 to 23 years younger than he was.Although John's father won custody in the divorce from John's mother, John lived with his paternal grandparents in Hamilton, Alabama while he was growing up.
- Quientana Shotts: John and Quientana married in 1984 out of state when she was 13 years old. Some reports say that she lied about her age.
John was 19 years old at the time of their wedding. Nine months later their marriage ended and was annulled in March 1985.
Quientana is quoted as saying, "I got scared by his ways. He never was real violent, just pushy."
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution
- Lara Marie Knutson: Lara was from Lilburn, Georgia. John and Lara married in May 1989 in Lawrenceville, Georgia when she was 16 years old. John was 24 when they wed. On September 1, 1989 Lara and John had twin daughters (Angel and Innocence) who died the same day they were born at home. They are buried at the New Cooper Cemetery near Hamilton, Alabama. They later had three children.
Lara and John's divorce was final on July 10, 2001.
- After being arrested on April 13, 2001, John Karr was released from the Sonoma County jail on his own recognizance on October 5, 2001 after serving six months on a child pornography charge. An arrest warrant was issued for John when he did not appear in court on December 13, 2001.
Lara petitioned for sole custody of their children with no visitation rights for John on October 18, 2001.
- The San Francisco Sentinel reported that Lara told the court "he insisted she cut off ties with her family and friends" and that "she was a 16-year-old bride who didn't know any better than to give in to his demands." She said Karr "purposely set about to get me pregnant so we could marry without parental consent, as is the Georgia law."
- Note: Georgia Code: 19-3-2 states: "However, the age limitations contained in this paragraph shall not apply upon proof of pregnancy on the part of the female or in instances in which both applicants are the parents of a living child born out of wedlock, in which case the parties may contract marriage regardless of age;"
- More About Getting Married in Georgia
Occupations:
Once a used car salesman, John Karr became a substitute teacher but didn't have good recommendations. His California teaching credentials were revoked in April 2003. Many school authorities had issues concerning his relationships with his young female students.Screen shot of John Karr's Resume provided by Newsweek National News.
