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Extradition for man in killing, online photo case

By WTOP Staff

STEVEN DUBOIS
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man accused of killing his live-in girlfriend and posting photos of her lifeless body online will be returned to Washington state after he surrendered to an officer in neighboring Oregon and waived extradition.

David Kalac, 33, was arrested Wednesday night nearly 200 miles from the crime scene after a daylong manhunt.

He was being held on $2 million bail in Portland on a second-degree murder charge. He waived extradition Thursday and will be returned to Port Orchard, Washington, west of Seattle, sometime Thursday or Friday, said Lt. Steve Alexander of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office in Portland.

Kalac is accused of killing Amber Lynn Coplin, 30, after an argument in their Port Orchard apartment.

He then posted photographs of her bloody, bruised body and commented about the killing online, said Scott Wilson, a Kitsap County sheriff’s deputy. The images appeared on 4chan, an online bulletin board.

Kalac wrote about strangling the woman and his plan to be fatally shot by police. He posted the comments and photos anonymously, but authorities confirmed they were from him, Wilson said.

An autopsy was being conducted Thursday.

Kalac evaded police in Coplin’s stolen car until he emerged from a wooded area near Wilsonville, about 20 miles south of Portland, and turned himself in to a passing officer.

“He basically said, ‘I have a warrant for my arrest,'” Clackamas County sheriff’s Sgt. Nate Thompson said in a telephone interview. Kalac was cooperative but provided no details about how he got to Wilsonville, the spokesman said.

Washington state detectives aim to interview him and pick up the slain woman’s car, a 2001 Ford Focus found Wednesday in Portland.

Police responded to the couple’s apartment after Coplin’s 13-year-old son found her body.

Near Coplin’s head was her driver’s license with the word “dead” written on it. “Bad news” was written on blinds. And the words “she killed me first” were scrawled on a picture on the wall.

Wilson said Kalac took the woman’s car and made the three-hour drive to Portland, where a police officer spotted the vehicle early Wednesday.

The officer tried to stop the driver, but the car sped away. The chase was called off because the vehicle was swerving into oncoming traffic.

Kalac has a criminal history in Washington state and Virginia that includes convictions for assault, burglary and DUI, Kitsap County, Wilson said.

___

Le reported from Seattle.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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