She chatted to her parents, brother, boyfriend and some friends on the phone at home that evening. That baby is now 14 years old. Over the years, his parents encouraged him to travel and to enjoy his 20s. The Kesse family organized volunteers to pass out fliers and spoke on local and national TV. Jenn was spontaneous and adventurous, Rob said. And I never thought it would be the last time.. 2023 Cox Media Group. . Sunday, May 13, the day before she was reported missing, was Mothers Day and Cummings birthday, and she was supposed to meet her ex-husband at a local store parking lot to pick up her three young children. Her family says they are now getting new leads in her disappearance. She locked her door. Wont stop looking for answers. The Disappearance of Joleen CummingsOn Monday, May 14, 2018, the mother of Joleen Cummings, 34, reported her missing. Cummings vehicle was found on Tuesday, May 16 in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Yulee, Florida, about 12 miles from her workplace. Joyce said shell never give up hope that her daughter is out there somewhere, alive, needing to be rescued. But when I woke up that day, there was nothing.. He was reportedly agitated and excused his lateness by claiming hed received a traffic ticket, but this was allegedly never verified. But at first, I didnt think anything bad, like really bad, had happened to her. There were a few times, Jenn told me, that the workers would just stop and stare at her, Joyce told Dateline. 8. When viewing surveillance videos, investigators spot an unidentified person parking Jennifer's car at 12pm on the day Jennifer went missing. "We firmly believe the departments negligence and lack of competency cost Jennifer the chance to be found," Drew wrote. Investigators also found surveillance video of Sybert dumping trash and a trash can in the Dumpster near the salon, and they searched the local landfill for evidence. In December, WFTV reported that cold case detectives with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are now looking over evidence to see if they can solve the mystery of her disappearance. But there was no evidence in that car, not any that was recorded in the police reports, private investigator Torretta told Dateline. She Went To The Bathroom While Eating Breakfast At A Restaurant. She was always, you know, a big sister and I know for a long time, I was the annoying younger brother, but as we got older, we grew closer, just naturally, Logan told Dateline. She was in very good spirits at the time, having thoroughly enjoyed her vacation and telling her mother that she was on a cloud. That evening she would come home from work and talk to her boyfriend on the phone for a time before heading to bed, and this seems to be the last time anyone ever spoke to her. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. She showered, got dressed. When they tried dialing her, they got her voicemail. Jennifer Kesse and her boyfriend, who lived several hours away in south Florida and was cleared early on by authorities, would call each other on the drive to work each morning. There was no blood, no DNA, no hair samples, nothing.. On January 23, 2006, Jennifer Kesse had just returned from a vacation with her boyfriend in the Virgin Islands. Cookie Notice The Monday after getting back was Jan. 23, 2006. In that second, I knew something was wrong.. But now that I have kids, I have a different understanding of what it would be like, and its heartbreaking.. Construction was ongoing, she had said she was afraid of some of the construction workers, and there were few other residents living in the building. For her disappearance and for the fact that its gone on this long without answers.. THE devastated family of missing Orlando woman Jennifer Kesse insists new hope has been breathed into the heartbreaking attempt to find her. When investigators reviewed the stores surveillance tapes, they saw a familiar face exit the vehicleit was Jennifer Sybert, the co-worker who was the last person to have seen Cummings. ORLANDO, Fla. Seventeen years ago, Jennifer Kesse disappeared in Orlando in a high-profile case that made national news. Wright interviewed Chino inside a prison in 2009. Investigators interviewed a coworker of Jennifers named Johnny Campos but concluded he was not guilty. Sure enough, it was Jennifers car. They'd actually just gotten back from a getaway to St. Croix about a week before she went missing. The Orlando Police Department originally investigated the case. The PI believes Kesse had left her condo and was locking the door when she was grabbed by the workers. Jennifer Kesse, now 39, was abducted from Orlando, FL on January 24, 2006. Kesse was a graduate of Gaither High School in Tampa. Dont worry, you can unsubscribe any time you like. But a woman? But that day, Robs calls and texts to Jenn went unanswered. ORLANDO, Fla Editor's Note:Jennifer Kesse's case was featured last year onCBS News' "48 Hours,"which contributed to this report. Its tedious work, its going to be long and hard but were at the point now where we can see where we can move ahead and we have moved ahead. Her parents went ahead and moved into her condo, so they could help with the investigation. Andrea Cavallier is a Digital Producer for Dateline NBC. Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, who went missing Jan. 24, 2006, at 24 years old. Given the scene of Jenns apartment, authorities began to think Jenn was abducted during her walk to her car or on her way to work. Jennifer Kesse was a successful young woman with a good job and a loving boyfriend when she simply vanished from her Orlando, Fla., condominium. Jennifer Kesse was last seen leaving work in Orlando, Florida on January 23, 2006. Jennifer Kesse disappeared on Jan. 24, 2006. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, LLC. Kesse's family said. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Jenns family is urging the public to utilize any and all social media private messaging to contact their investigative team with tips and leads in the case. Since then, the best clue investigators have found is grainy surveillance video showing a man parking a car, then walking away from the Huntington on the Green apartment complex. One PI named Michael Torretta found evidence that a witness had seen an unidentified person dumping a rolled-up piece of carpet into a lake not far from where Jennifer lived, but when divers were brought in to search, they could find nothing of interest, another dead end. The reason that some people suspect one or more of the construction workers is the fact that the sniffer dog had traced the person who dropped off her car right back to her building. And one night, we were out at a bar and met Jenn and her friends, Rob said. Wright then realized an anonymous tip had been reported right after Kesse vanished, also suggesting Chino might know something. She was a college graduate of the University of Central Florida. The tiniest bone. ORLANDO, Fla. The investigation into the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse more than 16 years ago has been given to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for a cold case review. We only haunt the willing. And she was in a committed relationship with her boyfriend, Rob Allen, who lived in Ft. Lauderdale. This week marks 17 years since the 24-year-old vanished in 2006 but there have been no arrests made. We only know that Kessler had been known to live in Oviedo and other areas around Orlando, where Kesse lived. Creepy Catalog is owned by the Thought and Expression Company, a small, independent media company. Cummings (also referred to in some sources as Joleen Jensen) was last seen leaving her workplace, Tangles Hair Salon, in Fernandina Beach, Florida. When you opt in, not only do you get our curated list of the best horror streaming and stories, you support our work and help us keep the lights on. They sued the Orlando Police Department in 2018, asking for a copy of the case files. She also had a long-distance love with boyfriend Rob Allen, who lived around 3 hours away in Ft. Lauderdale, but with whom she was very serious, finding time to see him every weekend. He's written articles for MU and Daily Grail and has been a guest on Coast to Coast AM and Binnal of America. 5. Is there a chance they encountered one another in the days, weeks, or months leading up to Kesses disappearance? But no, she would not do that. Over the past 15 years, Orlando police and Kesses family have worked to exhaust every lead. The community was supportive and the Kesse family treated me like a son. ORLANDO, Fla. It has been 15 years since the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse and there are still few clues about what happened to her on the day she vanished. The condominiums are about a mile from where Jenn lived. It had been a long day, coming back from the Caribbean, and we were both tired, Rob said. On the drive down, Drew called a building manager at her condominium to check for Jenns car. Surveillance footage later revealed a suspect pulling into a parking space in her car around midday on January 24, waiting around 30 seconds, climbing out and walking away. And how little of the window we have to find Jenn.. Over the years, a GoFundMe page has raised more than $100,000 to help bring them closure. That person is the key, Torretta said. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. But there are a few places where things dont match up or facts that dont seem to align: Obviously the biggest disconnect is that Kessler knew and worked with Cummings. They believed shed been living out of her vehicle and parking at different locations around the area. Three and four hours would pass, and wed still be talking.. Jenns parents also stayed at the condo, for months, in an effort to make a statement that finding their daughter was the number one priority. In an update on Jan. 20, Jennifer's dad said her loved ones won't stop trying to figure out what happened. Kesse was last seen at her Orlando condo near Mall at Millenia. 2. As of right now, there is no law enforcement working on my daughters case. 3. Help Find Missing Jennifer Kesse Facebook page. What is Known About Kimberly Kessler?In 2012, Kimberly Kesslers mother reported her missing. Authorities arrived and confirmed the car was Jenns. We hear you like all things creepy we do too. Jennifer Kesse was first reported missing on January 24, 2006. Two days later, Jennifer's car is found at a nearby apartment complex. On left, Jennifer before her disappearance. I remember talking to my dad on the drive up and he told me, You know, youre the boyfriend, theyre going to look at you, Rob told Dateline. VIDEO: Jennifer Kesse: Investigation into Orlando womans disappearance turned over to FDLE, Jennifer Kesse: Investigation into Orlando womans disappearance turned over to FDLE, Reality star Honey Boo Boo inside speeding car involved in chase with deputies in Georgia, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies after brain aneurysm at 61, SEE: Brightline reaches maximum speed for first time, Florida bill guts local governments power to protect tenants, Local woman who allegedly killed terminally ill husband at hospital out on bond, records show. According to CBS News, they had a disagreement on the phone with the long distance part of their relationship taking its toll. When I reflect back to that time, I feel numb.. Police questioned residents at the apartment complex, but could find no one who remembered seeing anything out of the ordinary or even seeing Jennifer arrive there at all. However, it is pretty clear that Kessler had some personality or psychological issues, and its possible she didnt need a logical motive to attack. In 2019, the family won their legal battle and received more than 14,000 pages of electronic files and hours of video from the Orlando Police Department. Future news of events, Zoom movie marathons, books, and streaming updates will be delivered first to our newsletter readers. Kesses family said FDLEs cold case unit will take over and essentially restart the investigation into the Orlando womans 2006 disappearance from the beginning and work with OPD. That was something she had only told her mother.. If we (the Kesses) did that, wed be in jail.". Shannon joined the Eyewitness News team in 2013. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. No one has identified this POI parking Jennifer's car, and Jennifer has never been found. Here's the recap. IE 11 is not supported. Shortly after she vanished, Kesse's car was discovered parked around a mile from her home. Dailymail.com Reporter, Have you seen Jennifer? Weve created a community powered by horror fans like you and we need you in it. Until the day I die. The door had been locked and nothing was out of the ordinary for someone who had gotten ready for work that morning. Their last trip together took them to the island of St. Croix in the Caribbean. During that presser they also announced that Jennifer Sybert was actually named Kimberly Kessler; she had been living under a fake name and using a fake Social Security number. Something wasnt right. Law enforcement believes she is trying to starve herself to death, and theyve reported that she has fits of rage, including stripping naked and smearing feces and food around her cell. No one.". On right, how Jennifer may look today. I personally have never really wavered on what I think happened, but of course the mind can be pulled into so many different directions because we have nothing concrete, Logan said. Kessler had been known to work construction jobs. Jennifer is loved by us, her family, so many friends as well as strangers around our country and the world, the family wrote. Its notable that despite the fact that an unknown mans sweater was found in her laundry hamper, her condo was never treated as a possible crime scene. They maintain an on-going Go Fund Mepage that has raised more than $80,000, out of a $200,000 goal, to pay for their private investigations. The Kesses have continued to doggedly search for new clues and have a Facebook page and GoFundMe page dedicated to finding answers, even as the police have distanced themselves from it all. ORLANDO, Fla. Where is Jennifer Kesse? Im unsure if Kessler had any known connections to Orlando or the areas or places Kesse lived, worked, or frequented. Missing person signs were posted. On January 23, the day she returned to work after her vacation, a coworker reportedly claims he overheard a conversation between Campos and Jennifer in which Campos was allegedly upset she went on vacation with her boyfriend, only for Jennifer to tell him what a wonderful time shed had. Unfortunately, the surveillance camera was not video but rather snapshots taken every three seconds. The family of a woman who went missing in Florida 15-years-ago this month hope to finally solve the case this year after raising more than $80,000 to pay for private investigations. . Thomas Mates produces News 6 at 5:30 and the podcast Florida Foodie. From surveillance cameras, the authorities were able to see that someone, who was not Jennifer, had calmly driven her car and left it exactly where it was found at around noon on January 24. Jennifer Kesse was 24 at the time of her disappearance and by all accounts was a successful young woman. She was last seen leaving work at around 6:30PM. Nov 08, 2019 at 6:13 pm. As of this posing, the judge in the case has not made a ruling. She was successful, attractive, in love, and well-liked by everyone who knew her, so it seemed that her life was going pretty well, but there was a dark road ahead of her, which would lead into a deeply strange vanishing that remains totally unsolved. On January 24, the day of Jennifers disappearance, Campos didnt show up for work until noon. Kessler spent a lot of time in many Florida cities, including Oviedo, which is basically a suburb of Orlando, where Kesse lived. Subscribe Today! Always in contact with each other, Jenns father, Drew Kesse, told Dateline. Yesterday, there was a post on the Unresolved Mysteries sub about the most out-there theories that we were reticent to share and this one came to mind. But despite extensive searches, few clues to her alleged abduction have ever been found. Her defense teams forensic psychologist believes she has personality disorders and delusional disorders and is not competent to stand trial. The next morning, her boyfriend grew concerned after she didnt call him or send him any text messages. Watch News 6 as they cover breaking local, regional, and national news, plus the latest updates on weather, traffic and sports. 2. More Controversy on the Roswell Affair: An Alien Accident? But I have this gut feeling that one of those workers knows something.. Read: 9 things to know about the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. 15 years since Jennifer Kesse went missing, the familys investigating what happened to her and hope to have answers this year, Fundraiser by Drew Kesse : Help Us Find Jennifer Kesse. , updated From all appearances, Jennifer Kesse of Orlando, Florida was a happy, successful, well-adjusted 24-year-old woman with a bright future. Her disappearance remains a mystery. Sybert was charged with grand theft auto for taking Cummings vehicle and booked in jail. Something. She had complained of inappropriate remarks and catcalls from them, and it was also found that she had been approached by a manager where she worked, who she had turned away, but questioning of these potential suspects turned up no evidence of wrongdoing. She had seemingly simply evaporated into thin air. It was odd that she hadnt called me back, Rob said. This is going to be a long post. Her Black Chevy Malibu was found abandoned one mile away from her home in Orlando. Two days later, her black Chevy Malibu was found at an apartment complex in a high-crime area of Orlando, about a mile from her condo. The only evidence was surveillance footage obtained by Orlando Police that showed an unidentified person walking in the parking lot at the same time Jennifers car was left in the lot -- 12 p.m. on Tuesday, January 24, 2006. This man was interviewed, and at the time he was in prison doing charges for statutory rape, but he adamantly denied having had anything to do with the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse, and further passed a polygraph test, so along with the poor quality footage, he was never pursued as a suspect. It also means retesting evidence the Kesses say has not ever been retested. How do you decide, as a parent, when the right time is to give up the search for your child? Joyce said. Wright would uncover a new lead in the case when he learned from another resident at the condo that the man on the surveillance footage resembled a man she knew from the complex, a former maintenance worker there known simply as Chino, who had also just happened to have done some repairs in Jennifer's condo one week before she disappeared. She stayed at his home that night, drove from there to work the next day, and was seen leaving work that Monday around 6 p.m. She was last confirmed to be alive and in her Orlando, Florida, apartment at about 10 p.m. on the night of January 23, 2006 when she spoke with her boyfriend on the phone. To this day, Jennifer Kesses case remains unsolved and is one of the most mystifying high-profile missing-persons case in American history. When they returned to Robs place in Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday, January 22, 2006, Rob said neither of them were looking forward to getting back to reality. Founded in 2010, Thought Catalog is owned and operated by The Thought & Expression Company, Inc. For over a decade, we've been at the bleeding edge of media, pioneering an infrastructure for creatives to flourish both artistically and financially. [TRENDING: Florida debuts new vaccine hotline | Merritt Island-bound plane found in ocean | Titusville man accused of killing mother]. Shes the most responsible person I know. After seeing Jenns story on the news, a resident of the Huntington on the Green condominiums, reported seeing a black Chevy Malibu that matched the description of the one Jenn owned. Nothing seemed out of place, but Kesse, her purse, phone, and vehicle were missing. ORLANDO, Fla. - It has been 15 years since the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse and there are still few clues about what happened to her on the day she . Kesse's family said FDLE's cold case unit will take over and essentially restart the investigation into the Orlando woman's 2006 . The then 24-year-old had recently been promoted at work. Went outside of her condo locked the door on the way out. I know that as the boyfriend, Im prime suspect number one, Rob said. You never think something like this could ever happen to someone you love.. At the time of her disappearance, Jennifers building was undergoing major renovations and many of the construction workers were undocumented immigrants who were actually living in unoccupied condos on the premises while working there. Unfortunately, no. Perhaps the womens physical similarities made Kesse a target. Then she disappeared one day in January of 2006 and has never been found. She wanted assurance that I loved her. There were three snapshots of the person who dropped off her car, but in every snapshot, the persons face was obscured by bars from a gate outside the building. At the time she vanished, she was living in Orlando. He added that Jenn was always very supportive of his sport and came to every game. There was no sign of a struggle or break-in at her apartment or the parking lot or her vehicle, but its possible a woman would have seemed non-threatening. In 2016, Jennifer would be officially pronounced dead, but her family fought this, and in the meantime fought the State of Florida for access to the case files, finally in in March of 2019 receiving more than 16,000 pages of documents and 67 hours of video and audiotape, but this has not led to any breakthroughs. We had an incredible relationship. You dont., Its like Groundhog Day every day, yet, life moves on for everyone else, Joyce said. It was a double whammy, losing Jenn and then losing my father, Rob told Dateline. Dailymail.com Reporter After another day had passed with still no sign of her, Jennifer Kesse was listed as officially missing, and the following day her abandoned car was located in the parking lot of the Huntington on the Green apartment complex at Americana and Texas, less than a mile from her residence, where residents claimed it had been parked there for several days. During an ensuing investigation, it was discovered that Kessler had used at least 18 different aliases and had lived in at least 33 cities in 14 different states. But were doing the handwork now and were moving forward. But I'd imagine that, as women aren't very well-represented as construction laborers, people would remember hiring a woman. No confirmed blood, fingerprints, images, or other proof that she was at or in Kesses apartment, complex, parking lot, or vehicle. A reporter would later call the suspect the luckiest person of interest ever.. Jenns purse, cell phone and iPod were nowhere to be found. Three days later, Keeses vehicle was found in an apartment complex parking lot less than a mile from where she lived. If stealing identities wasnt what Kessler was doing, some reports suggested shed lashed out at Cummings because she was jealous of her. Kesse says its a theory he thinks about because whoever took his daughter only took her and not a single item of her personal belongings. However, it had been reported by some local news sources early in the case that Kessler was jealous of Cummings. I didnt see a whole post about it, so I thought Id type one up and share the strange connections. Well get it. He added: 'Were really put ourselves in a good position currently. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Its possible she planned to kill Kesse and Cummings to use their identities, but no proof of this exists. In fact, she'd just moved. A wet towel convinced them that Kesse had slept in her apartment, gotten up and showered in the morning, and then disappeared. Timeshares are big business in Florida. Deputies from the Orange County Sheriffs Department were called to the scene, but after deploying a dive team and cadaver dogs over a three-day search, the sheriff's office confirmed to Dateline they came up empty handed. Kesse was 24 when she went missing. We needed the files for answers, Logan said. The missing woman's parents, Joyce and Drew Kesse, have never given up searching for her and continually update their websiteFindjenniferkesse.comand Facebook page. She was a project manager for a timeshare company. A spokesperson sent the following statement: "The Orlando Police Department remains committed to finding the answers to the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. . "We paid the price, in full, upfront," father Drew Kesse wrote. The 24-year-old intelligent, adventurous spirit, who always wore a smile, had a bright future ahead of her. On her wanted poster, Kessler is cited to be 53 55, the exact height range suggested for the person seen abandoning Kesses vehicle. I wont stop looking for her, Logan said. Do investigators know where Kessler was on the days leading up to and including the day Kesse went missing? She failed to call or text her boyfriend the following morning as was her usual routine. 3. They won their case and have since hired a private investigator in hopes of cracking the case on their own. She never arrived. The hosts of the "Unconcluded" podcast are investigating leads in the case of missing Orlando woman Jennifer Kesse. Its very difficult and slow fighting against the machine that is Orlando politics, but no one should be put through what is happening to us. Hes part of our family and always will be.. Her co-worker Jennifer Sybert was the last person known to have seen Cummings before she and her vehicle disappeared.