Jennifer is loved by us, her family, so many friends as well as strangers around our country and the world, the family wrote. Jenns mother, Joyce, told Dateline she felt fortunate that their family was able to all speak to Jenn that day. . We kept in touch and it just blossomed from there.. Jennifer Kesse, 24, disappeared from Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 24, 2006. An upcoming episode of "48 Hours" on CBS will feature the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. 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. 27.07 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Flames of Prophecy, 29.07 - MU Podcast - Contract with the Goddess, 29.06 - MU Podcast - Italian Disco Abductions, 27.06 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Secret Vaults of Time, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Queen's Ghost, Small Lake Monster, Space Caterpillar and More Mysterious News Briefly, A Haunted Book and the Most Haunted Bookshop There Is. She failed to call or text her boyfriend the following morning as was her usual routine. Both Drew and Jenns mother, Joyce, tried to call their daughter, but their calls and texts also went unanswered. He had a meeting at 9 a.m., but when it was over, he tried to call Jenn again, this time to tell her about something that had happened in the meeting. Jennifer had repeatedly told her family that many of the workers repeatedly sexually harassed and catcalled her. Surveillance video captured someone driving her car . Drews investigative team began searching that area with their own private cadaver dogs and were alerted to something. The family said they are excited about what now might be possible under FDLE. Difficult then, and still difficult now, 14 years later., I talked to her on the phone for the last time that day, Logan said. Theories abound as to what happened, with many suggesting she was killed by a male coworker whose advances she had spurned. For more information, please see our I got married and had kids, I had to keep going.. Something was there.. Her family reported her disappearance to police, but they initially thought shed left on her own. In October, the CBS show 48 Hours Investigates dug into the case and where it stands. Two days later, her black Chevy Malibu was discovered outside a different condo building about a mile away. 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. The case generated media attention. Kesse's family said FDLE's cold case unit will take over and essentially restart the investigation into the Orlando woman's 2006 . The 24-year-old intelligent, adventurous spirit, who always wore a smile, had a bright future ahead of her. 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. Investigators believe that the person is between 53 and 55 tall and was wearing clothing that appeared to be similar to coveralls worn by painters or construction workers. The family says they did not want the case to be in the hands of Orlando police anymore, but moving the investigation to FDLE did not come easily and for six months they worked to convince the attorney generals office and other state partners to help them. He added: 'Were really put ourselves in a good position currently. The door had been locked and nothing was out of the ordinary for someone who had gotten ready for work that morning. Investigators interviewed a coworker of Jennifers named Johnny Campos but concluded he was not guilty. The nightmare to not know. En route, they called her building manager and asked him to check her apartment. 2. 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. But there was no evidence in that car, not any that was recorded in the police reports, private investigator Torretta told Dateline. And I have the hope that Ill hear it again.. IE 11 is not supported. I wont stop looking for her, Logan said. In that second, I knew something was wrong.. Five months later, his father died. Her disappearance remains a mystery. I wanted to just sit there and wait for her to come back. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. Kessler and Cummings had blue eyes, and Kesse had green eyes that were said to look blue depending on what she was wearing. Rob, along with Jenns parents and brother, were all ruled out as suspects right away, according to the familys legal team and private investigator, Mike Torretta. They gave two managers permission to go inside her condo to check for anything unusual. Although a married man, other workers allege that Campos made it very clear that he desired a relationship with Jennifer but was rebuffed because not only did she have a boyfriend, she refused to date coworkers as a matter of policy. She Met A Man Online And Ended Up Taking Down An Active Serial Killer, A Case From Unsolved Mysteries Has Been Solved Using Ancestry DNA, The Teen Girl Who Disappeared From A Sleepover And Was Never Seen Again, A Decades Long Canadian Mystery Known As The Septic Tank Sam Case Has Been Solved. And to make sure I was in it for the long haul. 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. Biology, nature, and cryptozoology still remain Brent Swancers first intellectual loves. On Friday, the sheriff's office said . That night, there was a phone call between Kesse and Allen, who were back at their homes, which were about three hours apart. The last person to speak to Jennifer was her boyfriend, in a call shortly before 10pm on the Monday night. The hosts of the "Unconcluded" podcast are investigating leads in the case of missing Orlando woman Jennifer Kesse. Cummings is still considered a missing person, and she hasnt been seen or heard from since her disappearance. Cookie Notice No one has seen or heard from her since. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010. At that point, Chino was serving an unrelated sentence for statutory rape. Anyone with information on Jenns disappearance is asked to call the Kesse family Tip Line at 941-201-4009. 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. She had seemingly simply evaporated into thin air. Its all me -- my family. 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. On right, how Jennifer may look today. 4. That said, it's also possible she posed as a construction worker to have access to the building or find a temporary place to stay (as several of the workers were said to have been squatting in the building).Let me know what you think about this theory. But were doing the handwork now and were moving forward. 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. Went outside of her condo locked the door on the way out. Kesse's father says they reached an agreement with the police agency almost four years ago. Or not that we know of anyway.. Jennifer Kesse was 24-years-old when she was last seen in January 2006 after leaving her Orlando condo. You never think something like this could ever happen to someone you love.. Theories abound as to what happened, with many suggesting she was killed by a male coworker whose advances she had spurned. She left. 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. Theres a lot of points in common, if not some details that could possibly be considered circumstantial evidence. 2. It still has for my parents, Logan said. Published: 8:55 AM EST January 24, 2023 Updated: 6:13 PM EST January 24, 2023 ORLANDO, Fla. Where is Jennifer Kesse? They talked about shipping the phone back to his friend. While Kessler had used stolen identities for years before her arrest, the identities she had used were reportedly taken from grave stones and were not from any other known living or missing people. That baby is now 14 years old. 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. Then she disappeared one day in January of 2006 and has never been found. Jenns luggage from her trip was still in the front hall, untouched. There would be other ominous clues, such as witnesses saying that they had seen the missing womans car driving erratically or that there had been strange men lurking about her condo before her disappearance, but none of this has led anywhere. "We paid the price, in full, upfront," father Drew Kesse wrote. 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. Police search miles of terrain and interrogate dozens of suspects, yet a decade later her disappearance remains one of Florida's most baffling crimes. It's been more than 15 years since she was last. 'Jennifer, we love you in a place where theres no space or time.'. In fact, she'd just moved. He called her, but his call went to voicemail. "We wont be put to the side by anyone. 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. News 6 is Getting Results. But I knew I had nothing to hide. We were there for my roommates trade show, and it was also just a fun single boys weekend, you know? Kessler has used multiple aliases with the first names Jenn and Jennifer. Jennifer Kesses nickname was Jenn. Rather frustratingly, the mysterious strangers face was obstructed by a combination of poor camera quality and a fence post in the video. No one has identified this POI parking Jennifer's car, and Jennifer has never been found. In the meantime, her bank account remained untouched and police were unable to successfully ping her cell phone. Later that year, Detective Joel Wright was named lead investigator in the case. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Kesse was 24 years old at the time of her disappearance. Help Find Missing Jennifer Kesse Facebook page. Under the deal, Drew and Joyce Kesse took over the investigation, which is no longer being run by Orlando PD detectives. One of Jenns friends found out she was pregnant just after Jenn vanished. Dailymail.com Reporter, Have you seen Jennifer? 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. In 2019, law enforcement divers searched Lake Fischer in unincorporated Orange County after the private eye identified a tip about somebody dumping a rolled-up carpet into the water several months after Kesse disappeared. Nothing was done, no investigation, Jenns father Drew said. Her defense teams forensic psychologist believes she has personality disorders and delusional disorders and is not competent to stand trial. We needed the files for answers, Logan said. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. You know that feeling, when you dont want to get off the phone because you enjoy talking to the person so much? Rob said. The parents of Jennifer Kesse say they are "closer than ever" to uncovering answers in the disappearance of their. She didnt tell me about her shamrock tattoo, Drew said. It also seems highly unlikely that one or more of the workers could have pulled off an abduction and murder without at least some of the other workers finding out. Her 2004 Chevy Malibu was found two days later about a mile away from her condo. But because they are retired, they dont have the power to make an arrest. Police Found A Missing Womans Car Abandoned With The Door Open. She chatted to her parents, brother, boyfriend and some friends on the phone at home that evening. And thats not how it should be.. Later that evening, the last person to speak on the phone with Jenn was her boyfriend. He said the family and private investigative team is ready to speak with any other law enforcement force. She was the first person Id go to when I needed advice, or just when I wanted to tell her something interesting or funny.. At the time she vanished, she was living in Orlando. Their last trip together took them to the island of St. Croix in the Caribbean. The condominiums are about a mile from where Jenn lived. Jennifer Kesse disappeared on Jan. 24, 2006. The unsolved disappearance of Jennifer Kesse Seig Lu January 19, 2021 7:42 pm Jennifer Kesse was 24 years old when she vanished in 2006 in Orlando. From January 2005 until January 2006, Rob and Jenn traveled back and forth between Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale to see each other, and also traveled together internationally as much as they could. 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. "We're fed up . The Nassau County sheriff filed an emergency petition requesting the ability to administer medical care and force feed Kessler, who had dropped from 196 to 74 pounds since she was jailed in 2018. 3. And I wont stop until someone is held accountable. In an open letter to their daughter on the 15th anniversary of her disappearance, the Kesses said they remain 'relentless' in their pursuit of answers. A private investigation. They sued the Orlando Police Department in 2018, asking for a copy of the case files. Drew and Joyce took legal action against the Orlando Police Department in order to gain access to Jenns case files. On January 23, 2006, Jennifer Kesse had just returned from a vacation with her boyfriend in the Virgin Islands. They believed shed been living out of her vehicle and parking at different locations around the area. The private investigator believes she may have been abducted by a construction worker. The car was in pristine condition, with no sign of a struggle or violence and nothing out of place, with the radio and expensive DVD player she had installed still there. 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. "That four-month agreement has turned into three years and ten months and the department is still incapable of fulfilling their end of the agreement. At approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, a resident of the Huntington on the Green condominium complex reported they found Jennifer Kesse's car in a visitor's spot in the parking lot. Every Friday, we send out an email with the scariest horror movies and TV shows streaming that weekend along with creepy news, updates from the horror movie pipeline, and links to the best scary content on the web. Joyce said shell never give up hope that her daughter is out there somewhere, alive, needing to be rescued. Drew told Dateline that authorities from the Orange County Sheriffs Department and the Orlando Police Department arrived on the scene, but said they did not seem overly concerned because Jenn was an adult. Kesse was last seen at her Orlando condo near Mall at Millenia.. She was last seen leaving work at around 6:30PM. Eventually she was indicted on a first-degree premeditated murder charge for the death of Cummings. Logan said he believes one of the workers from her apartment complex is to blame. There doesnt seem to be a clear motive in Kesses disappearance. Inside, CBS says nothing seemed out-of-the-ordinary. Jenn also spoke to her 21-year-old brother, Logan Kesse, that day. Jennifer Kesse was first reported missing on January 24, 2006. But when I see that baby -- now a teenager -- its a powerful and heart-wrenching reminder of how much time has passed. There were intense efforts to enhance the footage, even enlisting the help of NASA, but the person could not be identified. 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. Authorities began to investigate the multiple construction workers and day laborers who worked in the area of Jenns apartment complex, which was only half-finished when she moved in two months prior to her disappearance. In July 2019, a judge found her incompetent to stand trial and remanded her to a state mental hospital for treatment and incarceration. They hired a private investigator. The Kesse family told Dateline that while they were at Jenns, workers were in the condo across the hall installing new carpet. Dont worry, you can unsubscribe any time you like. 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. Jenns brother Logan was scheduled to move to California to be with his girlfriend just a week after Jenn disappeared. We had an incredible relationship. Since our agreement to produce the documents in this matter, we have worked closely with their counsel and have turned over thousands of pages of documents and hours of recordings for their independent team to review and investigate. Logan, an avid soccer player, began to hang out with Jenns guy friends, who also played soccer. A police dog was able to trace a scent that led from the car back to Jennifers building, suggesting that the person who dropped off the car returned to the site of her abduction. 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. Her black, Chevy Malibu car was later found a mile away on Thursday, January 26 at a condo complex around a mile down the road from where she lived. Jennifer Kesse was last seen leaving work in Orlando, Florida on January 23, 2006. 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. It was about 10 p.m. Monday when they spoke, Rob told Dateline. By all accounts, the trip had gone really well. Was Jennifer Kesse Found? Jennifer Kesse. Thats why this is so ridiculously difficult to deal with. Jennifer Kesse, a UCF graduate, was abducted from Orlando, Florida in 2006. On her unmade bed was a selection of work clothes. She drove the two and a half hours directly to her job in Ocoee, Florida, where she worked a full day. While there isnt any evidence that Kessler and Kesse ever met, I do have a few questions Id like to have answered: Have investigators ever looked at Kessler as a possible person of interest in the Kesse case? Investigator Torretta discovered, deep in the files, a tip from a woman who, in 2006, said she witnessed something strange at Lake Fischer in Orange County on the day of Jenns disappearance. On January 24, the day of Jennifers disappearance, Campos didnt show up for work until noon. And by lunchtime, he was worried. In January of 2006 she had just purchased a condo in Orlando, Florida, and was working as a finance manager at Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company in Ocoee making good money. I called and I called and for the first time since Jenn was a teenager, it went straight to voicemail, Drew said. 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. A personal connection doesnt seem to exist between Kessler and Kesse. He was so brokenhearted, Drew said. Jenn and Rob met in January 2005 when Rob was in Orlando with his roommate for a trade show. A spokesperson sent the following statement: "The Orlando Police Department remains committed to finding the answers to the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. Brent Swancer is an author and crypto expert living in Japan. Her parents made the two-hour drive from their home to Jennifers condo, where they found signs that shed recently showered. Will we ever know what really happened? Jennifer Kesse, meanwhile, was abducted after leaving her apartment on her way to work on the morning of Jan. 24, 2006. 7. Jennifer Kesse was a successful young woman with a good job and a loving boyfriend when she simply vanished from her Orlando, Fla., condominium. 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. As he explains, they would need authorities to help approach any potential suspects because trying to do it on their own would ruin a future prosecutor's case. 1 min read. 6. Friday marks 14 years since Jennifer Kesse vanished. [TRENDING: Florida debuts new vaccine hotline | Merritt Island-bound plane found in ocean | Titusville man accused of killing mother]. We were a close-knit family. 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. Our newsletter keeps our core readers connected. Police searched the area with dogs, horses, and search parties. Just normal relationship things. Investigators found Kesses car at Huntington on the Green Condominiums, about a mile from her home. The person has been described as the luckiest person of interest ever due to the fact that in every frame of the video (images taken every three seconds) their face is obscured from view by fence posts. At a press conference, investigators said they had reason to believe Cummings was no longer alive, but they had not found her remains. On November 8, 2019, for the first time in years, there was a second possible break in the case. Kesses family filed a lawsuit in 2018, asking the court to allow a private investigator to obtain the Orlando Police Departments records on the case. Bear with me as I lay out the main connection points and possibilities: The details of the Cummings disappearance are similar to those of the Kesse disappearance: a young woman and her vehicle go missing, the vehicle is later found abandoned in a parking lot, and surveillance cameras catch the person parking the vehicle (in Cummings case, positively identified as Kessler) parking and walking away. There was no response. But no one treated me like that. Jennifer Kesse was a successful young woman with a good job and a loving boyfriend . They told detectives Jennifer had previously complained to them about building workers who made her uncomfortable. There simply isnt any physical or other direct evidence putting Kessler at the scene. Kesses parents sued the Orlando Police Department for a copy of their daughters case file. which would lead into a deeply strange vanishing that remains totally unsolved. 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. More than a dozen years later, her parents are still looking for her. When they tried dialing her, they got her voicemail. They hopped in the car with their son and drove to her condo. It was alleged that at one point after their breakup he drank himself senseless for two weeks and was inconsolable.. Jennifer Kesse, 24, went missing from her newly purchased Orlando, Florida, condo on January 24, 2006 Her family marked the 15th anniversary this month by announcing that they 'hope' to solving. The only things missing were her car, purse, keys, and cell phone, and by all appearances it seemed as if she had stepped out for work as usual, so why hadnt anyone heard from her and why hadnt she shown up to work? Joyce told Dateline that the hardest part is being in limbo. Kesses last phone call was to her boyfriend on Jan. 23; she did not show up to work the next day. She complained to her parents of leering looks and catcalls and whistling, (which) made her feel very uncomfortable, the private investigator told Van Sant about the construction workers. The comments below have not been moderated, By 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. I believe Kessler physically could match the glimpse of the suspect we get in the Kesse surveillance video, but the video is of terrible quality and the persons face is obscured, so a lot of people could match that basic physical description, especially dressed in a similar outfit. Her co-worker Jennifer Sybert was the last person known to have seen Cummings before she and her vehicle disappeared. Incompetency at its best. 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. Then she disappeared one day in January of 2006 and has never been found. The Orlando Police Department originally investigated the case. Theres really nothing Jenn wouldnt tell us.. Investigator Torretta told Dateline he wants another chance to search the lake because a clue from Jenns apartment complex could be submerged beneath the surface -- the old carpet being torn from the condo across the hall. "So we will fight tooth and nail and yell from the mountain tops until someone hears us and FINALLY acts," Drew added. ORLANDO, Fla Editor's Note:Jennifer Kesse's case was featured last year onCBS News' "48 Hours,"which contributed to this report. She was up for anything and willing to travel anywhere and try new things.. We had just returned from holiday -- which was so amazing -- but now we were both dreading going back to work, Rob said. There were a few times, Jenn told me, that the workers would just stop and stare at her, Joyce told Dateline. Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida. The day before she disappeared, Kesse had left Allen's home to drive to work. Over the past 15 years, Orlando police and Kesses family have worked to exhaust every lead. You can watchthe full episode here. Investigators went about focusing their efforts on the complex, poring through video surveillance footage, and that was when they hit a potential lead, when they found footage that showed an unidentified person, approximately 5'3 to 5'5, tall, parking Kesse's car, sitting in the car for about 30 seconds, and then getting out and walking away. It was long-distance, but we made it work, Rob told Dateline this week. We, her family Drew, Joyce, and Logan, and friends believe she was taken the morning of Tuesday, January 24, 2006, from in or around her Orlando, Florida home. Subscribe Today! We dont know anything. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Bizarre moments in Alex Murdaugh double murder trial so far, Stolen car crashes into another car causing building to collapse, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles. But nothing -- absolutely nothing -- was being done.. She had slept in her bed, taken a shower (as indicated by a wet towel and shower) and left out clothes on the bed. What is Known About Kimberly Kessler?In 2012, Kimberly Kesslers mother reported her missing. Jenns boyfriend, Rob, and Robs mother, drove up from Ft. Lauderdale as soon as he heard Jenn was missing. Kesse was in love with her boyfriend, Rob Allen, with whom she'd been in a long-distance relationship for the last year. Her black Chevy Malibu was gone. Well find it somewhere.'. Wright interviewed Chino inside a prison in 2009. Family members and friends began the search immediately. Kessler spent a lot of time in many Florida cities, including Oviedo, which is basically a suburb of Orlando, where Kesse lived. Hes part of our family and always will be.. Jennifers co-workers would tell her parents that she had not come to work, after which they decided to go to her condo and check up on her. Shes the most responsible person I know. (Drew Kesse) In the files, investigators suspected a struggle on the hood of Kesse's car when they discovered the vehicle. She drove to work that morning from her boyfriends house in southern Florida. It had been a long day, coming back from the Caribbean, and we were both tired, Rob said. This week marks 17 years since the 24-year-old vanished in 2006 but there have been no arrests made. Stars Veronica Burgos John Hardy Andrew Kerr See production, box office & company info That evening, she left her office around 6pm and wished her boss a good evening. That person is the key, Torretta said.