"I couldn't believe it. They spoke around 10 p.m. Det. He was wearing a backwards baseball cap, a plain white T-shirt and what appeared to be coveralls or overalls of some kind. After that, I believe she was abducted," he said. In 2010, Detective Wright was reassigned. Police say they did not believe Jennifer's case met the criteria for declaring her missing. From all appearances, Jennifer Kesse of Orlando, Florida was a happy, successful, well-adjusted 24-year-old woman with a bright future. But she's a little bit of a bathroom pig in the morning. But under the agreement, the Orlando Police Department would no longer lead the investigation. Roger Brennan | Orlando Police Department [2008]: The most frustrating thing's not knowing where Jennifer's at Not knowing where to look next We can sit around and discuss different ideas and different theories, but not having a concrete, solid avenue to go down to bring resolution to the family is the most frustrating part of this case right now. As the desperate hours went by, Sergeant Roger Brennan and his team of investigators searched the streets of Orlando looking for Jennifer Kesse. Kevin Dean and Gary Winter are the editors. Six months after Jennifer Kesse disappeared, Detective Joel Wright became the lead investigator and developed a theory of what happened to her on January 24, 2006. And we've come up with a height between 5'3" and 5'5". "She needs to come home to her family.". Peter Van Sant [2008]: What do you know about this person's height? Based on interviews with people who lived at the condo complex, he believes that up to 10 construction workers were living in an empty apartment just across from Jennifer's. Joyce Kesse: Jenn shared every detail about the trip. reported by "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. I stood in a courtroom alone while a judge declared her deceased. . If you have any information about Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, please visit the "Find Jennifer Kesse"Facebook page. Now we have some of our own questions we'd like to ask. Sgt. subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Logan Kesse [2008]: [emotional] It's your sister, it's your family, it's your blood. Nothing had been stolen from the car and there was no evidence of a struggle. When police searched the lake, nothing was found. The next morning was when Jennifer didn't show up for work and didn't answer her phone. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. And no tip is too late. In all, the Orlando Police Department handed over more than 16,000 pages of documents and 67 hours of video and audio to the Kesses. An upcoming episode of "48 Hours" on CBS will feature the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. Joel Wright [2008] We know there was quite a bit of a renovation going on inside her complex. by the walk. It explains the lack of concern about other's noticing your presence. Jennifer Kesse was a beautiful, intelligent, and independent 24-year-old with everything going for her. Different investigative departments have given inconsistent estimates of the man/woman's height, both short and tall, but I am inclined to believe he/she was taller because of the car seat. [Takes a deep breath with tears in her eyes]. Det. " she was in love. When she didn't show up for work on January 24, 2006, her friends and family immediately knew that something was terribly wrong. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. More than 15 years after Jennifer Kesse vanished, her parents Drew and Joyce Kesse are leading the investigation into their daughter's case. Her parents did notice, however, that Jennifer's phone, keys and purse were missing. There's no lease.". Michael Torretta: When you talk about challenging investigations, this is the one. That's where the mystery starts. I would say 75 percent of the time somebody was there . Fifteen years have passed since Jennifer Kesse vanished -- years of anguish for her family and friends, but they are determined to keep Jennifer's story alive. And that's not all he learned. The story of Jennifer Kesse has been featured on 48 hours mysteries, there are documentaries about her and countless news outlets have covered Jennifer's mys. Joyce Kesse [2008]: She slept for sure. "The hole in our heart is forever there until we have an answer," Joyce Kesse said. They kept suggesting that she must have had a fight with her boyfriend and would be back. "She just said, 'There's a lot of workers here and they tend to stop when I'm walking to my car. Before we left, Chino even agreed to talk with the Kesse team. Jennifer's father, Drew, thought after seeing the footage. The Kesses are offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to Jennifer's whereabouts. Det. And just please think of Jennifer . You know, getting married and having children and becoming a grownup and just living life; just having her life, you know. And that's what I'm doing. Kesse worked at Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company as a finance manager and had graduated from the University of Central Florida with honors. The condo complex where Jennifer lived was going through a renovation, and many of the construction workers were also living in the empty apartments at the complex while they were doing the renovation. It does not explain the logistics of two vehicles. When the Kesses who lived two hours away arrived at Jennifer's condo, nothing seemed to be out of place. Peter Van Sant: You were there at the same time as Jennifer Kesse. "You have that initial hope like we found the car, it's only going to be a matter of time before we find Jennifer," said Jennifer's boyfriend, Rob Allen. In January of 2006 she had just purchased a condo in Orlando, Home; Listen. Keeping Jennifer's name and story in the public eye is. Torretta says he knew he had to get this tip checked out. If you have any information about Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, please visit the "Find Jennifer Kesse" Facebook page. Later that night when there was still no sign of her, police officially declared Jennifer missing. Very strong willed and very sure of herself she knew what track she was gonna take and she knew how to get there. At every turn, the detectives kept coming up empty and the case was going cold. Colleen: We were a gated community. But, when police tried to identify the phantom figure, they hit a roadblock. Footage from nearby surveillance cameras showed a grainy image of someone parking Jennifer's car, sitting in it for about 30 seconds, getting out of the car, and walking away. Joel Wright: It told me that he passed the polygraph. Sgt. He believes that one or more of the construction workers living in a vacant unit across from Jennifer may have taken her by surprise as she left for work that morning. MU Podcasts. Getting along fine? He spoke to six other women who all were made uneasy by the workers. I didn't like it. Peter Van Sant: Do you know of anyone who might have been involved in Jennifer Kesse's disappearance? Joel Wright: [2008]: When that car was found, we jumped all over it. Everyone loved being around Jen.. Peter Van Sant: There's no list of names of who was staying in which apartment? We are so grateful for those who have come, Posted by Find Jennifer Kesse onMonday, November 11, 2019. As time went by, the Kesses felt abandoned by the Orlando Police Department. Her brother's friend left his work phone in the apartment and Jennifer's brother asked her to mail it to him when she returned to the apartment. Chino [talking to a woman in his home]: Mi amor. And it just ate away at me. However, the suspects face was obscured in all frames captured by the footage . For those unfamiliar, Jennifer Kesse went missing in 2006 from Orlando Florida. We hope that by showing the public these photos, someone will come forward with information theyve been holding onto for all these years.. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The abduction did not take place at Mosaic. I have examined the footage extensively, and I can relate the following info. Peter Van Sant: So, these are just some of your daughter's case files? Detective Wright learned Chino used to live in another building at Jennifer Kesse's condo complex and was a former maintenance worker there. It does not explain the logistics associated with two vehicles unless the co-worker parked at Mosaic or nearby before they abducted her or took the bus to Mosaic. . This adds credence to my theory - Hispanics tend to be shorter in stature. Sgt. Then Torretta spoke to a woman who did not want to appear on camera. House of Broken Dreams: the Jennifer Kesse story. Con's: It does not explain why Jennifer Kesse's car is parked at Huntington on the Green. Jennifer Joyce Kesse seemed to have everything going for her. Within minutes, the Kesses and their son Logan were on the road and headed to Jennifer's condo in Orlando, Florida. There were no signs of forced entry. Because there were posters There were billboards. But somehow they all woke up one day and said: We need to make Jennifer Kesse disappear. It's not about us. "Jennifer would never not show up for work. Lauren McCarthy: The searches were massive. Joel Wright: She did look at the photo and said, "That looks like Chino.". Michael Torretta: That was one of the most shocking parts of this investigation. This was the first time Wright had ever heard of Chino. She deserved that. She says they never talked about Jennifer's disappearance. While observing the front of the victims vehicle, these detectives observed what appeared to have been someone being pushed across the head of the vehicle, Orlando Police Department Detective Julius Gause wrote in a report obtained by the news outlet. The canvassing started then and then it got more intense as the days went on and we eventually had horses and helicopters and everything else up in the air looking around. Immediately, those who knew her knew something was terribly wrong. The Kesse family . Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. Her disappearance was truly a mystery. We try to answer these questions and start to put together a theory of the events as our Tracy Ocasio investigation continues. He says he learned some 10 months after Jennifer disappeared, a person was seen dumping a rolled-up piece of carpet into a lake nor far from where Jennifer lived. Get to work!". Wouldn't they have known there were many empty units? And then there's the fact that it appeared like Jennifer had gotten ready for work the next morning. On Tuesday, January 24, 2006, Jennifer Kesse's parents received a call that Jennifer didn't show up for work. Ashley: He had the opportunity to tell me and he didn't. Michael Torretta: That's why it's very interesting to me. But she says no one ever followed up with her. there was footprints in my closet. Chino: I even did a lie detector test. In 2016, after 10 years had passed since Jennifer disappeared, she was declared dead by the state of Florida. I'm just projecting my own experience onto Jennifer, but people make unusual decisions sometimes. "The hole in our heart is forever there until we have an answer. Her family says she told them the workers made her feel uneasy. I vaguely remember the unfamiliar men's sweater in her hamper being from banana republic. But when police checked security cameras, it looked like they finally caught a big break. Peter Van Sant: Why is what the woman at the Mosaic told you important? One of the people he spoke to was a former housekeeper at Jennifer's condo complex. So here is my unpopular theory! It wasn't hard to find Chino. 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 peice of evidence ever uncovered was Security Camera footage of the likely suspect parking her car. Roger Brennan: [2008] We printed out pictures and then we brought them out here. In fact, they said it looked like she had just been there. You saw all the workers at that complex. The team spent two days searching, but they did not find anything. Con's: There are many. "The Orlando Police Department they worked it very hard," said Louis Bolden, an investigative reporter for WKMG in Orlando, who has covered the case since Jennifer Kesse went missing. Drew Kesse: But police were very quick to shut us down on certain things. The phantom figure walked away in the direction of Jennifer's complex. July 10, 2021 / 11:06 PM Frustrated by the lack of results, the Kesses filed a civil complaint and took the Orlando Police Department to court in order to get the case files on Jennifer's disappearance. I can see that young version of myself doing something dumb and thinking he was mostly harmless, and letting him in to my apartment without telling my boyfriend because of insecurity. -. I'm not married to this theory, nor do I believe it is the most likely, but I'm still holding on to it. takes viewers inside the family's desperate search for answers and features interviews with women who lived in Kesse's condominium complex, some who speak out for the first time. They were immediately worried. Ashley says, at first, she didn't reach out to police. Michael Torretta: This is something that is haunting me. But it was anything but fine. As he continued his investigation, Torretta learned that 10 months after Jennifer disappeared, a person was seen dumping a rolled-up piece of carpet into a lake not far from her condo. Det. But she says once workers started living in empty apartments around the complex, she felt uneasy. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. So, makeup, curling iron all that stuff all over the vanity wet shower, wet towel. Jennifer had made a number of complaints about harassment from some of these workers. She spoke to her friend, parents, and boyfriend on the phone the night before she disappeared, and was reported missing the next morning when she didn't show up for work. We had a guard house. "We're a broken family," her father Drew Kesse said. Det. "48 Hours" agreed not to use his full name. The detective based his theory that Jennifer Kesse was abducted in her car that morning based on her vehicle being seen driven erratically out of the Mosaic at Millenia complex. DREW KESSE: We don't have her. It explains the logistics of two vehicles. Det. And Chino is 5'9" -- taller than the figure's height estimated by police. The photos look suspicious and show what appears to be a hand mark going across the hood, Torretta told the news outlet. Interestingly, the 2004 Chevy Malibu's number one problem is with the electric power steering. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Michael Torretta: I'm looking through these 16,000 documents for something that might have been missed by the Orlando PD, the FDLE, maybe even the FBI who have had parts in this investigation. She also was recently promoted at her job where she worked as a project manager for a time-share company. And what about that photo taken by security cameras? When we asked about Jennifer Kesse, Chino quickly reiterated that he was innocent. And whenever I would have to walk past them, you know there would be a little bit of comments or just a lot of uncomfortable stares. Chino said Jennifer let him inside her condo. By sundown, many of Jennifer Kesse's family and friends gathered at her condo and started to search for her. This person holds the key to solving the case, Mike Torretta, a private investigator hired by Kesses family, told FOX News in its new true-crime podcast about the case, House of Broken Dreams: the Jennifer Kesse story.. This tip was especially interesting to him because on the day Jennifer went missing, there were workers laying down carpet in the apartment across the hall from Jennifer's condo. "You have keys to all the apartments. "We need to see what's inside that carpet.". Drew Kesse: And we just wish that one person that knows something in Orlando would just finally say it. And in fact, weeks later he did. I do not recognize that person. On Monday January 23, 2006, after she returned from her trip, Jennifer Kesse called her mom that morning on her way into work. Colleen says she complained to the leasing office manager. She graduated with honours in 2003 with a degree in finance. WORKER: Everybody getting along fine, regular conversation. I believe he was cleared by LE. Colleen, who asked to only use her first name, moved into the complex two years before Jennifer disappeared believing it was a safe place to live. Tami: He was pleasuring himself in the corner of my patio. Peter Van Sant: Now you were the maintenance man there. If the car is not a part of the abduction itself, you do not make it a part of it unless it is necessary. It's been more than 15 years since 24-year-old Jennifer Kesse vanished from her Orlando condominium. His height was estimated between 5-foot-3 inches and 5-foot-5 inches tall. Subscriptions. They would just stop and leer when they saw her, Joyce Kesse told FOX News. Jennifer Kesse was first reported missing on January 24, 2006. Ashley says she never was suspicious of Chino until one day nine months after Jennifer vanished, when Chino suddenly disappeared and moved out of the complex in the middle of the night. I called the crime line back then and told them and they took my statement. Two days after Jennifer Kesse went missing, her black Chevy Malibu was found in another condo complex parking lot approximately 1 mile away from where she lived. Detective Wright then interviewed the building manager at Jennifer's condo to find out if there were any issues between Jennifer and Chino -- or anyone else: DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: Are you aware of anybody that might've had a problem with Jennifer that worked there or lived there? And despite telling Detective Wright years ago he knew nothing about Jennifer's disappearance, the Kesses wondered if Chino was being truthful. Unconcluded is a real-time investigative true crime series focused on the 2006 disappearance of Jennifer Kesse (Orlando, FL). If it was car trouble, it does not explain why Jennifer Kesse stopped. The man/woman who dropped off the car was caught on camera, but his/her face was obscured by fencing in the foreground of the surveillance video. In 2016, it had been 10 years since Jennifer went missing. It fits the generic worker description of the person on the HOTG surveillance video walking away from Jennifer Kesse's car. No one could tell he was getting creepy and crossing a lot of lines, he just seemed kinda bummed to our mutual friends. The Kesses are now working with a private investigator to comb through every bit of information with fresh eyes with the hope that it may lead them to Jennifer. You're all in. But when detectives opened the trunk of the car, Jennifer wasn't there. Jennifer Kesse, a 24-year-old woman, thriving in her career, happy in her relationship, and surrounded by loving family and friends, went missing between the night of January 23rd and the. 0:15. That same morning a man/woman dropped Jennifer's car off at an apartment complex within walking distance of Jennifer's own after seemingly wiping the car of all finger prints. You unfortunately take things for granted. One of the most popular theories is that Kesse was abducted by a construction worker, who may have been working for her condominium complex. Sgt. In 2008, on the second anniversary of Jennifer's disappearance, family and friends gathered on a street corner in Orlando. Con's: It does not explain why a worker who lives there would remove her from the Mosaic at Millenia in her vehicle to harm her elsewhere. Rob Allen: You've got the bug. The long distance was taking a toll on their relationship. Det. Doreen Schechter is the producer editor. Several items were located inside the vehicle her cellphone, charger sandals and shoes Nothing appears to be disturbed in the vehicle at all. The Kesses told police that Jennifer had complained to them about the workers at the building who occasionally made her feel uncomfortable. . And made it as far as her car. There's nothing in there that indicates that there were problems at the Mosaic. But then there comes the argument that ex couldn't possibly have done this and covered it up so well while drunk. They feared that time was running out. Because Jennifer appeared to have slept in her bed and got ready for work, the . She received numerous job offers and took a job at Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company in Ococee, Florida. They want the police department's files?" And then, Tami says she caught a "peeping Tom" a man she believes was a worker at the complex. Rob Allen: My best friend said to me after the trip, he's like, "Oh you're in love and you just don't want to admit it.". The car was moving erratically, the witness told FOX News. "Someone out there knows something," he said. It explains how someone would be aware she only arrived back to work the day before she went missing. Despite being more than 200 miles away when Jennifer disappeared, Rob was suddenly a person of interest. It's just difficult not having her, you know, she's like my other half so [wipe away tears] I just miss talking to her. Roger Brennan [2008]: We didn't come up with any solid leads of anybody who saw Jennifer, saw anybody park her vehicle here. Det. Detective Joel Wright was still trying to solve this confounding mystery. Peter Van Sant and 48 HOURS investigate the disappearance of the 24-year-old, raise new theories and go inside her parents' search for answers in "Where is Jennifer Kesse?" Chino agreed to take a lie detector test. That is how we knew something horrendous had happened," Joyce Kesse said. When they came up with no new leads, he made the unprecedented decision to finally release the files to the Kesses. A couple said they saw it swerving out of her apartment complex at around 7:40 a.m. Det. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Why take a chance with witnesses? Peter Van Sant [2008]: What does that image tell you of that individual in front of the gate? I also want to point out that nothing about Jennifer's ex suggests that he was involved in any way. Whatever happened to Jennifer, happened fast., No tip is too small, unimportant, or insignificant. She's locking the door and never sees it comin She probably was attacked immediately upon exiting. Joel Wright [2008]: It's difficult to tell. And despite evidence that she was at her. Pro's: It explains why there were no witnesses. Chino: Believe me, if I did know anyone that was involved in that, the Kesse family would be knowing as well. We immediately started asking everybody walking around if they had seen anything. Joel Wright: I put just the name Chino into a leads tracking system and one tip did come up. I love her. Chino was a name Detective Wright had not heard before. To report information about the case, visit theFind Jennifer Kesse Facebook page. And they just look,''" Drew Kesse recalled. And he says there is nothing in the files indicating that police ever spoke to them. Joyce Kesse: Her travel bag. But he did move to AZ not long after. JOEL WRIGHT [at the 2008 gathering]: Maybe the right person will see us. Peter Van Sant [2008]: Do you think the car was cleaned by someone? to be broadcast Saturday, Oct. 24 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. "Everything was normal." That afternoon Jennifer's brother, Logan, began to question some of the construction workers at the complex. Ashley: I always wanted to ask him. It explains why none of Jennifer Kesse's items were left on the ground near her car indicative of a struggle. No named suspects. is produced by Chris Young Ritzen, Tamara Weitzman and Gabriella Demirdjian. That's a really hard question to ask somebody that's sitting on the couch next to you. Later that afternoon, Jennifer also called her brother and her father. But the Kesses refused to give up on Jennifer. The hit Broadway musical Wicked is officially coming to the big screen! Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/TNS/Alamy Live News. Clockwise from top left, Ashley, Peter Van Sant, Colleen and Tami. Jennifer Kesse was a beautiful, hard-working, 24-year-old woman in 2006. Colleen: I don't recall formally meeting her. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And their conversation didn't end well. North Carolina Cop, Wife Found Shot Dead in Fayetteville Home, We Have Zero Leads: $80,000 Reward Offered for Information Leading to Man Who Gunned Down Texas Family, Missing: 18-Year-Old Mom Takes Toddler Son From Dads During Supervised Visit, missing Florida woman who vanished nearly 15 years ago. She was a beautiful person. She's dragged into the other apartment. It explains how the workers knew she arrived back on the night of January 23rd from her vacation. But to the Kesses' frustration, the person caught on that camera could not be identified. Drew Kesse: In my mind, it was "that person took my daughter. I had an ex boyfriend once who would not let the relationship go. One week before Jennifer Kesse disappeared, she took a weekend trip to St. Croix with her boyfriend Rob Allen. Chino also told him, "I don't have any idea what happened to her." Drew Kesse: She just said, you know "there's a lot of workers here and they tend to like just stop when I'm walking by or going to my car. At first, the Kesses say police infuriated them by not taking their daughter's disappearance seriously. THE FAMILY filed a civil complaint and took the Orlando Police Department to court in order to get the case files. New Theories Into Disappearance of Florida Woman on 48 HOURS Peter Van Sant and 48 HOURS investigate the disappearance of the 24-year-old. Sgt. In fact, everywhere they looked, everything seemed normal. Shed stay on the phone in the doorway of her condo until they had left.. At the time of her disappearance, Kesse's condo complex was undergoing renovations. He was dressed very much like someone involved in heavy and messy indoor work such as moving and renovations. Maybe Jennifer Kesse was murdered by her ex. Jennifer Kesse is a beautiful 24-year-old financial analyst with a constant smile. In December 2018, Joyce and Drew Kesse sued the Orlando Police Department for Jennifer's case files. Joel Wright [2008]: We've done quite a bit of measuring and work with the camera angles. I can understand why they would feel that maybe an agency like ours has not delivered on what they would expect for an agency to do. It explains the eyewitness of the erratic driver leaving Mosaic at Millenia on the morning of January 24th, 2006. Peter Van Sant: What's intriguing based on your investigation is the men that were in the apartment across from Jennifer's were putting down carpet that day. Lauren McCarthy | Jennifer's best friend: Can I just have a second? What is known is that when Kesse didn't show up for work on Jan. 24, 2006, her co-workers and family knew something was wrong. woodbury, mn police news,

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