Did he know more than he had admitted? I don't hear helicopters in the air.". Lauren McCarthy | Jennifer's best friend: Can I just have a second? The Kesses have dedicated their lives and weathered enormous financial hardship to finding the truth of what happened to their beautiful 24-year old daughter on that January morning in 2006. Roger Brennan [2008]: It didn't appear that it was a robbery. Chino needs to be spoken to again. "It is Jennifer's best opportunity to be found . During the week she was gone, her brother and several friends had batched it in her condo. Its positive in that respect, we have met the new detective and are able to move forward. . "It is Jennifers best opportunity to be found now, 17 years later. Det. I'm Peter Van Sant with CBS News. And the forensic examination produced just a little as well a latent print and a small DNA fiber. Joel Wright [2008]: We didn't find any fingerprints on the steering wheel. My heart is here. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. CBS show 48 Hours lead to renewed interest in the case. Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, who went missing Jan. 24, 2006, at 24 years old. In 2018, Orlando Rolon became the Orlando police chief. And despite telling Detective Wright years ago he knew nothing about Jennifer's disappearance, the Kesses wondered if Chino was being truthful. (Florida Department of Law Enforcement). After all the interviews and reviewing the case file, Torretta says he now has a new theory as to what could have happened to Jennifer Kesse. Peter Van Sant: There's no list of names of who was staying in which apartment? Roger Brennan [at the parking lot]: This is the camera that caught the person that parked Jennifer's vehicle here. DET. After years went by with no breaks in the case, Jennifer's parents sued the Orlando Police Department to get Jennifer's case file and won. This has been backed up by the FBI who also are down and checked out the figures. Sgt. Her Chevy Malibu car was found a mile away in what police suspect was an abduction. Sgt. She graduated in 2003 and immediately received several job offers, and she decided to take a position at Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company in Ocoee, Orange County, Florida. Louis Bolden: Joyce and Drew Kesse were very vulnerable. There's a lot of information that could have been developed that I believe wasn't in the most critical hours of this investigation. it was like she walked in the night before and just dropped her suitcase right where it was. The average height for an American white man is 5'9 and a half. After Chino's name came up multiple times, the Kesse team was anxious to talk to him. 2. First published on October 24, 2020 / 11:01 PM. When they arrived at the condo in the early afternoon, a building manager opened Jennifer's locked apartment. Jennifer Kesse's family has undergone years of investigation and is nowhere near giving up until their daughter is found. by Sarah Jae Leiber Oct. 21, 2020. She was just really happy. He said they were uncooperative. We have got your back! And then, Tami says she caught a "peeping Tom" a man she believes was a worker at the complex. As time went by, the Kesses felt abandoned by the Orlando Police Department. Joel Wright: However, the logs that we went through didn't appear to be complete. I have nothing to hide. Michael Torretta: This is something that is haunting me. The 24-year-old has been missing for 15 years after vanishing one morning while heading out to work. Joyce Kesse: Her travel bag. And the name Chino came up again -- that maintenance worker at Jennifer's complex. The housekeeper said the phantom figure's walk, clothing and hair style resembled a man she knew from the complex named Chino, but she could not be sure it was him. ORLANDO, Fla. The family of Jennifer Kesse says they have the best opportunity to find the missing woman now, 17 years after she disappeared from her Orlando condo complex. Michael Torretta: When you talk about challenging investigations, this is the one. Jennifer spoke on the phone to her parents and boyfriend in her apartment before disappearing without a trace, never to be seen again. Peter Van Sant: Where were you the morning of January 24th, 2006? Orlando Police Department via the Kesse family. Chief Orlando Rolon: I can understand why they're frustrated. So, of course, every one of its episodes goes above and beyond to provide us with every bit of factual information surrounding a case to help us form our own opinions, and its episode entitled Where Is Jennifer Kesse? is no different. They sued the Orlando Police Department to get Jennifer's case files. Read: Jennifer Kesse: Family and FDLE continue efforts to find answers. Two days later, her car was found at Huntington on the Green condominiums at Texas Avenue and Americana Boulevard, about a mile away from her complex, Mosaic at Millenia. Jennifer Kesse, then 24, vanished from her new condo in Orlando, Florida on January 24, 2006. Det. January 24, 2006, Jennifer didn't show up for work. Please enter valid email address to continue. They said they recognized the clothing and persons gait. You saw all the workers at that complex. Again, the case stalled. We wont rest till we bring you home, no matter how many years it takes. OK, call the police again.". Jennifer Kesse's father spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun ahead of the anniversary of his daughter's disappearance. Evidence photos obtained by Fox News suggest a. In December, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement began a cold-case review of Jennifers disappearance to generate new leads. No one has seen or heard from her since. There's no lease. Clockwise from top left, Ashley, Peter Van Sant, Colleen and Tami. On Sunday, January 22, 2006, Jennifer returned from a vacation to St. Croix with her boyfriend Rob Allen. Follow the links to read about more shocking crimes investigated on 48 Hours on ID. About three years after the abduction, a former housekeeper at Jennifers condo complex said they recognized the individual in the surveillance footage as a man called Chino. Jennifer Kesse has been missing for 17 years: Her family hasn't stopped the search Claire Farrow 1/23/2023 Like Comments Where is Jennifer Kesse? she locks the door. Joel Wright: There were an unbelievable amount of man hours went into this case. Peter Van Sant [2008]: What do you know about this person's height? They have a photo of the person parking her car, but his face is obscured by the fence. Jennifer Kesse was last seen in Orlando on Jan. 24, 2006. She had newly purchased a condominium with her own money no small feat for someone who was just 24. Jennifer Joyce Kesse seemed to have everything going for her. And then is abducted by those individuals across the way. Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. DREW KESSE: We don't have her. She had no problem with me. He's hoping to find new clues as to who could have abducted Jennifer Kesse. She evenbought a condo in the months leading up to her disappearance. Start to work. Background: Jennifer Joyce Kesse was a finance graduate. Less than 10% of white American men are shorter than 5'7. The day before she disappeared, Jennifer and her fianc returned from a cruise. Peter Van Sant: Based on your experience is there a possibility what this person threw in that pond was her body? Michael Torretta: I want to do my best and bring Jennifer Kesse home to them one day. Drew Kesse: Chino should expect to hear from us. Colleen: I don't recall formally meeting her. On Monday, January 23, on her way into work as a project manager for a time-share company, Jennifer called her mom. In fact, she'd just moved. has never closed the Kesse case, the family, frustrated by the agencys efforts, has launched its own investigation. Based on this evidence, police investigators believed that she had left her home and was abducted, either on the walk to her car, or while she was traveling to work. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. FDLE, in conjunction with Orlando Police, essentially restarted the investigation into the Orlando womans 2006 disappearance. But it did. If you have any information about Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, please visit the "Find Jennifer Kesse" Facebook page. Peter Van Sant and 48 HOURS investigate the disappearance of the 24-year-old. Kesse was just 24-years-old when she went missing on January 24, 2006. He called Jennifer and asked if she would mail it to him. A couple said they saw it swerving out of her apartment complex at around 7:40 a.m. Det. Over the past 17 years, we have spent over $700,000 but we cant look at that. The hole in our heart is forever there until we have an answer. In 2008, on the second anniversary of Jennifer's disappearance, family and friends gathered on a street corner in Orlando. Her ex, recently upset and wishing to get back together with her, was cleared. To this day, Jennifer Kesse has not been found, dead or alive, and the people who love her have fought tirelessly for answers, a fight that included receiving over 16 thousand pages of police records on the investigation, and these pages held more clues which has only fed the fire of this mystery. "She had just bought her first condo with her own money," said Jennifer's father, Drew Kesse. The police concluded that Jennifer had left for work as normal, but she was attacked and abducted as she went to get in her car. She had shoulder-length sandy blonde hair and green eyes. Orlando, Florida - Home of Mickey Mouse and sunny beach vacations, a city that 60 million people flock to every year whether it's for the theme parks or just the sun and heat that South Florida is known for. Louis Bolden: At the time, we thought, "They want what? At the time she vanished, she was living in Orlando. My guys cant go in and make arrests, do the true legal law enforcement work we have generated. Kesse's family says they are now convinced the image of the black Chevrolet . She moved into the complex just weeks after Jennifer disappeared. When they left, one of the friends forgot his cell phone. Her father Drews push to have the case looked at by state officials was given the green light last month. She had a great job. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. A Crime Line tip had been received in the first week of the investigation. Kevin Harris was an aspiring hip-hop artist when he was gunned down. That night she talked to family, friends and her boyfriend as well. A week before she was last seen, Kessehad also visited the Virgin Islands with her boyfriend. At every turn, the detectives kept coming up empty and the case was going cold. It didn't appear that is was a carjacking. It was updated on July 10, 2021.]. Jennifer had complained about construction workers who had been living and working near her condo and had recently made her feel uncomfortable. Det. "We got a phone call," said Joyce, "'Was Jennifer OK?'". Kesse went missing in 2006, and despite widespread media attention and extensive searches by police and the FBI, there has been no information regarding where she is or who might have been responsible. It's not about us. Come home soon, the post said. Michael Torretta: That was one of the most shocking parts of this investigation. The cops thought they had a further break when they learned that surveillance footage had captured an individual driving Jennifers car into the parking lot. Lauren McCarthy [at the 2008 gathering]: There's just no other place I could be today. At around noon on the day Jennifer went missing, the person drove into the parking lot, sat in the car for about 30 seconds and then walked away. Joel Wright [2008] We know there was quite a bit of a renovation going on inside her complex. Lauren McCarthy: The reasons she bought the place that she did was because it was a gated community with a guard. "They are feeding off the work my guys have done for the past few years. It's been nearly 15 years since Jennifer Kesse was last seen. The 24-year-old simply vanished and no one has ever been arrested. Theories abound as to what happened, with many suggesting she was killed by a male coworker whose advances she had spurned. Windermeres Feather & Quill restaurant closes, SEE: Brightline reaches maximum speed for first time, Heres a good way to get yourself killed: sheriff says after group of motorcyclists flee deputies, Update: Westbound lanes closed after multi-car crash on U.S. 192, according to traffic report, JoJos ShakeBAR to open Orlando restaurant this month. Now, nearly 15 years later, evidence photos obtained by Fox News suggest a violent . And how fast can we find that person?". There are thousands of people who disappear under mysterious circumstances all around the world. Sometime later, a study of photographs of the hood of the car concluded that the dust on the vehicle had been disturbed and appeared to indicate that an individual had been slammed into the car hood. of negligence in the investigation. Jennifer Kesse had recently purchased her own condo at the Mosaic at Millenia Condominium in Orlando, Florida and just received a promotion at work. It's busy, locks the door of her condo. Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, who went missing Jan. 24, 2006, at 24 years old. He is pictured with her above, Jennifer vanished when she was 24 back in 2006, Kesse's father Drew is hopeful of new leads on the 17th anniversary of her mysterious disappearance, Surveillance video of an unidentified person getting out of Jennifer Kesse's car after she vanished is seen above. Michael Torretta: She's locking the door and never sees it comin'. Lauren McCarthy: For me, every milestone that I've had without her has been like a tug of war with my emotions. ", Drew made a dark prediction about her fate, telling The U.S. Sun: "We doubt very much that Jennifer is still alive. But when police checked security cameras, it looked like they finally caught a big break. But despite extensive searches, few clues to her alleged abduction have ever been found. "We assumed things were happening but when we received the files, there was nothing written in the last 12 years. Joel Wright: Chino was very cooperative. But to the Kesses' frustration, the person caught on that camera could not be identified. This person has never been found, but has been identified as a person of interest in her investigation. The same ones whom Jennifer had complained about to her friends and family, saying how on several occasions, they catcalled and harassed her. He was familiar with the case. Rob Allen: She was a little emotional saying, oh, you know, that "you don't love me. One of the people he interviewed on audiotape was a former housekeeper at Jennifer's complex. Her face was everywhere. Joyce Kesse [2008]: God love Jennifer. Her family sued the Orlando Police Department for her case file and won. We wanna find the person responsible for her disappearance. This week will mark 17 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared from her Orlando area apartment complex on Jan 24. Jennifer Kesse was a successful young woman with a good job and a loving boyfriend . Her parents also continue to pursue leads, hoping to one day either find her or her remains. I didn't like it. But Torretta struck out when he tried to find those workers who he believes lived in the vacant apartment across from Jennifer. (Drew Kesse) ORLANDO, Fla. - The family of Jennifer Kesse says they have the best opportunity to find the. Jennifer's loved ones hope this report will convince someone to take the courageous step of coming forward with information that could solve this heartbreaking mystery. Jennifer Kesse Was Just 24 When She Went Missing. She is assumed to be dead, but a body has not been recovered, and nobody has been charged with her murder. Drew Kesse accused the Orlando Police Dept. The Kesses are offering $15,000 as a reward for valuable information on where Jennifer could be at this time. That's where the mystery starts. But he learned Chino used to live in another building at Jennifer's condo complex and was a former maintenance worker there. Bloodhounds tracked Kesse's scent from her vehicle back to her own residence. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Detective Joel Wright was one of the original investigators. Drew Kesse: We have film of the car being dropped off . -The Search For Jennifer Kesse - It has been 10+ years since Jennifer's Abduction, we understand that many visitors to this website are looking for more information about . But she's a little bit of a bathroom pig in the morning. We firmly believe the departments negligence and lack of competency cost Jennifer the chance to be found.. So, I'm heading now to his last known address where I'm hoping we can find him. Lauren McCarthy: She was always on the radar with everybody. She got ready for work and left. Jennifer was last heard from alive after she spoke on the phone with her boyfriend, Rob Allen, on the evening of January 23, 2006. They, in turn, told Rob. Dirty and wet clothes were laid out on the floor, and it was clear that Kesse had showered and left the building without anything out of the ordinary happening. And that's what I'm doing. They had no better luck with the forensics inside Jennifer's car. And then at 10 p.m., she talked to Rob. 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.". In fact, everywhere they looked, everything seemed normal. THE devastated family of missing Orlando woman Jennifer Kesse insists new hope has been breathed into the heartbreaking attempt to find her. Peter Van Sant: You had nothing to do with her disappearance? Jennifer Kesse Jennifer Kesse was last seen in Orlando on Jan. 24, 2006. The next morning, her boyfriend became concerned when she failed to call or text him; unusually for Jennifer, her cellphone went straight to voicemail. Jennifer Kesse was 24 at the time of her disappearance and by all accounts was a successful young woman. Joyce Kesse: A lot of your day laborers are, um, not here, uh, legally. The weekend before Jennifer vanished, she had gone on a vacation with her boyfriend, Rob Allen, to Saint Croix, Virgin Islands. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case. Michael Torretta: There's never been one quarterback on this case. But now, 16 years later, her parents, who have been searching for her relentlessly, believe they're closer than ever to getting answers.Anyone with information on Jennifer Kesse's disappearance is asked to call the Kesse family Tip Line at 941-201-4009.Cualquier persona que tenga informacin sobre la desaparicin de Jennifer Kesse debe . Joyce Kesse: We all along have felt that she was abducted in the morning. I had never heard of that happening. And that was part of the development of him as a person of interest. The rest of the home looked like a maid had been there . Kevin Dean and Gary Winter are the editors. 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. Because there were posters There were billboards. Sgt. Complicating the investigation many of the workers disappeared before police could talk to them. The woman claimed that Chino often approached her in the parking lot late at night when she returned from work and made her feel uncomfortable. Kesse and her boyfriend, Robert Allen . She's locking the door and never sees it comin She probably was attacked immediately upon exiting. Jennifer Kesse, age 24, missing since 1/24/06. Joel Wright stated he believes the abduction took place in the morning due to a tip he received on Thursday, the day Jennifer's car was found. When detectives reviewed surveillance video from the complex where Jennifer's car was discovered, they saw a person parking her car. Based on this evidence, police investigators believed that she had left her home and, There was no sign of a struggle at her home, and no evidence that anyone other than Kesse had been in the condo on the morning of January 24. Chief Rolon gave his investigators six months to work the case. Rob Allen: When the police officer asked me to follow with him and to look at the inside of the car and the inside of the trunk, my stomach was churning as far as, "What could you find, you know?". In January 2006, 24-year-old Jennifer Kesse disappeared from her condo in Orlando, Florida. "I want to do my best and bring Jennifer Kesse home to them one day," he said. The Kesse family released an update on their GoFundMe page to mark 17 years since they last heard from Jennifer, who was 24 at the time of her disappearance.