Kesse and her boyfriend, Robert Allen . Peter Van Sant spoke with several women who lived at the same condo complex as Jennifer Kesse. . 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The car had been wiped down and the only things missing were Jennifers cell phone, iPod, keys, purse, briefcase, and the clothes she was wearing. And they kept saying, "Nope, her case is extremely active. 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. The Kesses are offering $15,000 as a reward for valuable information on where Jennifer could be at this time. Wright also re-interviewed another maintenance worker who had done repairs with Chino in Jennifer's condo. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. I had never heard of that happening. Around noon on the day Jennifer disappeared, one of the cameras captured a person driving Jennifer's car. Jennifers boyfriend, Rob Allen, had a solid alibi. But, by early evening, when there was still no sign of Jennifer, police officially declared her missing. Ashley: I always wanted to ask him. Christie joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021. She was a beautiful person. The surveillance footage does tell us that there was about 30 seconds of time when the person was inside the car. Drew thinks it will be a "miracle" if his beloved daughter is found alive - yet with the help of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and his own team of private investigators, he remains hopeful. Lauren McCarthy: She was extremely safety conscious. 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. Fed up, the Kesses then made a dramatic move. Rob Allen: You have that initial hope, like, OK, we found the car, it's only going to be a matter of time before we find Jennifer. 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? Joel Wright: Unfortunately, the witnesses couldn't say which way the car went once it got out onto the surface road. I have nothing to hide. Michael Torretta: It's impossible to find those individuals. The case centers on Jennifer Kesse, who disappeared on January 24, 2006, when she didn't show up for work. Peter Van Sant: Based on your experience is there a possibility what this person threw in that pond was her body? She was on a cloud. Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/TNS/Alamy Live News. Peter Van Sant: There's no list of names of who was staying in which apartment? Advertisement. Tami: From the very beginning there were some uneasy things that I kind of brushed off that were red flags. Chief Orlando Rolon: I can understand why they're frustrated. Jennifer Kesse was a successful young woman with a good job and a loving boyfriend . This has been backed up by the FBI who also are down and checked out the figures. Monday marks 16 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared. 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 . Now we have some of our own questions we'd like to ask. July 10, 2021 / 11:06 PM By the time they took it seriously, we had 14 people in the condo. 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. Joel Wright: [2008]: When that car was found, we jumped all over it. At the point when investigators assessed observation video from the CCTV camera where Jennifer Kesse's vehicle was found, they saw an individual leaving her vehicle. Michael Torretta: Yes. Two days later, there was a breakthrough in the case when her black Chevy Malibu was located in the parking lot of a condo approximately one mile from her home. Joel Wright | Orlando Police Department: It appeared that somebody was fighting over control of the car. They also said the familys team is working with state law enforcement in the continued search. It wasn't hard to find Chino. Joel Wright: Some of the people who were working on the property left. Read More: Where Are Jennifer Kesses Parents Now? 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 . Today marks six months since Orlando's Jennifer Kesse was reported missing, after she did not show up for work. Then, in an attempt to get more clues, her car was photographed and taken in for a thorough forensic examination. The 24-year-old has been missing for 15 years after vanishing one morning while heading out to work. Tronnes said she slipped and fell into the bathtub in a tragic accident, but detectives say he murdered her when she threatened to cut off the cash flow for his housing renovations. In 2016, she was declared dead by the state of Florida. "We assumed things were happening but when we received the files, there was nothing written in the last 12 years. However, the family has said as recently as 2022 that they are still working to get the complete unredacted file from the city. Drew added: We just werent willing to let Orlando deal with Jennifer anymore so we were able to have a meeting with the powers that be in the state, as well as law enforcement and the police department, and everyone thought it would be best if the Florida Department of Law Enforcement became involved. If you have any information about Jennifer Kesse, report a tip to the Orlando Police Department. You're all in. "48 Hours" agreed not to use his full name. Lauren McCarthy: The searches were massive. Peter Van Sant [2008]: Do you think the car was cleaned by someone? I love her. Tami: There was creepy things like my underwear drawer was tossed one time the shower was wet. There's a lot of information that could have been developed that I believe wasn't in the most critical hours of this investigation. We want closure. Jennifer's car had been seen the morning she disappeared. / CBS News, [This story first aired on October 24, 2020. In fact, Chino had done work in Jennifer's condo just one week before she disappeared. Roger Brennan [at the parking lot]: This is the camera that caught the person that parked Jennifer's vehicle here. of negligence in the investigation. After years of working for the Kesses, private detective Michael Torretta says he has a new theory as to what he thinks could have happened to Jennifer. OK, I'm going to work. Det. Michael Torretta is a private investigator who works for the Kesses. Joyce Kesse [2008]: She slept for sure. Drew Kesse, who in the past has been vocal about what he feels are missteps by investigators, thanked the new team for their tireless efforts. It will be a miracle if she is, we just arent willing to say Oh well and leave it.". Private Investigator Michael Torretta says he has gone through the more than 16,000-page case file at least three times. Because of the number of valuables left in Jennifers car, it was deduced that her disappearance was not a robbery gone wrong. If you have any information about Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, please visit the "Find Jennifer Kesse" Facebook page. The dust also appears to show fingers being dragged along the hood. Chino was identified as a maintenance worker who had lived and worked in the same condo complex as Jennifer. Peter Van Sant [2008]: What do you believe happened? Seventeen years ago, Jennifer Kesse disappeared in Orlando in a high-profile case that made national news. Missing persons cases are often some of the most difficult for law enforcement to investigate and solve. Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, who went missing Jan. 24, 2006, at 24 years old. Shortly after she vanished, Kesse's car was discovered parked around a mile from her home. Det. And you could sense that, and you can feel that . Drew Kesse: Chino should expect to hear from us. Long distance was taking a toll on their relationship. Surveillance video caught an unidentified person getting out of her car after she went missing. We had a guard house. Nathan Gibson. It's about Jennifer. JOYCE KESSE: Where is she? She carried pepper spray with her all the time. Joyce Kesse: I refuse to let her be forgotten until she is found. The day before she disappeared, Jennifer and her fianc returned from a cruise. Colleen: I don't recall formally meeting her. There is a $100,000 prize for anyone who finds her. Video surveillance showed an unidentified person parking the car and walking away from it. While the Orlando Police Dept. She was the oldest of two children, and is said to have been best friends with her little brother, Logan. "I had one this morning from someone claiming they know who did this. Louis Bolden: You could go to any part of town, and everyone knew Jennifer Kesse's name and they knew her face. The average height for an American white man is 5'9 and a half. Then finding out that the lead detective on Jennifers case did not write a single report or any document since 2010, 12 years!! Joel Wright: However, the logs that we went through didn't appear to be complete. Colleen says she complained to the leasing office manager. And I said, "are you kidding me?". And despite evidence that she was at her. Rob had no idea that it would be the last time he would ever hear her voice. - www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com A private investigation team for . . Lauren McCarthy: She was always on the radar with everybody. The U.S. Sun has reached out to Orlando Police for comment. DET. Getting along fine? In 2018, Orlando Rolon became the Orlando police chief. Jennifer Kesse disappeared from her Florida condo on January 23, 2006. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<, Read: 9 things to know about the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. Jennifer had complained about construction workers who had been living and working near her condo and had recently made her feel uncomfortable. She had no problem with me. Check out this great listen on Audible.com. At the time of her disappearance, Jennifer worked as a finance manager at Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company in Ocoee. Over the past 17 years, we have spent over $700,000 but we cant look at that. And that's not all he learned. 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. We have been getting leads every week for the past 17 years. And then, Tami says she caught a "peeping Tom" a man she believes was a worker at the complex. He took and passed a polygraph test leaving the cops at another dead end. 48 Hours on ID is in Orlando, Florida, to investigate the abduction and presumed murder of Jennifer Kesse, who disappeared without a trace while making her way to work in 2006. Jennifer spoke on the phone to her parents and boyfriend in her Orlando apartment before disappearing without a trace, never to be seen again. Jennifer Kesse has been missing for 15 years, and there are still little indications as to what happened to her on the day she vanished. Residents at the complex stated the car had been parked in the lot for several days. On Jan. 24,. Lauren McCarthy and Jennifer were best friends since childhood. Background: Jennifer Joyce Kesse was a finance graduate. We need to see what's inside that carpet. But it did. He called Jennifer and asked if she would mail it to him. Kesse was 24 years old at the time of her disappearance. Investigators then went to check the security cameras at Jennifer's condo complex, but there weren't any -- just a security guard who was supposed to log names and license numbers of visitors. They are looking to solve the case themselves. DREW KESSE: We don't have her. So I think they were scared. Curious to know all the specific details of this one yourself? But Torretta struck out when he tried to find those workers who he believes lived in the vacant apartment across from Jennifer. We were very frantic. Her Chevy Malibu car was found a mile away in what police suspect was an abduction. "It is Jennifers best opportunity to be found now, 17 years later. When they left, one of the friends forgot his cell phone. 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. People have been very generous with GoFundMe pages and help us continue what we are trying to do.". We firmly believe the departments negligence and lack of competency cost Jennifer the chance to be found.. Even though her home was in a rough part of the city, it was in the process of being revamped, which meant that a lot of workers were always around. Chino was a name Detective Wright had not heard before. And their conversation didn't end well. In the years since her disappearance, her family and law enforcement have continued to search for clues to her whereabouts. Ashley: I sat on it for a little bit. Joel Wright: She did look at the photo and said, "That looks like Chino.". Two days after she disappeared, her car was found abandoned in a nearby apartment complex. Her family has been tirelessly searching for the Tampa Bay-area native for the last 17 years and said new help from state law enforcement is her "best opportunity. But there were no big headlines and Torretta presses on. Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, who went missing Jan. 24, 2006, at 24 years old. At every turn, the detectives kept coming up empty and the case was going cold. Det. | Become a News 6 Insider]. Joyce Kesse: The workers made her feel uncomfortable. They want the police department's files?" 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. He thinks it was one or more of these workers who abducted her on January 24, 2006. We asked the lawyers, 'Where's all the detectives work? And it came back that not a single thing had been written. Det. My heart is here. Det. I would say 75 percent of the time somebody was there . Jennifer Kesse Was Just 24 When She Went Missing. From all appearances, Jennifer Kesse of Orlando, Florida was a happy, successful, well-adjusted 24-year-old woman with a bright future. 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. Roger Brennan [2008]: We're going through canvases of areas that she would travel or that she might be at. Peter Van Sant: Do you know of anyone who might have been involved in Jennifer Kesse's disappearance? "They are feeding off the work my guys have done for the past few years. Drew Kesse: That was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. Peter Van Sant: You had nothing to do with her disappearance? Come home soon, the post said. She did look familiar. (Florida Department of Law Enforcement). WORKER: Everybody getting along fine, regular conversation. Peter Van Sant: What did you see the first time you walked in? 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. DETECTIVE WRIGHT: how did you get into the condo? Kesse was last seen at her Orlando condo near Mall at. Jennifer Kesse Disappears. But she says once workers started living in empty apartments around the complex, she felt uneasy. It didnt take this long. They sued the Orlando Police Department to get Jennifer's case files. it was like she walked in the night before and just dropped her suitcase right where it was. He was familiar with the case. Follow the links to read about more shocking crimes investigated on 48 Hours on ID. At the time of her disappearance, Jennifer Kesse was 5 feet 8 and 135 pounds. And despite evidence that she was at her condo that morning, police pursued a theory that Jennifer may have been abducted the night before. Jennifer went missing in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 23, 2006. Last year Drew Kesse accused the Orlando Police Dept. She had shoulder-length sandy blonde hair and green eyes. "She will remain 24 forever," Jennifer's father, Drew Kesse, told The Huffington Post. After Chino's name came up multiple times, the Kesse team was anxious to talk to him. Immediately, those who knew her knew something was terribly wrong. But he learned Chino used to live in another building at Jennifer's condo complex and was a former maintenance worker there. Michael Torretta: I think it's important because it paints a picture that I don't believe I would have gotten from the 16,000 documents. Complicating the investigation many of the workers disappeared before police could talk to them. And despite telling Detective Wright years ago he knew nothing about Jennifer's disappearance, the Kesses wondered if Chino was being truthful. 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. Its positive in that respect, we have met the new detective and are able to move forward. Michael Torretta: What I'm thinking is Jennifer comes out. Det. That afternoon Jennifer's brother, Logan, began to question some of the construction workers at the complex. But there was still no sign of Jennifer, and at the time, the police concluded that there was no evidence of a struggle. They're just good people. Three days after Kesse's disappearance, her car was found in the parking lot of the Huntington on the Green apartment complex at Americana and Texas, less than a mile from her residence. Several items were located inside the vehicle her cellphone, charger sandals and shoes Nothing appears to be disturbed in the vehicle at all. Ashley: I remember him being fun and friendly, talkative. The next day she did not show up for work. The disappearance of Jennifer Kesse 23 photos But, by early evening, when there was still no sign of Jennifer, police officially declared her missing. "It is Jennifer's best opportunity to be found . But a woman -- who wants to be called Ashley had a different opinion of Chino. Joyce Kesse: We asked them for several years to make her case cold because there's more resources available for cold cases. She had just gotten promoted," her mother Joyce Kesse told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. First published on October 24, 2020 / 11:01 PM. Her family sued the Orlando Police Department for her case file and won. . 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. ! Kesse wrote at the time. She moved into the complex just weeks after Jennifer disappeared. But she says he fled in a white van. Tami: He was pleasuring himself in the corner of my patio. 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. It was only on January 26 that a tenant of a nearby complex saw Jennifers story on the news and informed authorities that her car was abandoned in front of their apartment the day she went missing. Born on May 20, 1981, to Drew and Joyce Kesse, Jennifer Kesse was a graduate of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, from where she obtained a finance degree in 2003. Peter Van Sant: Where were you the morning of January 24th, 2006? Joyce Kesse: A lot of your day laborers are, um, not here, uh, legally. Joyce Kesse: Jenn shared every detail about the trip. Det. Peter Van Sant: And what did that tell you? "I have had five this week - its the time of year with it being the date of her disappearance but it never stops. Jennifer Kesse, a UCF graduate, was abducted from Orlando, Florida in 2006. Again, the case stalled. Though her car was later found, the 24-year-old woman has yet to be found. The pair grew up in Tampa, Florida, and Jennifer is described as having been an adventurous dynamo with a thirst for knowledge. 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. Sgt. 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. But upon further investigation, police realized the cell tower data was misinterpreted, and she actually wasn't out that night. You unfortunately take things for granted. Jennifers parents called the police immediately, but because of her age, they initially held off on any investigation. Then she disappeared one day in January of 2006 and has never been found. And we've come up with a height between 5'3" and 5'5". Jennifer Joyce Kesse (born May 20, 1981) is an American woman from Orlando, Florida, who has been missing since January 23, 2006. Sgt. When she didnt show up for work on January 24, 2006, without calling in to explain - despite having an important meeting -fellow employees contacted her parents to express their concern. She was known for her bubbly personality and her very loyal and helpful nature. With personal items laid out, her room suggested that Jennifer had showered, dressed, and left for work. A tip can be left anonymously. This meant there were. Drew Kesse: In my mind, it was "that person took my daughter. Read more: Full details on the Jennifer Kesse disappearance Drew Kesse: I'm like, "Come on! Then in 2010, Detective Wright was moved off the case. Drew Kesse: Joyce used to complain to me, she's like, "call them. Cell tower data was analyzed, and it indicated Jennifer was out of her apartment and not at home. Peter Van Sant: You were there at the same time as Jennifer Kesse. ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. This week will mark 17 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared from her Orlando area apartment complex on Jan 24. SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The family of missing woman Jennifer Kesse marked the start of another year with no answers. 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. Peter Van Sant [2008] What do we know was going on around Jennifer's condominium at that time? Jennifer Joyce Kesse was born on May 20, 1981 to parents Drew and Joyce Kesse. At the time she vanished, she was living in Orlando. Her Car Was Recovered Barely A Mile From Her Home - But No Trace Of Her Has Ever Been Found. In 2009, Detective Wright decided to take a fresh look at the case. Since her disappearance, there has been no activity on Jennifer's cell phone, bank accounts, social media accounts, etc. 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 reported missing after she didn't show up to work on the morning of Jan. 24, 2006, according to WKMG. In 2018 they sued to get the Kesse investigative file, and a judge ruled in their favor in 2019. 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. Evidence photos obtained by Fox News suggest a. But despite extensive searches, few clues to her alleged abduction have ever been found. Joel Wright: It told me that he passed the polygraph. And then also anger, just anger because the-the person was so casual something really bad obviously happened and they were just so casually dropping this car off like they were, you know, getting home from work. Her Car Was Recovered Barely A Mile From Her Home - But No Trace Of Her Has Ever Been Found, The last information known about her whereabouts, wasshe, It soon became clear to her family and co-workers that, When her parents arrived at the condo, they discovered nothing was out of place. I mean, everybody knows for a fact that I had nothing to do with Jennifer Kesse. 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. But for the friends and family of 24 yea. 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. The former University of Central Florida student had graduated in 2003, and had only recently started her new job as a finance manager.