Please enter valid email address to continue. Although Rob lived about 3 hours away in Fort Lauderdale, the two of them would see each other every weekend. A single stranger abductor saw an opportunity and took it. 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. "This is something that is haunting me," Torretta says. Maybe Jennifer Kesse was murdered by her ex. I stood in a courtroom alone while a judge declared her deceased. There have been no arrests, no named suspects, and a grainy image of a person parking her car remains the most important clue as to who may have abducted Jennifer. Almost three years after Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, Detective Wright decided to take a fresh look at the case and interviewed people on audiotape. I estimate he was about 5,6. In 2009, Detective Wright interviewed him and asked him about working in Jennifer's condo: DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: when you did the work in her unit, uh was she present while you were doing it. The only way to determine any problem would be to ask future owners of her car what issues they experienced in the following years after her abduction. After Chino's name came up multiple times, the Kesse team was anxious to talk to him. He was serving time in a Florida prison for statutory rape of a teenage girl a crime he committed two years after Jennifer disappeared. And he says there is nothing in the files indicating that police ever spoke to them. Michael Torretta is a private investigator who works for the Kesses. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. And then there's the fact that it appeared like Jennifer had gotten ready for work the next morning. And he, denied any kind of wrongdoing. Lauren McCarthy: The reasons she bought the place that she did was because it was a gated community with a guard. She carried pepper spray with her all the time. Chino needs to be spoken to again. Brennan shared evidence photos. And despite evidence that she was at her condo that morning, police pursued a theory that Jennifer may have been abducted the night before. 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. But, when police tried to identify the phantom figure, they hit a roadblock. 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. They immediately moved into Jennifer's condo to be close to the investigation. It's been more than 15 years since she was last seen. "Someone out there knows something," he said. Before we left, Chino even agreed to talk with the Kesse team. When investigators arrived, they found a DVD player in the back seat, so it didn't appear that the motive for taking the car was robbery or a carjacking. On the two-year anniversary of Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, her family and friends gathered on a street corner and held up signs, just as they had done the day Jennifer went missing. As the hours went by, their panic became unbearable. "We need to see what's inside that carpet.". Chino: I don't have to answer any questions, but that's for sure. But there were no big headlines and Torretta presses on. But she says once workers started living in empty apartments around the complex, she felt uneasy. he had dark hair My theory: the suspect appeared to be a painter or an upholsterer of some kind. 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. Kesses parents said their daughter did not feel comfortable around building maintenance workers. You're all in. Interestingly, the 2004 Chevy Malibu's number one problem is with the electric power steering. But according to Torretta, the police files don't list everyone who was questioned. Michael Torretta: She's locking the door and never sees it comin'. But that evening Jennifer spoke with Rob. Jennifer Kesse's parents refused to give up. Lauren McCarthy: The searches were massive. Anyone withinformation about Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, is asked to visit the "Find Jennifer Kesse" Facebook page. The shower was wet in the corners," Joyce Kesse said. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. . Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Even though Rob lived in Fort Lauderdale, about 3 hours from Jennifer's condo in Orlando. The surveillance video took a photo every 3 seconds and each time, the person's face was obstructed by a fence post. That was the last time he would ever speak to Jennifer again. Surveillance footage shows an unknown individual parking Kesses vehicle at the apartment complex around noon on January 24. Didn't appear that it was a car theft. Read. But it is highly unpopular. If the car is not a part of the abduction itself, you do not make it a part of it unless it is necessary. Lauren McCarthy [at the 2008 gathering]: There's just no other place I could be today. It was like being hit with a ton of bricks. No named suspects. Peter Van Sant: The last time police officially questioned Chino was back in 2009. And the name Chino came up again -- that maintenance worker at Jennifer's complex. In 2008, on the second anniversary of Jennifer's disappearance, family and friends gathered on a street corner in Orlando. In this type of stranger spontaneous abduction, this is extremely important. Everyone loved being around Jen.. Peter Van Sant: There's no list of names of who was staying in which apartment? This gets back to the route Jennifer Kesse would take to get to work in Ocoee, FL. What was concerning about this was the area it was located is not an area frequented by Jennifer. Michael Torretta: That's why it's very interesting to me. Chino [talking to a woman in his home]: Mi amor. Private Investigator Michael Torretta says he has gone through the more than 16,000-page case file at least three times. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. On the morning of January 24, 2006, Jennifer, 24, left her apartment and headed to work -- but she never made it there. Kesse says it's a theory he thinks about because whoever took Jennifer only took her and not a single item of her personal belongings. Detective Wright learned Chino used to live in another building at Jennifer Kesse's condo complex and was a former maintenance worker there. They want the police department's files?" Chief Orlando Rolon: After the number of years that we have spent trying to solve Jennifer's disappearance, I think it was time to also honor the wishes of the family. "If you had told me then in 14 years we would still be looking for Jennifer Kesse, I would not have believed it," says Louis Bolden, an investigative reporter for WKMG-TV in Orlando. Using Jennifer's apartment as their headquarters, they began their own media blitz. An upcoming episode of "48 Hours" on CBS will feature the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. 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. On the two-year anniversary of Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, her family and friends gathered on a street corner and held up signs, just as they had done the day Jennifer went missing. He passed. And that was part of the development of him as a person of interest. It was so out of character for Jennifer to not respond, her friends and family rushed to her condo. If it was one of them, how did they know she had returned? is produced by Chris Young Ritzen, Tamara Weitzman and Gabriella Demirdjian. If it was car trouble, it does not explain why Jennifer Kesse stopped. She was a beautiful person. After many months of legal wrangling, a settlement was reached, and OPD agreed to hand over files. When detectives reviewed surveillance video from the complex where Jennifer's car was discovered, they saw a person parking her car. reported by "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. She might not have had a chance to fight back, Torretta told FOX News. From all appearances, Jennifer Kesse of Orlando, Florida was a happy, successful, well-adjusted 24-year-old woman with a bright future. But she says he fled in a white van. 1. Kesses father, Drew Kesse, added, Whenever workers entered her apartment for painting and repairs, Jen was always on the phone with us. By the gait And someone with pretty big feet for his height is the information we've been getting. In January 2006, Jennifer Kesse's family and friends say she was on top of the world. Whatever happened to Jennifer, happened fast., No tip is too small, unimportant, or insignificant. Joyce Kesse: As you can imagine we were basket cases. One theory is that Kesse may have been attacked by a construction worker at her condo. to be broadcast Saturday, Oct. 24 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Det. 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? But when detectives opened the trunk of the car, Jennifer wasn't there. I didn't like it. She was just really happy. It explains why none of Jennifer Kesse's items were left on the ground near her car indicative of a struggle. They were immediately worried. When detectives reviewed surveillance video from the complex where Jennifer' Kesse's car was discovered, they saw a person parking her car. Michael Torretta: What I'm thinking is Jennifer comes out. Sgt. I had never seen anything of this magnitude. Shortly after she vanished, Kesse's car was discovered parked around a mile from her home. After Jennifer was reported missing, her family went to her apartment and it appeared as though she had gotten ready for work in the morning, and left. 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. She was born on May 20, 1981, to her parents, Drew and Joyce Kesse in New Jersey. It explains the logistics of two vehicles. Because there were posters There were billboards. They would just stop and leer when they saw her, Joyce Kesse told FOX News. When police searched the lake, nothing was found. It explains the lack of concern about other's noticing your presence. Det. Then, two days after her disappearance, police found Jennifer's car. Louis Bolden: Technology then was not what technology is now. Obviously, I'm not an expert on the subject, and follow it as a casual. The hole in our heart is forever there until we have an answer. You know, getting married and having children and becoming a grownup and just living life; just having her life, you know. And how fast can we find that person?". 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. "We got a phone call," said Joyce, "'Was Jennifer OK?'". If you have any information about Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, please visit the "Find Jennifer Kesse" Facebook page. Now, Drew and Joyce Kesse hope they will solve their missing daughter's case. We wanna find the person responsible for her disappearance. One of the first things he did was go back to the scene of the crime and speak to people who lived at Jennifer's complex. They also couldn't count on getting any reliable forensic evidence from Jennifer's condo. In the days leading up to her disappearance, Jennifer went on a vacation with her boyfriend, arriving back in Orlando the day she was last seen and going straight to work instead of stopping by her apartment. 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.". I had an ex boyfriend once who would not let the relationship go. July 10, 2021 / 10:00 PM We dont care how and, frankly, we dont care who. "We had a disagreement," Allen said. Link contains a photo of Jennifer, an age progression photo, a photo of the person who dropped off her car, and information about the case. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. She's dragged into the other apartment. Then she disappeared one day in January of 2006 and has never been found. Sgt. I always see the "what's your unpopular theory" followed by the "BuT tHaTs A pOpUlAr ThEoRy". Long distance was taking a toll on their relationship. We just want our daughter back, for the good or the bad, Drew Kesse told FOX News. They had no better luck with the forensics inside Jennifer's car. Subscriptions. Roger Brennan [at the parking lot in 2008] Apparently this video, when it films, captures every two to three seconds as it's filming, so that's why you only see the subject on one side of the gate and then the opposite side of the gate and he's blocked by the posts on either side of the gate. Chino with "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. The most significant clue to date is a grainy surveillance camera image of someone calmly parking her car. Even though there is no facial features to look at, the HOTG video gives a good description of the POI build and height. Later that afternoon, Jennifer also called her brother and her father. Joyce Kesse [2008]: God love Jennifer. And that's not all he learned. Then in 2010, Detective Wright was moved off the case. "Her cell phone that she had since she was 16 years old went to voicemail for the first time. In 2009, Detective Wright decided to take a fresh look at the case. It wasn't a great feeling. You know aliens didn't abduct her. It's something that you watch on TV. there was footprints in my closet. Chino was one of the workers who did some repairs in Jennifer's condo one week before she disappeared. Joel Wright: I put just the name Chino into a leads tracking system and one tip did come up. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. Det. Peter Van Sant: Based on your experience is there a possibility what this person threw in that pond was her body? Roger Brennan [2008]: We didn't come up with any solid leads of anybody who saw Jennifer, saw anybody park her vehicle here. She had just gotten promoted," her mother Joyce Kesse told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. Det. It didn't appear that is was a carjacking. It explains the eyewitness of the erratic driver leaving Mosaic at Millenia on the morning of January 24th, 2006. And, how fast can we find that person?'" Unconcluded is a real-time investigative true crime series focused on the 2006 disappearance of Jennifer Kesse (Orlando, FL). JOEL WRIGHT [at the 2008 gathering]: Maybe the right person will see us. 48 HOURS: "Where is Jennifer Kesse?" 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. Chino also told him, "I don't have any idea what happened to her." "There was makeup all over her counter The T-shirt that she had worn to bed was on the floor. Con's: There are many. Rob Allen: Because someone must have seen something. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Pro's: This is a strong theory. Sunday marked 15 years since she . Drew Kesse: I think they wanted to open the trunk in front of him to see his reaction if, in case Jennifer was in there. Because Jennifer appeared to have slept in her bed and got ready for work, the . Kesse was 24 years old at the time of her disappearance. Chino said Jennifer let him inside her condo. Magnus: One of your theories is that she may have been taken by somebody who'd been watching her, stalking . Judy Tygard is the executive producer. And now with the case files in their possession, they are more determined than ever to keep their daughter's story alive. Unless Jennifer Kesse's car went in the opposite direction when she left for work on the morning of January 24, 2006, then this abductor really did a lot of walking or bus travel that day, especially in order to get to the location where he/she encountered Jennifer Kesse. 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. Drew Kesse: And we just wish that one person that knows something in Orlando would just finally say it. 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. On March 18, 2009, Wright interviewed Chino in prison and asked him about that time he worked in Jennifer's condo. Prevailing Theories For The Weary . Chino. It explains the oddities concerning where Jennifer Kesse's car was found at Huntington on the Green. I just think of Jennifer all the time. The DNA testing they did on the car was inconclusive, but the car did lead to a very important clue. Ashley: He had the opportunity to tell me and he didn't. Jennifer's mother Joyce Kesse said, "She was just really happy.". 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. Michael Torretta: I always told the Kesses what I like to do with this investigation is put a puzzle together -- one piece at a time. But the Kesses refused to give up on Jennifer. We had a guard house. Peter Van Sant: And what did that tell you? Maybe he tossed his sweater in the hamper before passing out. Roger Brennan: [2008] We printed out pictures and then we brought them out here. "In my mind, it was, 'That person took my daughter! When they came up with no new leads, he made the unprecedented decision to finally release the files to the Kesses. When they arrived at the condo in the early afternoon, a building manager opened Jennifer's locked apartment. NEWS REPORT: For the past two days dive crews have been out on the water. Jennifer had made a number of complaints about harassment from some of these workers. THE FAMILY filed a civil complaint and took the Orlando Police Department to court in order to get the case files. Lauren McCarthy: She was always on the radar with everybody. Chief Orlando Rolon: The family wants closure. Joel Wright | Orlando Police Department: It appeared that somebody was fighting over control of the car. 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. Chino was a name Detective Wright had not heard before. Workers that live there would certainly be aware of her presence and her car parked in its numbered spot. But the person could not be identified because the surveillance video captured a photo every three seconds and each time the figure's face was obstructed by a fence post. Drew Kesse: We have film of the car being dropped off . Several items were located inside the vehicle her cellphone, charger sandals and shoes Nothing appears to be disturbed in the vehicle at all. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page..
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