This was the first time Wright had ever heard of Chino. Monday evening, January 23, 2006 ,at around 10 p.m., Jennifer Kesse spoke to Rob Allen on the phone. 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. Did you ever meet her? One of the people he spoke to was a former housekeeper at Jennifer's condo complex. Chief Orlando Rolon: I can understand why they're frustrated. Investigators have been unable to tell whether they are male or female. She was on a cloud. I vaguely remember it. When they came up with no new leads, he made the unprecedented decision to finally release the files to the Kesses. Jennifer Joyce Kesse is an American woman from Orlando, Florida, who has been missing since January 23, 2006. He's hoping to find new clues as to who could have abducted Jennifer Kesse. So, I'm heading now to his last known address where I'm hoping we can find him. Shortly after she vanished, Kesse's car was discovered parked around a mile from her home. Det. Sgt. But she says he fled in a white van. If you have any information about Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, please visit the "Find Jennifer Kesse" Facebook page. Drew Kesse: That was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. When he showed the woman the security camera photo of the unidentified person, she told him it resembled a man she knew from the complex known as Chino because of his hair, clothing and the way he walked. Det. Tami: From the very beginning there were some uneasy things that I kind of brushed off that were red flags. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. Sgt. Det. Orlando police determined this vehicle was Jennifer Kesse's. Jennifer's mother Joyce described Jennifer's habits when getting in a car, Louis Bolden: You could go to any part of town, and everyone knew Jennifer Kesse's name and they knew her face. And they kept saying, "Nope, her case is extremely active. She was already so successful that she had recently purchased a condominium no small feat for someone in their early twenties. More than 15 years after Jennifer Kesse vanished, her parents Drew and Joyce Kesse are leading the investigation into their daughter's case. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. Her parents have never stopped searching. She was at her residence at Mosaic Apartments in the vicinity of the 3700 block of Conroy Road in Orlando, Florida at the time. Jennifer Kesse was a year into her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend Rob Allen. And no tip is too late. It was updated on July 10, 2021.]. Detective Wright learned Chino used to live in another building at Jennifer Kesse's condo complex and was a former maintenance worker there. Colleen: I don't recall formally meeting her. Roger Brennan [2008]: This is the interior of Jennifer's car as we found it. That was the last time he would ever speak to Jennifer again. And that was part of the development of him as a person of interest. Drew Kesse: We were probably on the road within 5 minutes. But when detectives opened the trunk of the car, Jennifer wasn't there. Joel Wright: I put just the name Chino into a leads tracking system and one tip did come up. But that evening Jennifer spoke with Rob. She moved into the complex just weeks after Jennifer disappeared. Jennifer has skin tags on the outside of her left hand, as well as birthmarks on her ribs, and one on the middle finger on her left hand. Lauren McCarthy: Jennifer is super funny, super witty person. Roger Brennan: [2008] We printed out pictures and then we brought them out here. We were very frantic. The Kesses are offering $15,000 as a reward for valuable information on where Jennifer could be at this time. He says it could have been one or more of these workers who abducted her. Jennifer is definitely the most loyal person I've ever been friends with or probably ever known. And Chino is 5'9" -- taller than the figure's height estimated by police. She was declared dead by the State of Florida. Sgt. We just want our daughter back, for the good or the bad, Drew Kesse told FOX News. Cookie Notice Logan was able to speak with a guy named Ben who was the head of maintenance, he reported he was very rude and sketchy. The woman had not been questioned back in 2006: DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: Do you remember a person by the name of Jennifer Kesse that turned up missing? **Ben and Chino** **Highlights from discussion with Logan, Jennifer's brother about the day Jennifer was identified as missing (Tues, Jan 24, 2006) . The rest of the home looked like a maid had been there . A couple said they saw it swerving out of her apartment complex at around 7:40 a.m. Det. "She needs to come home to her family.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Peter Van Sant spoke with several women who lived at the same condo complex as Jennifer Kesse. Peter Van Sant: You had nothing to do with her disappearance? But there were no big headlines and Torretta presses on. We wanna find the person responsible for her disappearance. When we asked about Jennifer Kesse, Chino quickly reiterated that he was innocent. Kesse disappeared Jan. 24, 2006, after leaving her condo at the Mosaic at Millenia complex for work at Westgate Resorts. So, I did. Ashley: I sat on it for a little bit. The surveillance video took a photo every 3 seconds and each time, the person's face was obstructed by a fence post. "My best friend said to me after the trip, 'Oh, you're in love and you just don't want to admit it,'" Allen said. Joel doesnt know where either of the men are right now. Newly released photos in the Jennifer Kesse disappearance may indicate a struggle took place on her car, and her family is hoping these new clues will bring in leads in her case. Louis Bolden: At the time, we thought, "They want what? "We're a broken family," her father Drew Kesse said. Inside sources reveal brand new bombshell information. In honor of her birthday, Jennifer's parents are encouraging people to celebrate life Saturday by giving blood at their local blood banks. The shower was wet in the corners," Joyce Kesse said. Det. 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. Peter Van Sant: Now you were the maintenance man there. The investigation into the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse more than 16 years ago has been given to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for a cold case review. July 10, 2021 / 10:00 PM We dont care how and, frankly, we dont care who. Did he know more than he had admitted? Joel Wright: However, the logs that we went through didn't appear to be complete. In January 2006, 24-year old Jennifer Kesse had everything going for her. 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. Det. Michael Torretta: That's why it's very interesting to me. Ashley: He came over to my condo quite a bit. But the call did not go well. 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. Chief Rolon gave his investigators six months to work the case. FOX News recently obtained evidence photos that suggest a struggle occurred on the hood of the car. As of 2023, no arrests have been made and Kes And you could sense that, and you can feel that . Rob Allen: We did the long distance, but after the initial date we started spending virtually every weekend together. I just think of Jennifer all the time. The surveillance video took a photo every 3 seconds and each time, the person's face was obstructed by a fence post. I mean, we probably have at least three times more in boxes of this. She also was recently promoted at her job where she worked as a project manager for a time-share company. 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. And what about that photo taken by security cameras? It all suggests that whatever happened likely occurred after she had left her home that morning. Everyone loved being around Jen.. In 2016, it had been 10 years since Jennifer went missing. Frustrated with the Orlando Police Department's handling . It was like being hit with a ton of bricks. You know aliens didn't abduct her. She received numerous job offers and took a job at Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company in Ococee, Florida. Det. Colleen: We were a gated community. That day, Chino took a polygraph test and he passed. Ashley: I always wanted to ask him. But to the Kesses' frustration, the person caught on that camera could not be identified. Peter Van Sant: Hey, how are ya? They were immediately worried. As the hours went by, their panic became unbearable. But when police checked security cameras, it looked like they finally caught a big break. Within minutes, the Kesses and their son Logan were on the road and headed to Jennifer's condo in Orlando, Florida. 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. The only known suspect in the disappearance is the individual that was recorded parking her vehicle. They had no better luck with the forensics inside Jennifer's car. A police search was launched after she failed to turn up for work as a finance manager. Later that afternoon, Jennifer also called her brother and her father. It's OK. Nothing appeared to be out of place there, but Kesse was missing, as were her purse, her cellular phone and her black four-door 2004 Chevrolet Malibu with the Florida license plate number H90KYC. Around noon on the day Jennifer disappeared, one of the cameras captured a person driving Jennifer's car. Rob Allen, left, walks with an Orlando detective at the site where Jennifer Kesse's car was found. Please enter valid email address to continue. Michael Torretta: That was one of the most shocking parts of this investigation. 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?". Jennifer Kesse was 24 at the time of her disappearance and by all accounts was a successful young woman. Michael Torretta: When you talk about challenging investigations, this is the one. Chino was a name Detective Wright had not heard before. Jennifer Joyce Kesse Kesse, circa 2006; Kesse's car; Unidentified suspect Missing Since 01/24/2006 Missing From Orlando, Florida Classification Endangered Missing Sex Female Race White Date of Birth 05/20/1981 (41) Age 24 years old Height and Weight 5'8, 125 pounds Clothing/Jewelry Description Possibly a three-stone diamond necklace. Jennifer Kesse, who had lived and worked in the same condominium complex as Chino, had been identified as the maintenance worker. Chino was one of the workers who did some repairs in Jennifer's condo one week before she disappeared. An unidentified person, approximately 5'3 to 5'5 tall, was seen parking Kesse's car, getting out and walking away. When he showed her that security camera photo of the unidentified suspect, she gave him a possible new lead. Joel Wright [2008]: Now the clothing looks to be maybe someone who is a painter or some type of worker. Joel Wright: Some of the people who were working on the property left. Pennsy Woman Shoots Parents in the Head, Dismembers Them With Electric Chainsaw: DA. Investigators found the car on the morning of January 26th and were also able to retrieve security footage from the complex. Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, who went missing Jan. 24, 2006, at 24 years old. Her family's pursuit to discover what happened to her has led them to the bottom of lakes and from Mexico to Russia, according to Fox News. Didn't appear that it was a car theft. Drew Kesse: We have film of the car being dropped off . She had just moved into a condo in Orlando, Florida, that she purchased on her own. One week before Jennifer Kesse disappeared, she took a weekend trip to St. Croix with her boyfriend Rob Allen. 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. Any defense attorney would have a field day with those two alternate suspects. Even though Rob lived in Fort Lauderdale, about 3 hours from Jennifer's condo in Orlando. Getting along fine? On January 24, 2006, Jennifer Kesse vanished from her Florida condo. Before we left, Chino even agreed to talk with the Kesse team. They kept suggesting that she must have had a fight with her boyfriend and would be back. / CBS NEWS. OK, I'm going to work. In 2009, Detective Wright decided to take a fresh look at the case. A damp towel was on the floor near the shower, the unit was locked and her mobile phone, iPod, purse, and briefcase were not in the condo. She's locking the door and never sees it comin She probably was attacked immediately upon exiting. And they said, "Well you ruined the crime scene." Kevin Dean and Gary Winter are the editors. Det. She graduated with a degree in finance in 2003 before starting a . The family of amissing Florida woman who vanished nearly 15 years agohopes new clues may finally lead to answers about what happened to her,FOX News reports. And now with the case files in their possession, they are more determined than ever to keep their daughter's story alive. Roger Brennan [2008]: It didn't appear that it was a robbery. Unconcluded Podcast Retweeted Find Jennifer Kesse @FindJennKesse SATURDAY | @48hours He stated he believes Jennifer woke up and got ready for work and likely made it down the stairs and probably made it to her car when she was abducted. And they just look.". It is believed Kesse got up and left for work at approximately 8:00 a.m. the next morning, but she never arrived there. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace: Murder Suspect Bryan Kohberger Stalks Victims on Instagram? [Takes a deep breath with tears in her eyes]. Kesse's family says they are now convinced the image of the black Chevrolet . And it just ate away at me. He is not considered to be a suspect in her case, as he has an alibi. Her parents did notice, however, that Jennifer's phone, keys and purse were missing. Kesse was a graduate of Gaither High School in Tampa. Wright was able to speak with Ben and he admitted that both he and Chino worked in Jennifers condo the week before Jennifer went on her vacation. In 2019, local police came out with a dive team, but no carpet was found. She graduated with honours in 2003 with a degree in finance. 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. On Jan. 24,. Of course, she has her back to the apartment behind her. 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Then, two days after her disappearance, police found Jennifer's car. Jennifer Kesse was 24 years old when she vanished in 2006 in Orlando. I have nothing to hide. 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. Pic credit: Orlando Police Dept. Drew Kesse: He pulls into a parking spot next to the pool area backs out to even straighten himself in there, sits in there for 32 seconds gets out, walks away, never looks back. by Sarah Jae Leiber Oct. 21, 2020. She worked as a financial analyst for Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company and had recently purchased a condo. "That was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life," Drew Kesse said. There were hundreds of people that came out. In January 2006, 24-year-old Jennifer Kesse disappeared from her condo in Orlando, Florida. In an . When Jennifers brother arrived at her condo complex he saw the workers parked in a white van right next to where Jennifers parking spot was. She had just moved into a condo in Orlando, Florida, that she purchased on her own. Joel Wright: Chino was very cooperative. She graduated from Vivian Gaither High School in Tampa, Florida. "She was in love," her mother Joyce said. Peter Van Sant: You were there at the same time as Jennifer Kesse. Peter Van Sant: Based on your experience is there a possibility what this person threw in that pond was her body? In an unexpected move, detectives summoned boyfriend Rob Allen to meet them at Jennifer's car. Under the agreement, the Orlando Police Department would no longer lead the investigation. 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. Again, the case stalled. And then is abducted by those individuals across the way. He says when he reviewed the files, he was amazed at what police didn't do and who they didn't speak with. Lauren McCarthy: The reasons she bought the place that she did was because it was a gated community with a guard. But, when police tried to identify the phantom figure, they hit a roadblock. Produced by Chris Young Ritzen, Tamara Weitzman and Gabriella Demirdjian. 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.". July 10, 2021 / 11:06 PM Michael Torretta is a private investigator who works for the Kesses. Roger Brennan [2008]: The Orange County Sheriff's office received a call about Jennifer's vehicle being in the Huntington on the Green condominiums approximately 1.1 miles away from her condominium. Almost three years after Jennifer Kesse's disappearance, Detective Wright decided to take a fresh look at the case and interviewed people on audiotape. there was footprints in my closet. Her car was found Jan. 26, but little evidence has been found indicating. It looked as though two people were fighting over the steering wheel.. She was just really happy. You're all in. Logan Kesse [2008]: It didn't feel right. It's actually a complex that's been known where stolen cars were -- would be recovered from. "Jen shared every detail about the trip," Joyce Kesse said. I mean, everybody knows for a fact that I had nothing to do with Jennifer Kesse. Theories abound as to what happened, with many suggesting she was killed by a male coworker whose advances she had spurned. Two days after she disappeared, her car was found abandoned in a nearby apartment complex. "That evening, Jennifer talked to her Father, Mother, Brother and later with some friends and her boyfriend by phone as usual and that was the last anyone has seen or heard from Jennifer - Telephone call to her boyfriend at 9:57 pm 1/23/06 - Monday night." -Jennifer's parents, JenniferKesse.com. But, by early evening, when there was still no sign of Jennifer, police officially declared her missing. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Colleen: When I would come home from work, there would be a large group of men outside drinking. Jennifer was born in New Jersey and graduated high school in Tampa, Florida. They sued the Orlando Police Department to get Jennifer's case files. Monday marks 16 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared. I have a meeting. "Her cell phone that she had since she was 16 years old went to voicemail for the first time. "You have keys to all the apartments. But Who Did It? What was concerning about this was the area it was located is not an area frequented by Jennifer. When detectives reviewed surveillance video from the complex where Jennifer Kesse's car was discovered, they saw a person parking her car. I shed light on unsolved mysteries and shocking crimes. Jennifer Kesse was a beautiful, hard-working, 24-year-old woman in 2006. They would just stop and leer when they saw her, Joyce Kesse told FOX News. They want the police department's files?" When asked about the surveillance footage and the POI former detective Joel Wright stated he had a source that used to be a housekeeper in the condo complex. They're just good people. It's not about us. 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. Police think Jennifer Kesse was abducted from her Orlando condominium near the Mall at Millenia Jan. 24, 2006. They stood on street corners while they held up missing signs and handed out fliers with Jennifer's photo. In December of 2018, the Kesses sued the Orlando Police Department for a copy of Jennifer's case files. Ashley says, at first, she didn't reach out to police. Joel Wright: At that point I thought the investigation was kicking into gear. To report information about the case, visit theFind Jennifer Kesse Facebook page. The 24-year-old has been missing for 15 years after vanishing one . I love her. Chino said Jennifer let him inside her condo. Michael Torretta: What I'm thinking is Jennifer comes out. PLEASE WATCH THE 3 PARTS OF THE 48HOURS EPISODE FEATURING JENNIFER KESSE. Unknown to investigators or the Kesse family at the time, at around noon on January 23rd an unknown person parked Jennifer's car at an apartment complex about a mile east of her condo building. Whatever happened to Jennifer, happened fast., No tip is too small, unimportant, or insignificant. Joel Wright [2008]: It's difficult to tell. She is 5'8 and weighs 130lbs. When police opened the trunk, Jennifer wasn't there. The case received local and national press attention. But he learned Chino used to live in another building at Jennifer's condo complex and was a former maintenance worker there. One theory is that Kesse may have been attacked by a construction worker at her condo. At the time she disappeared, Kesses building was being converted from apartments to condos, and construction workers were at the property frequently. Chief Orlando Rolon: The family wants closure. In November 2019, local police came out with a dive team to search the lake where an eyewitness said the piece of carpet was dumped. 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 next morning was when Jennifer didn't show up for work and didn't answer her phone. Anyone? Drew Kesse: So, at this point in time, the only people that are truly investigating what happened to Jennifer is us and our team. We had a guard house. They also couldn't count on getting any reliable forensic evidence from Jennifer's condo. And in fact, weeks later he did. . On Sunday, January 22, 2006, Jennifer returned from a vacation to St. Croix with her boyfriend Rob Allen. DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: Nobody mad about anything? Peter Van Sant: There's no list of names of who was staying in which apartment? Lauren McCarthy: For me, every milestone that I've had without her has been like a tug of war with my emotions. "48 Hours" agreed not to use his full name. This housekeeper has never seen a photo of the POI before, when shown the photograph of the POI the housekeeper replied that looks like Chino. Jennifer Kesse was 24 years old and living in Orlando Florida. Doreen Schechter is the producer editor. Lauren McCarthy: The searches were massive. WORKER: Everybody getting along fine, regular conversation. DETECTIVE WRIGHT: how did you get into the condo? Joyce Kesse: Police kept insisting that Jennifer went out in the middle of the night And we're like, "you don't understand that is not how our daughter's brain works.". Det. She just lit up the room, Joyce Kesse told FOX News. . January 24,2020 will mark 14 years since Jennifer Kesse was last seen in or around her home in Orlando Florida. 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. She had a good relationship with her boyfriend and vacationed with him in the Virgin Islands the month she went missing. Using Jennifer's apartment as their headquarters, they began their own media blitz. Michael Torretta: I want to do my best and bring Jennifer Kesse home to them one day. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. Now we have some of our own questions we'd like to ask. Joyce Kesse: A lot of your day laborers are, um, not here, uh, legally. On Monday, January 23, on her way into work as a project manager for a time-share company, Jennifer called her mom. Joyce Kesse: I think that my heart stopped Sheer panic. Peter Van Sant: Why is what the woman at the Mosaic told you important? Kesse is a 2003 graduate of the University of Central Florida; her degree is in finance. She had a stable job working as a finance manager for Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company in Ocoee, Florida and was the proud new owner of a condo in nearby Orlando. 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. Sgt. " she was in love. Based on interviews with people who lived at the complex, he believes that up to 10 construction workers were living in an empty apartment just across from Jennifer's. After months of legal wrangling, in March 2019, they all reached a settlement. I stood in a courtroom alone while a judge declared her deceased. Jennifer's car had been seen the morning she disappeared. Sometime between Monday, January 23, and Tuesday, January 24, 2006, 24-year-old Jennifer Joyce Kesse vanished from her Orlando, Florida, home and was never seen again. Peter Van Sant: So, these are just some of your daughter's case files? At first, the Kesses say police infuriated them by not taking their daughter's disappearance seriously. The team spent two days searching, but they did not find anything. And then, Tami says she caught a "peeping Tom" a man she believes was a worker at the complex. 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. The case centers on Jennifer Kesse, who disappeared on January 24, 2006, when she didnt show up for work. (Drew Kesse) ORLANDO, Fla. - Drew Kesse, whose daughter Jennifer Kesse has been missing since Jan. 24, 2006,. Joel Wright [2008]: We've done quite a bit of measuring and work with the camera angles. Orlando Police Department via the Kesse family. Jennifer's disappearance was discussed with him, but he denied any involvement. Nothing had been stolen from the car and there was no evidence of a struggle. You unfortunately take things for granted. Kesse's family said FDLE's cold case unit will take over and essentially restart the investigation into the Orlando woman's 2006 . The Kesses told police that Jennifer had complained to them about the workers at the building who occasionally made her feel uncomfortable. Police say they did not believe Jennifer's case met the criteria for declaring her missing. Drew Kesse: I'm like, "Come on! Jennifer Kesse has been missing and assumed murdered since 2006. Drew Kesse: In my mind, it was "that person took my daughter. Kesses parents said their daughter did not feel comfortable around building maintenance workers. TRY IT FREE Where is Jennifer Kesse? Jennifer Kesse, 24, went missing from her newly purchased condo in Orlando, Florida, on January 24, 2006. So I think they were scared. JENNIFER KESSE - THE NUMBER ONE SUSPECT? What do you think happened?" NEWS REPORT: For the past two days dive crews have been out on the water. You saw all the workers at that complex. "She had just bought her first condo with her own money," said Jennifer's father, Drew Kesse. Kesses father, Drew Kesse, added, Whenever workers entered her apartment for painting and repairs, Jen was always on the phone with us. 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. She has never been heard from again. find us on -. 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. Joyce Kesse: I refuse to let her be forgotten until she is found. This Wednesday, you can watch WFTV's in-depth. At every turn, the detectives kept coming up empty and the case was going cold. We love you and miss you Jennifer and are working hard to find you. 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. She says they never talked about Jennifer's disappearance. Joel Wright [2008] We know there was quite a bit of a renovation going on inside her complex. But, still, no one knew where Jennifer was. Kesse and her boyfriend, Robert Allen, had recently vacationed in . Joel Wright: [2008]: When that car was found, we jumped all over it. It could be a crucial detail. She turns 25 Saturday. Louis Bolden: Joyce and Drew Kesse were very vulnerable. Chino was a maintenance worker at the Mosaic when Jennifer went missing. She had quite recently moved into a condominium in Orlando, Florida, that she bought all alone. Joel Wright: It told me that he passed the polygraph. It's busy, locks the door of her condo. Sgt. I think it's a win-win for all. There were no signs of a struggle. Prior to her disappearance, Kesse had expressed concern that her apartment complex was unsafe. In 2008, Detective Wright and Sergeant Brennan analyzed the surveillance tape with "48 Hours.". Joyce Kesse: Jenn shared every detail about the trip. "I want to do my best and bring Jennifer Kesse home to them one day," he said. Chino: I even did a lie detector test. Im a writer, author, wife, and animal lover. She might not have had a chance to fight back, Torretta told FOX News. He also observed that Chino was involved in other crimes, and it appears that he might be involved in her case or responsible . And he says there is nothing in the files indicating that police ever spoke to them. There's no lease. 1-800-423-8477. Det. Drew Kesse: Yes. Rob had no idea that it would be the last time he would ever hear her voice. "We got a phone call," said Joyce, "'Was Jennifer OK?'". They were also allowed to live in vacant units, according to police records. Jennifer's car was missing, and her condo looked, according to family members, as if Jennifer had gotten ready and left for work. Wright discovered that Chino was known to be working with the head of maintenance ''Ben'' the worker that Logan had an argument with the morning Jennifer disappeared. Det. Chino [talking to a woman in his home]: Mi amor. Jennifer Kesse a 24 year old finance manager was abducted while leaving for work on the morning of January 24, 2006. Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/TNS/Alamy Live News. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The harassment of the Kesses began in August 2007, when a . OK, call the police again.". She got ready for work and left. 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. She had a great job. Michael Torretta: It's impossible to find those individuals. PUBLISHED 11:00 AM ET Jan. 26, 2020. 1 min read. Photograph of Chino https://i.imgur.com/aUzfETn.png, Close up of Chino https://i.imgur.com/7cRZaSb.png. DETECTIVE WRIGHT: is there any reason why somebody would would say that was you? Colleen: He was apologetic. When Logan knocked on the window, they ignored him completely and did not respond to him at all. A new witness has also been found. But I would never rule someone out just because they passed a polygraph. In 2010, Detective Wright was reassigned. Chino also told him, "I don't have any idea what happened to her." Tami filed a police report and to this day she says they have never found the "peeping Tom" or the white van he was driving. Jennifer has a shamrock tattoo on her lower back and a four-leaf clover on her left hip at the panty line, she has a birthmark on her middle finger on the second joint down and a non-raised strawberry birthmark on her rib area. Her face was everywhere. When asked about Jennifer Kesse, Chino quickly reiterated that he was innocent. They held up signs, just as they had done the day Jennifer went missing, with the desperate hope that someone passing by knew something. Thursday, January 26, 2006 a resident of Huntington on the Green the condominium complex notified Orlando police of a vehicle parked in the visitor parking spot. Peter Van Sant: How often would you socialize with him? Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. Security footage recorded a person parking Kesse's car and walking away; the person could not be identified due to poor camera quality and the absence of any visible distinguishing physical features. In fact, Chino had done work in Jennifer's condo just one week before she disappeared. That's a really hard question to ask somebody that's sitting on the couch next to you. Shed stay on the phone in the doorway of her condo until they had left.. On Tuesday, January 24, 2006, Jennifer Kesse's parents received a call that Jennifer didn't show up for work. Long distance was taking a toll on their relationship. From all appearances, Jennifer Kesse of Orlando, Florida was a happy, successful, well-adjusted 24-year-old woman with a bright future. 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. Kesse vanished from her Orlando condo on January 23rd. what are the chances of that happening? The long distance was taking a toll on their relationship. So, what does everyone think of the new details? Peter Van Sant: And what did that tell you? Drew Kesse: Joyce used to complain to me, she's like, "call them. You know, getting married and having children and becoming a grownup and just living life; just having her life, you know. and our ORLANDO, Fla. For the first time since a lawsuit settlement, Orlando's chief of police is opening up about the handling of the Jennifer Kesse case. Peter Van Sant [2008]: What does that image tell you of that individual in front of the gate? Start to work. "OK, call the hospitals again. CHINO: Everything was normal. 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. Drew Kesse: But police were very quick to shut us down on certain things. For more information, please see our Joel Wright stated that Chino was once in prison for a sexual battery case involving a minor. Her condo complex was undergoing a renovation, and many of the workers had been living in the empty condos. Jennifer's parents (Drew & Joyce Kesse) who lived 2 hours away, received a phone call from their daughters work. I do not recognize that person. At the time, Jennifer Kesse was a 24 year old finance manager for a timeshare company. They immediately moved into Jennifer's condo to be close to the investigation. 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.. Det. This has been backed up by the FBI who also are down and checked out the figures. Joel Wright [2008]: We didn't find any fingerprints on the steering wheel. The Kesses have dedicated more than 15 years of their lives to finding the truth about what happened to their daughter on the morning of January 24, 2006. Orlando Police. They immediately knew something was wrong when they were told Jennifer was a no call/no show to work that day. This individual is the prime suspect in Kesse's disappearance. The 24-year-old vanished without a trace and no one's been arrested. 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. A couple said they saw it swerving out of her apartment complex at around 7:40 a.m. Det. the suspect's face was obstructed by a gate post. She had a great job. Peter Van Sant: You opened the door and saw that? Brennan shared evidence photos. 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. That person could have taken the time to wipe down the steering wheel and the rearview mirror or what have you. His height was estimated between 5-foot-3 inches and 5-foot-5 inches tall. He was serving time in a Florida prison for statutory rape of a teenage girl a crime he committed two years after Jennifer disappeared. Louis Bolden: If you had told me then, in 14 years we would still be looking for Jennifer Kesse, I would not have believed it. Because there were posters There were billboards. They feared that time was running out. Jennifers new home was in a rough part of Orlando, Florida, but the area was being revitalized. 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. 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. Rob Allen: You've got the bug. Det. The family of a missing Florida woman who vanished nearly 15 years ago hopes new clues may finally lead to answers about what happened to her, FOX News reports. Michael Torretta is a private investigator who works for the Kesses. 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. Detective Joel Wright was one of the original investigators. DET. At the time of her disappearance, she was employed as a finance manager in Ocoee, Florida, She lived by herself in the Mosaic . I don't hear helicopters in the air.". Joyce Kesse: Her travel bag. Chino: I don't have to answer any questions, but that's for sure. She carried pepper spray with her all the time. On the morning of Jan. 24, 2006, Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, Fla., failed to report to her job as a finance manager at a well-known timeshare company. Some brand new details and information was revealed during the episode and it wasn't just a rehash of old information. Who knows what would've happened if this heinous crime hadn't been committed? In 2016, after 10 years had passed since Jennifer disappeared, she was declared dead by the state of Florida. 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. Bloodhounds tracked Kesse's scent from her vehicle back to her own residence. Lauren McCarthy [at the 2008 gathering]: There's just no other place I could be today. Rob Allen: That's just not something that even came in my mind. But a woman -- who wants to be called Ashley had a different opinion of Chino. 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. When they arrived at the condo in the early afternoon, a building manager opened Jennifer's locked apartment. Fed up, the Kesses then made a dramatic move. "She was on a cloud." 11. First published on October 24, 2020 / 10:14 PM. Campos was remanded to Lake County jail on bond, and after his wife posted the required $500 and a brief appearance on the 18th returned to work on the first day Jennifer Kesse was off; likely learning about her departure then. Money, '' her father, every milestone that I kind of brushed off were... Frustrated with the Kesse team not be identified he denied any involvement, everybody knows for Timeshare... Company in Ococee, Florida, but no carpet was found Sunday, January 22 2006... 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