They called Jenns brother, Logan, who was at the gym, and the three of them drove two hours from their home in Bradenton, Florida, to Jenns condo in Orlando. "We hope that by showing the public these photos, someone will come forward with information theyve been holding onto for all these years," Torretta said. Jennifer Kesse's family marks 16 years since she vanished - WTSP Investigators said Kesses car was found at the Huntington on the Green condominiums, about one mile from her home near the Mall at Millenia. "The photos look suspicious and show what appears to be a hand mark going across the hood," added Mike Torretta, a former federal agent and private investigator hired by the Kesse family. Jennifer Kesse, left, is pictured with her brother, Logan, and parents, Drew and Joyce Kesse, in an undated photo. Difficult then, and still difficult now, 14 years later., I talked to her on the phone for the last time that day, Logan said. 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 car was moving erratically," said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect her identity. "They would just stop and leer when they saw her," said Joyce Kesse. Family members and friends began the search immediately. They, in turn, told Rob. To lose the two most important people, other than my mother, in my life, was devastating.. It was January 24, 2006. And since then, it has managed to become televisions most popular true-crime series, investigating shocking cases and compelling real-life tales with authenticity and cutting-edge interviews to give us a complete look at a case. Two months prior to her disappearance, Jenn had purchased her first condo at Mosaic at Millenia Condominium in Orlando. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. Journalists who covered the story reported that the obscured footage made this person of interest the luckiest person of interest ever.. Jennifer Joyce Kesse has been missing since January 2006. Detectives learned that an older work colleague had unsuccessfully pursued a romantic relationship, but he too was determined unsuspicious. ORLANDO, Fla. On a January evening in 2006, Jennifer Kesse chatted on the phone with her parents and boyfriend from inside her Orlando homebefore disappearing without a trace, stumping investigators and the young womans family who have searched relentlessly for herfrom Florida to Mexico andRussia. But now that I have kids, I have a different understanding of what it would be like, and its heartbreaking.. There was no blood, no DNA, no hair samples, nothing.. 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. That night she talked to family, friends and her boyfriend as well. And how little of the window we have to find Jenn.. Sunday marked 15 years since she was last seen on Jan. 24, 2006. She was up for anything and willing to travel anywhere and try new things.. In speaking with Floridas Fourth Estate last year, Kesses father revealed a theory that his daughter may have been taken by human sex traffickers. Jenns father Drew told Dateline the footage proved to be frustrating because the camera was programmed to take pictures every three seconds and unfortunately, in each frame, the suspects face was obstructed by a gate post. Before she vanished, Jennifer Kesse seemed to have it all: a loving family and boyfriend, a great job, and no reason for her to drop everything and run away. Her 2004 Chevy Malibu was found two days later about a mile away from her condo. CBS' '48 Hours: Where Is Jennifer Kesse?' details the mysterious case of a 24-year-old successful woman's disappearance from Orlando, Florida, where she lived in an under-expansion condo complex. Kesses disappearance at Fischer Lake in Gotha, Boy, 14, dies after being shot over the weekend at Dezerland Park on I-Drive in Orlando, Gov. Keeping Jennifers name and story in the public eye is important for her family. "It looked like someone was thrown down on the top of the hood arms spread out and then dragged back almost like off the hood to the point where you can almost see fingers scribbling down the hood," said Kesses father at the time. Jennifer Kesse: New clues revealed nearly 15 years after Florida woman Nothing was done, no investigation, Jenns father Drew said. On the morning of Jan. 24, 2006, Kesse failed to report to her job as a finance manager at a well-known timeshare company. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. In the message, Kesse accused the Orlando Police Department of negligence and said it was incapable of fulfilling an agreement to provide the family with a digital file of Jennifers case. And then at 10 p.m., she talked to Rob. Jennifer disappeared in the morning from her condominium in . Brandon, a UCF grad, joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021. The Kesse family. In April 2010, four years after Kesse was reported missing, police acknowledged that it had exhausted all possible leads in the investigation," according to a lawsuit. There was no response. Jennifer Kesse disappearance: 17 years later, family says they have new I cant. To submit a tip or to join the conversation, visit the Help Find Missing Jennifer Kesse Facebook page or www.jenniferkesse.com. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact Crimeline Florida. Based on his review of the facts, Torretta said he suspects Jennifer was accosted from behind as she locked her front door and possibly forced into a vacant apartment across the hallway. In their examination of Kesse's vehicle, investigators uncovered a latent print belonging to the victim, as well as a large boot print near the gas pedal. Both Drew and Jenns mother, Joyce, tried to call their daughter, but their calls and texts also went unanswered. A friend interviewed in the program stated that Jennifer did not like them doing maintenance in her condo and preferred them to do it when she was gone. The FBI estimated the person to be between 5-foot-3 and 5-foot-5 with notably large feet for his height. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. May 17, 2007. But I have this gut feeling that one of those workers knows something.. He had a meeting at 9 a.m., but when it was over, he tried to call Jenn again, this time to tell her about something that had happened in the meeting. Something wasnt right. This is going to be a long post. Nearly 15 years later, the Kesse family and investigators are no closer to finding out what happened to her. 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. Jennifer Kesse, 24, worked as a finance manager at Central Florida Investments Timeshare Company in Ocoee. 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. Wont stop looking for answers. She was already so successful that she had recently purchased a condominium no small feat for someone in their early. In order to find out who Chino was, Joel returned to the complex and shown one of the remaining workers a photograph and asked which one was Chino. We feel like she got ready to go to work, Jenns mother, Joyce Kesse, told Dateline in a 2006 interview, just 100 days after her daughter was reported missing. Shell be back, and he walked out. Jennifer Kesse disappearance: Newly released police photos suggest It was early that Tuesday morning when Jenn didnt show up for an important meeting at her job that her employer and co-workers became concerned because they knew it was very unlike her to miss work. 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. Frustrated by the police handling of the investigation, the family demanded the files be released to them in a legal battle that was unprecedented in a missing person case. While the Orlando Police Dept. I just knew I had to get to Jenn right away.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, We don't care how and, frankly, we don't care who. Ginger Gadsden joined the News 6 team in June 2014 as an anchor/reporter. Kesse and her boyfriend, Robert Allen, had recently vacationed in . Chino wasnt interviewed until Joel considered him a suspect in 2008. ORLANDO, Fla. Drew Kesse, whose daughter Jennifer Kesse has been missing since Jan. 24, 2006, marked the upcoming 16th year since the disappearance in an update to his familys GoFundMe Wednesday. Kesse was 24 when she went missing. Security footage installed at the complex captured an individual seen driving and parking Jennifer's car on day she went missing. News 6 anchors Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden spoke with Drew Kesse for this weeks edition of Floridas Fourth Estate. At this point in time and after countless attempts to get authorities to do what is needed to find Jennifer or not, decisively, we believe we have now positioned her case with authorities that are willing, able, and wanting to find Jennifer even after 17 years, outside of the Orlando Police Department, the family wrote. ! Kesse wrote at the time. In the years following Jennifer Kesses disappearance, police have managed to track down her car, but not much else. Jenns purse, cell phone and iPod were nowhere to be found. Jenns boyfriend, Rob, and Robs mother, drove up from Ft. Lauderdale as soon as he heard Jenn was missing. Drew Kesse revealed a theory many had not heard before. At 11 a.m., Jennifer Kesses employer contacted her parents to inform them of the situation. The Kesse family organized volunteers to pass out fliers and spoke on local and national TV. Kesse says its a theory he thinks about because whoever took Jennifer only took her and not a single item of her personal belongings. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! By the following day, news of her disappearance had spread beyond Orlando and into national news outlets. Her father says hell never give up looking for his daughter. When they reached their 20s, their bond grew and their social circles merged. Seventeen heart-shaped balloons were left at the Mosaic at Millenia complex where Kesse was last seen on January 24, 2006. We raised her, nurtured her, educated her. Realizing that something was amiss with their daughter, Drew and Joyce Kesse made the drive down from Tampa to Orlando to check if their daughter was at her home. News 6 investigator Louis Bolden, who has been covering the Kesse case from day one, also joined Matt and Ginger on the podcast this week. Public Domain; Wikimedia CommonsLeft: A still from security footage of an unidentified person of interest in the case of Jennifer Kesses disappearance; Right: Jennifer Kesse, We dont have answers. Joyce Kesse, mother of Jennifer Kesse. I had to stay and find my sister.. Its been 14 years and shes not back. The person of interest believed to be male and dressed in workmans clothes has never been identified. Read More: Where Are Jennifer Kesses Parents Now? From January 2005 until January 2006, Rob and Jenn traveled back and forth between Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale to see each other, and also traveled together internationally as much as they could. "She might not have had a chance to fight back," Torretta said. According to private investigator Torretta, the person without a face is a person of interest and the main focus of his investigation. She wanted assurance that I loved her. or redistributed. "We don't care when. Jenn also spoke to her 21-year-old brother, Logan Kesse, that day. Joel Wright stated he believes the abduction took place in the morning due to a tip he received on Thursday, the day Jennifers car was found. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. Jenn was spontaneous and adventurous, Rob said. ORLANDO, Fla. Its been 14 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared from her Orlando condominium. The investigators looked into everyone that they could think of. Anyone with information on Jennifer Kesse's whereabouts isurged to visit the Find Jennifer Kesse Facebook page. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. And one night, we were out at a bar and met Jenn and her friends, Rob said. New photos of Jennifer's car were released in November 2020, . With personal items laid out, her room suggested that Jennifer had showered, dressed, and left for work. In October, Kesses family members asked to see more information from the thousands of documents they obtained from Orlando police about the case. She never arrived. Joyce said shell never give up hope that her daughter is out there somewhere, alive, needing to be rescued. Since our agreement to produce the documents in this matter, we have worked closely with their counsel and have turned over thousands of pages of documents and hours of recordings for their independent team to review and investigate. I cannot imagine the nightmare the Kesse family has been sleepwalking through for the last 10 years., As of late, the Kesse family has been largely disappointed in the Orlando Police investigation, stating that they have largely withheld information from the family. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. A legal team and a handful of investigators, including Mike Torretta, have been helping them sift through the files for months. It was common for Kesse to call or send a text message to her boyfriend as she was leaving for work, but no message came on the morning of Jan. 24. Recently the CBS show,48 Hours Investigates, dedicated the hour to revisiting the Kesse case in hopes of sparking some new clues. The door had been locked and nothing was out of the ordinary for someone who had gotten ready for work that morning. Kesse, who was 24 years old at the time, was reported missing Jan. 24, 2006, and there has been neither a solid lead nor a suspect since she vanished. As usual, when Jennifer left at around 6 p.m., she called her father while driving home. 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. In the hours that followed, they all came to Jennifers condo and noticed that although her car was missing, nothing else was out of the ordinary. She was the first person Id go to when I needed advice, or just when I wanted to tell her something interesting or funny.. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Because of the number of valuables left in Jennifers car, it was deduced that her disappearance was not a robbery gone wrong. Kesse, who was 24 years old at the time, was . Fox News' Angela Bertorelli contributed to this report. After a successful fight in court to obtain all the files regarding Jennifer's case, they are now using their own private investigator to search for Jennifer. Kesse believes there is someone out there with information about his daughters disappearance. Investigators went so far as to tap NASA to enhance video footage of the person but have even been unable to determine whether that person was even a man or woman. Logan and several friends had stayed in Jenns condo while she was on vacation and one of his friends left his cell phone behind. Our hearts continue to go out to the entire Kesse family, and our detectives will continue to investigate any new leads.. I overslept, which is pretty normal, Jenn always got up earlier than I did anyway, and so she would always call and wake me up or at least text me, Rob said. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. It was a double whammy, losing Jenn and then losing my father, Rob told Dateline. 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. And that is where the mystery starts.. Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/MCT via Getty ImagesJennifers parents, Joyce and Drew Kesse, stand behind Orlando Police Chief Mike McCoy during a news conference regarding the release of video footage concerning their daughters disappearance. (Drew Kesse) ORLANDO, Fla. - Drew Kesse, whose daughter Jennifer Kesse has been missing since Jan. 24, 2006,. Seventeen heart-shaped balloons were left at the Mosaic at Millenia complex where Kesse was last seen on January 24, 2006. It was indeed the car in question (a black 2004 Chevy Malibu). If shes not alive, we just want some kind of proof that shes not with us anymore. As we all know, Jennifer was unhappy with the workers in her complex as they made her feel uncomfortable. She had newly purchased a condominium with her own money no small feat for someone who was just 24. Kesse's family said FDLE's cold case unit will take over and essentially restart the investigation into the Orlando woman's 2006 . Robert Allen would be the last person in Kesses inner circle to have contact with her. I called and I called and for the first time since Jenn was a teenager, it went straight to voicemail, Drew said. Rob told Dateline that Jenn had expressed to him that she felt uncomfortable at times and wasnt thrilled living alone. We were a close-knit family. The cameras were designed to capture images just once every three seconds (as opposed to continuously), and it just so happened that at each interval, the person of interest was obscured by a different gate post while walking by. And the forensic examination produced just a little as well a latent print and a small DNA fiber. Joel Wright stated that Chino was once in prison for a sexual battery case involving a minor. Kesse had returned home from work around 6 p.m. the night prior and chatted with her family on the phone. This week marks 14 years since Jenn disappeared from their lives. Kesses parents sued the Orlando Police Department for a copy of their daughters case file. "We miss her every day.". There was nothing amiss in her flat, nor did investigators find anyone in particular that wanted to harm her. The surveillance video showed a person of interest dropping off the car at noon on the day of the disappearance, but any physical description of the suspect is almost entirely obscured by the apartments gate. of negligence in the investigation. But she didnt come back. To me, 14 years ago with my Jenn seems like yesterday, Joyce said. Im forever grateful for that last conversation I had with Jenn, Joyce said. She drove the two and a half hours directly to her job in Ocoee, Florida, where she worked a full day. But no one treated me like that. 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. A private investigation team for the family is on the case. She didnt tell me about her shamrock tattoo, Drew said. Sometimes it doesnt feel like 14 years has passed. It's been nearly 15 years since Jennifer Kesse was last seen. Instead of an easy transaction, Kesse said that his family has spent the last several years fighting against the machine that is Orlando politics., Now imagine, over that time, fighting for unredacted copies with the citys lawyers and trying to have our private investigators find Jennifer from all those files. You cant reach her, you cant locate her. On November 8, 2019, for the first time in years, there was a second possible break in the case. A disturbing piece of information that i haven't read anywhere is that one of the reasons Jennifer was uncomfortable with the workers is because they would come to her apartment and do a half ass job. Kesse had mentioned to her family that construction workers doing renovations at her complex would occasionally catcall, but those leads also turned up nothing. In every image captured by the surveillance camera, the person's face is obscured by the black bars of the fence. An agreement was reached, and the Kesses in turn received some 16,000 pages of records, which Fox News examinesin its new true crime podcast, "House of Broken Dreams: the JenniferKesse story. Sunday marked 15 years since she . Clothes on her bed. | Become a News 6 Insider]. Despite our 16-year commitment, there are some cases that remain difficult to solve. Friday marks 14 years since Jennifer Kesse vanished. At the time of Jennifers abduction, Chino was known to be living and working Jennifers condo complex. Legal Statement. They told us, Oh, shes an adult, she had a fight with her boyfriend, shell be back, and they left, Drew said. The condo across from Jennifer was the only condo where the door was actually unlocked.. 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. It was the last time Drew and Joyce Kesse would hear from their 24-year-old daughter, Jennifer. Inside The Unsolved Disappearance Of Jennifer Kesse. At approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, a resident of the Huntington on the Green condominium complex reported they found Jennifer Kesse's car in a visitor's spot in the parking lot. "We created her out of joy and out of love. But instead, he stayed. Her credit cards went unused after her disappearance and her cell phone had been turned off. On the drive down, Drew called a building manager at her condominium to check for Jenns car.