Ashley: I sat on it for a little bit. The woman claimed that Chino often approached her in the parking lot late at night when she returned from work and made her feel uncomfortable. Jennifer Kesse disappeared from her Florida condo on January 23, 2006. Michael Torretta: What I'm thinking is Jennifer comes out. We have had things to do with the case needing to be worked on for about a year now, its just been about getting it to the right people who have the ability, knowledge, desire and experience to do it right. Based on this evidence, police investigators believed that she had left her home and, There was no sign of a struggle at her home, and no evidence that anyone other than Kesse had been in the condo on the morning of January 24. by the walk. 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 last seen in Orlando on Jan. 24, 2006. 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. July 10, 2021 / 11:06 PM But sadly, this person, whose physical features were not clear in the video due to angling and fences concealing their face, was not recognized by anyone. She did look familiar. Det. Peter Van Sant [2008]: What do you know about this person's height? And in fact, weeks later he did. She got ready for work and left. ! Kesse wrote at the time. what are the chances of that happening? But, when police tried to identify the phantom figure, they hit a roadblock. Kesse was last seen at her workplace, Central Florida Investments, on Jan. 23, 2006. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<, Read: 9 things to know about the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse. On Sunday, January 22, 2006, Jennifer returned from a vacation to St. Croix with her boyfriend Rob Allen. We, her family Drew, Joyce, and Logan, and friends believe she was taken the morning of Tuesday, January 24, 2006, from in or around her Orlando, Florida home. Her friends and family initiated a search, and the police declared her officially missing that evening. Photo: Wikimedia Commons. Det. Sgt. Lauren McCarthy and Jennifer were best friends since childhood. DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: Nobody mad about anything? In 2008, Detective Wright and Sergeant Brennan analyzed the surveillance tape with "48 Hours.". The 24-year-old has been missing for 15 years after vanishing one morning while heading out to work. She was just really happy. The rest of the home looked like a maid had been there . I'm Peter Van Sant with CBS News. Drew Kesse: Joyce used to complain to me, she's like, "call them. Drew Kesse: We have film of the car being dropped off . At every turn, the detectives kept coming up empty and the case was going cold. Jennifer Joyce Kesse was born on May 20, 1981 to parents Drew and Joyce Kesse. In December 2018, Joyce and Drew Kesse sued the Orlando Police Department for Jennifer's case files. Then finding out that the lead detective on Jennifers case did not write a single report or any document since 2010, 12 years!! They feared that time was running out. 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 attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando, was in the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. The 24-year-old simply vanished and no one has ever been arrested. Related The disappearance of Jennifer Kesse has been exhaustively discussed in this sub, but here is a rundown of the basic facts of her case: . Therefore, the only ones left were the laborers who were working on her condo complex expansion. There are thousands of people who disappear under mysterious circumstances all around the world. 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. Less than 10% of white American men are shorter than 5'7. 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. It's not about us. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Herboyfriend had also tried to contact Kessethat morning, as they often spoke at thattime, but was unable to get in contact with her. Kesse was last seen at her Orlando condo near Mall at. Do you, This was definitely in IL because we are friends with, Hi. 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. has never closed the Kesse case, the family, frustrated by the agencys efforts, has launched its own investigation. Joyce Kesse [2008]: She slept for sure. And just please think of Jennifer . Det. While the car was taken by a forensics team, there was little evidence to be found in her vehicle. Colleen says she complained to the leasing office manager. 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. And it just ate away at me. Jennifer Kesse was deemed dead by the state of Florida in 2016. Jennifer Kesse Disappears. They held up signs, just as they had done the day Jennifer went missing, with the desperate hope that someone passing by knew something. Louis Bolden | WKMG investigative reporter: To meet the Kesses is to love the Kesses. I had never heard of that happening. The day before she disappeared, Jennifer and her fianc returned from a cruise. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. Ashley: I remember him being fun and friendly, talkative. And despite telling Detective Wright years ago he knew nothing about Jennifer's disappearance, the Kesses wondered if Chino was being truthful. Colleen: We were a gated community. They had no better luck with the forensics inside Jennifer's car. 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. Since her disappearance, there has been no activity on Jennifer's cell phone, bank accounts, social media accounts, etc. 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.". "You have keys to all the apartments. He called Jennifer and asked if she would mail it to him. It was as if someone had abducted her while she was leaving for work. Jennifer Kesse was last seen leaving work in Orlando, Florida on January 23, 2006. They sued the Orlando Police Department to get Jennifer's case files. Her father Drews push to have the case looked at by state officials was given the green light last month. In fact, Chino had done work in Jennifer's condo just one week before she disappeared. He thinks it was one or more of these workers who abducted her on January 24, 2006. Michael Torretta: This is something that is haunting me. 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. Whats more, Chino was already in police custody, serving time for a statutory rape charge. No one has seen or heard from her since. Long distance was taking a toll on their relationship. DET. That person could have taken the time to wipe down the steering wheel and the rearview mirror or what have you. Sgt. Drew Kesse: But police were very quick to shut us down on certain things. Joel Wright: She did look at the photo and said, "That looks like Chino.". Michael Torretta is the Kesses' private investigator. (Drew Kesse) ORLANDO, Fla. - Drew Kesse, whose daughter Jennifer Kesse has been missing since Jan. 24,. 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. OK, call the police again.". Private Investigator Michael Torretta says he has gone through the more than 16,000-page case file at least three times. It's been nearly 15 years since Jennifer Kesse was last seen. We wanna find the person responsible for her disappearance. And they just look.". When they left, one of the friends forgot his cell phone. Orlando police . It -- it wasn't a great feeling. Joyce Kesse: A lot of your day laborers are, um, not here, uh, legally. Did you ever meet her? Evidence photos obtained by Fox News suggest a. We have got your back! FDLE, in conjunction with Orlando Police, essentially restarted the investigation into the Orlando womans 2006 disappearance. 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. Chino needs to be spoken to again. Curious to know all the specific details of this one yourself? The Investigation In February 2006, investigators found Jennifer Kesse's black. We asked the lawyers, 'Where's all the detectives work? And it came back that not a single thing had been written. 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. 48 Hours on ID airs at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery. By the time they took it seriously, we had 14 people in the condo. Drew Kesse: So, to me, they don't have DNA. Rob ringed her up himself, reasoning that shed been preoccupied with a meeting that she had previously mentioned, but his call went straight to voicemail. All they could theorize is that the 24-year-old had been abducted at some point after shehad left herapartment, but before shehad made it to work. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. January 24, 2006, Jennifer didn't show up for work. A Crucial Discovery Kesse Family Two days after Jennifer Kesse went missing, her black. Bloodhounds tracked Kesse's scent from her vehicle back to her own residence. In fact, everywhere they looked, everything seemed normal. The disappearance of Jennifer Kesse 23 photos But, by early evening, when there was still no sign of Jennifer, police officially declared her missing. Jennifer Kesse, of Orlando, who went missing Jan. 24, 2006, at 24 years old. Friday marks 14 years since Jennifer Kesse vanished. And also had people of different heights walk by. The FBI took over Jennifers case in mid-2010, putting her on their Most Wanted/Missing List, where she still remains. Michael Torretta: That was one of the most shocking parts of this investigation. Today marks six months since Orlando's Jennifer Kesse was reported missing, after she did not show up for work. When her parents arrived at the condo, they discovered nothing was out of place. Jennifer Kesse, a UCF graduate, was abducted from Orlando, Florida in 2006. Peter Van Sant: And what did that tell you? But he told me there was really nothing that he personally could do. My guys cant go in and make arrests, do the true legal law enforcement work we have generated. A tip can be left anonymously. Despite being more than 200 miles away when Jennifer disappeared, Rob was suddenly a person of interest. In 2008, on the second anniversary of Jennifer's disappearance, family and friends gathered on a street corner in Orlando. But the Kesses refused to give up on Jennifer. Peter Van Sant: How often would you socialize with him? There was no sign of a struggle at her home, and no evidence that anyone other than Kesse had been in the condo on the morning of January 24. Louis Bolden: Joyce and Drew Kesse were very vulnerable. So, I'm heading now to his last known address where I'm hoping we can find him. Sgt. Background Jennifer Kesse was born on May 20, 1981, in New Jersey to parents Drew Kesse and Joyce Gilmour. 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. 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. They kept suggesting that she must have had a fight with her boyfriend and would be back. Lauren McCarthy: She was always on the radar with everybody. "48 Hours" agreed not to use his full name. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. He's hoping to find new clues as to who could have abducted Jennifer Kesse. The former University of Central Florida student had graduated in 2003, and had only recently started her new job as a finance manager. This person has never been found, but has been identified as a person of interest in her investigation. NEWS REPORT: For the past two days dive crews have been out on the water. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. They want the police department's files?" Chino: I even did a lie detector test. Jennifer Kesse missing cold case remains unsolved 10 years after disappearance - Orlando Sentinel http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/._jennifer.html I saw it on Disappeared recently. Missing Person / By craftncrime / April 2, 2021. I'm not with you " and a little insecurity. David Tronnes murder his wife Shanti Cooper? 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. Lauren McCarthy: [emotional] seeing that tape of Jennifer's car that was probably the worst moment. It's busy, locks the door of her condo. 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. A profile of Kesses disappearance on the CBS show 48 Hours lead to renewed interest in the case. Chino: I met Jennifer Kesse. She was very aware of her surroundings. The surveillance footage does tell us that there was about 30 seconds of time when the person was inside the car. Rob Allen: We did the long distance, but after the initial date we started spending virtually every weekend together. And they kept saying, "Nope, her case is extremely active. Jennifer is a strong, fun loving, career minded and responsible young lady if she was running late to work she would have called which is why we all became concerned immediately. Jennifer Kesse has not been seen since 2006. But there was still no sign of Jennifer, and at the time, the police concluded that there was no evidence of a struggle. JOEL WRIGHT [at the 2008 gathering]: Maybe the right person will see us. They have a photo of the person parking her car, but his face is obscured by the fence. 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. Peter Van Sant: Hey, how are ya? Drew Kesse: We were probably on the road within 5 minutes. With personal items laid out, her room suggested that Jennifer had showered, dressed, and left for work. Complicating the investigation many of the workers disappeared before police could talk to them. And that was part of the development of him as a person of interest. At the time of her disappearance, Jennifer Kesse was 5 feet 8 and 135 pounds. Cell tower data was analyzed, and it indicated Jennifer was out of her apartment and not at home. For the Kesse family, Jennifer has not aged in their eyes since the day that she vanished. Kevin Harris was an aspiring hip-hop artist when he was gunned down. Was Jennifer Kesse Found? . And their conversation didn't end well. We immediately started asking everybody walking around if they had seen anything. Jennifer Joyce Kesse seemed to have everything going for her. "We assumed things were happening but when we received the files, there was nothing written in the last 12 years. Did David Tronnes murder his wife Shanti Cooper? We were very frantic. 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. Did he know more than he had admitted? Then she disappeared one day in January of 2006 and has never been found. The investigation and the hunt for what happened to Jennifer continues today. We want closure. It soon became clear to her family and co-workers that something was wrong. "It is Jennifer's best opportunity to be found . Later that night when there was still no sign of her, police officially declared Jennifer missing. Michael Torretta: I want to do my best and bring Jennifer Kesse home to them one day. The pair grew up in Tampa, Florida, and Jennifer is described as having been an adventurous dynamo with a thirst for knowledge. Drew Kesse: She just said, you know "there's a lot of workers here and they tend to like just stop when I'm walking by or going to my car. ", Drew made a dark prediction about her fate, telling The U.S. Sun: "We doubt very much that Jennifer is still alive. Read More: Where Are Jennifer Kesses Parents Now? Her ex, recently upset and wishing to get back together with her, was cleared. Colleen: He was apologetic. Investigators could also find no possible motivation for herleaving voluntarily. Anyone? When questioned about the vehicle, several residents confirmed it had been parked there for several days. The Kesses are dedicated to finding the truth about what happened to their daughter on the morning of January 24, 2006. I love her. CBS show 48 Hours lead to renewed interest in the case. I don't hear helicopters in the air.". In many of these instances, the person involved may well have seemed to just vanish from the surface of the Earth, leaving behind almost no evidence of what happened to them. We were hopeful that someone would recognize just the gait or just the general appearance or the stature or maybe the hairstyle or some aspect of this individual but that didn't happen. But now, 16 years later, her parents, who have been . In 2018, Orlando Rolon became the Orlando police chief. Jennifer went missing in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 23, 2006. And her manager, who had made his intentions of wanting a relationship with her clear, was eventually ruled out as a suspect as well. The navigation of the cases needs needed seasoned professionals, so we are humbled by their continued work and commitment to finding Jennifer, the family said. They also couldn't count on getting any reliable forensic evidence from Jennifer's condo. she locks the door. Then, in an attempt to get more clues, her car was photographed and taken in for a thorough forensic examination. Tami: There was creepy things like my underwear drawer was tossed one time the shower was wet. What do you think happened?" In an update on their GoFundMe page, the Kesse family said they would never give up searching for her. The case centers on Jennifer Kesse, who disappeared on January 24, 2006, when she didn't show up for work. Her parents have never stopped distributing thousands of flyers and begging anyone with information to come forward. You don't recognize this figure? Jennifer Kesse, then 24, vanished from her new condo in Orlando, Florida on January 24, 2006. 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. The Kesses said this is their best shot at finding answers. The average height for an American white man is 5'9 and a half.