Florida Woman Missing 19 Years
Jennifer Kesse, 2005. Photo courtesy of the FBI. Public domain.
In January 2006, Jennifer Kesse was living a great life. She had just graduated from the University of Central Florida and landed a steady job as a financial manager at a timeshare company. She had even bought her first home — a condo. At the time, she never could have guessed that this condo would later be known as the last place she was seen. Almost two decades later, her family is still desperate for answers.
Dream Vacation
Jennifer Kesse, 24, had just come back to Florida after a fun weekend trip to St. Croix with her boyfriend Rob Allen and his family. She was excited to tell her family all about the great time she had. After the trip, she and Rob went back to his place in Fort Lauderdale, and then Jennifer made the drive back to her own home in Orlando, getting there on Sunday night, just in time to start a new work week on Monday. That evening, she called Rob, some friends, and her family again. This would be the last time anyone ever heard from her.
The Disappearance
On the morning of Jan. 24, 2006, just a few days after returning from the trip, Jennifer didn't show up for work. Her coworkers knew something was wrong because it wasn't like her to miss work without contacting anyone. They called her parents, Drew and Joyce Kesse, who couldn't reach her either. Worried, they immediately drove to her condo.
When they arrived, they discovered Jennifer was missing. Her car was gone, but her condo looked like she had gotten ready for work like usual that morning — there was a damp towel in the bathroom, her pajamas lay in a pile on the floor, and her hair tools were still on the counter. The only things missing were her keys, cell phone, purse, and iPod — none of which would ever be found.
The Search Begins
Jennifer's parents quickly called the police, reached out to local hospitals, and talked to people in their daughter's condo complex. Knowing they had to act fast, Drew and Joyce contacted local news stations and handed out missing-person flyers. Hundreds of people showed up to help search the area around Jennifer's home, but still, there was no sign of her.
When her parents couldn't find her, the Kesse family had to convince the police that their daughter didn't just leave on her own. On the night of Jan. 24, 2006, the police officially started investigating Jennifer's disappearance.
A witness in her condo complex said they saw Jennifer's car drive out of the parking lot around 7:40 a.m. on the morning she disappeared, but they didn't know where she was headed.
Important Discovery
Two days later on Jan. 26, 2006, investigators got a lead in the case. Jennifer's car, a 2004 Chevy Malibu, was found abandoned at another apartment complex about a mile from her home. Security footage showed it had been parked there since noon on the day she disappeared. But when police looked inside, they found no evidence, which suggested the car had been wiped clean.
Grainy Video
The discovery of Jennifer's car ended up being one of the most important clues in the case because the car's abandonment was actually caught on a security camera at the apartment complex. The video showed an unknown person driving, getting out of the car, and walking away. Unfortunately, the person's face was hidden, so it was difficult to get a clear look.
Investigators even brought in a team from NASA to improve the footage and try to get a clear image of the driver, whom they suspected would likely have important information about Jennifer's disappearance. However, even with NASA's help, police could not get a clear video of the person's face because the view was blocked by fencing.
Still, the video did leave behind a few clues. "We've done quite a bit of measuring and work with the camera angles and also had people of different heights walk by," Detective Joel Wright told "48 Hours," as reported by PEOPLE. He added, "We've come up with a height of between 5'3 and 5'5 and this has been backed up by the FBI who also came down and checked out the figures. Now, the clothing looks to be maybe someone who is a painter or some type of worker."
To date, the person in the video has still never been identified.
Dead Ends
Investigators also checked for security footage at Kesse's condo, but they found that no cameras had been installed yet. A security guard who was supposed to keep a log of visitors gave them incomplete records. When the police tried to find forensic evidence in Kesse's condo, they learned the scene had been contaminated because several of her family members and friends had used the place as a meeting spot after Jennifer's disappearance.
What Happened?
Drew Kesse is sure his daughter wasn't taken by someone she knew.
"She was liked by everyone who knew her. Myself and her mother don't know one person who disliked Jennifer," he said, as reported by The Daily Mail. "She lit up a room. And people say this about their kids all the time but I can honestly say this about Jennifer. She was just one of those special people in the world."
He believes the 24-year-old was kidnapped by someone she didn't know and quickly taken out of the country — possibly by one or more of the many construction workers who were working and living at Jennifer's condo complex as the time of her disappearance.
"I think it was a job for someone — probably to pay off a debt of some sort — and they came, did the job and then left. I don't think she is in the country and I don't think she was in the country very quickly," he said, according to The Daily Mail.
His fear is that Jennifer was a victim of sex trafficking.
19 Years Later
Over the past 19 years, 14,000 tips have come in, rewards have been offered, and many people have been questioned by the police. But no solid evidence has been found, no strong leads have appeared, and what happened to Jennifer remains a mystery.
"It's just gone nowhere," Drew Kesse said of the investigation, according to The Daily Mail. "After 19 years, it's just unfathomable that we don't even have any direction."
Still, Jennifer's dad is sure that someone, somewhere must know something about what happened to his daughter.
"More than one person knows what happened," he told The Daily Mail, as he continues to urge people to come forward, no matter how small the information.
The disappearance of Jennifer Kesse remains a heartbreaking mystery. Despite years of searching, countless tips, and the dedication of her family, the truth about what happened to her is still unknown. Her family continues to hold onto hope, believing that someone, somewhere knows something that could help solve the case. Until that day comes, they will keep fighting for answers and never give up on finding out what really happened.
References: Jennifer Kesse Left for Work in 2006 and Never Returned Home. Here's What Her Family Thinks Happened — and Why NASA Got Involved in the Case | Jennifer Vanished 19 Years Ago. Now Eerie Footage Enhanced by NASA is the Key to Finding Her | Where is Jennifer Kesse? ("48 Hours")
