FL JENNIFER JOYCE KESSE: Missing from Orlando, FL - 24 Jan 2006 - Age 24

Jennifer Joyce Kesse
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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 (38)
Age: 24 years old
Height and Weight: 5'8, 125 pounds
Clothing/Jewelry Description: Possibly a three-stone diamond necklace.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Blonde hair, green eyes. Kesse wears clear contact lenses and her eyebrows are dark-colored. She has skin tags on the outside of her left hand, a birthmark on the middle finger of her left hand, a non-raised faded strawberry birthmark on her ribs, a cleft in her chin, a quarter-sized tattoo of a shamrock on the left side of her buttock, and surgical scars on the inside of her left elbow. Kesse's nickname is Jenn. Depending on her clothing, her eyes may appear to be blue.

Details of Disappearance
Kesse was last contacted via cellular phone at approximately 10:00 p.m. on January 24, 2006. She was at her residence at Mosaic Apartments in the vicinity of the 3700 block of Conroy Road in Orlando, Florida at the time. She has never been heard from again.

It is believed Kesse got up and left for work at approximately 8:00 a.m. the next morning, but she never arrived there. She was employed as a financial analyst at a timeshare in Ocoee, Florida at the time of her disappearance. Her co-workers notified her family after she did not show up for work, and her parents let themselves into her apartment.

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. Photographs of the car are posted with this case summary.

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. Residents at the complex stated the car had been parked in the lot for several days.

Bloodhounds tracked Kesse's scent from her vehicle back to her own residence. There was no signs that a struggle had taken place in or around the car, and its valuable DVD player had not been stolen.

Authorities announced they were looking for a person of interest in Kesse's disappearance after reviewing surveillance tapes in the area where her car was found. An unidentified person, approximately 5'3 to 5'5, tall, was seen parking Kesse's car, getting out and walking away.

Investigators have been unable to tell whether the individual is male or female. This individual is the prime suspect in Kesse's disappearance. A photograph of the person is posted with this case summary. He or she was wearing clothes similar to what a painter or manual worker would wear.

Prior to her disappearance, Kesse had expressed concern that her apartment complex was unsafe. She had been living on her own for only a few months prior to her disappearance and there were few other residents in the complex, which was under construction.

Kesse stated she was frightened of some of the construction workers. It has not been proven that any of them were involved in her disappearance, however. She had a good relationship with her boyfriend and vacationed with him in the Virgin Islands the month she went missing. He is not considered to be a suspect in her case, as he has an alibi.

It is extremely uncharacteristic of Kesse to miss work, be out of touch with her family, or leave her cellular phone turned off; it has been turned off since her disappearance. There has also not been any activity on her credit cards or E-Pass.

Kesse is a 2003 graduate of the University of Central Florida; her degree is in finance. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority while she was a student. Her case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency
Orlando Police Department
321-235-5300
407-246-2962

Source Information
NamUs
Find Jennifer Kesse
WESH TV
WFTV 9
The Orlando Sentinel
Local 6
Tampa Bay's 10 News
Winter Garden Police Department
CBS News
F

 
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Jennifer Kesse disappearance: Family says it's 'close' to answers in 15-year-old cold case​

The parents of Jennifer Kesse say they are "closer than ever" to uncovering answers in the disappearance of their daughter, who vanished 15 years ago from Central Florida, in a case that has long baffled investigators.

"We may have answers this year," said the woman's father, Drew Kesse, noting that new information received in recent weeks has prompted him to expand his team of private detectives leading the investigation.

"We're making a lot of headway and we're closer than ever to bringing Jennifer home," he said.



The Kesse family sued the Orlando Police Department in 2018 for all the records to date in their daughter’s case. Frustrated by the police handling of the investigation, the Kesses demanded the files be released to them in a legal battle that was unprecedented in a missing person case. An agreement was reached, and the Kesses in turn received some 16,000 pages of records, which Fox News examines in its true crime podcast, "House of Broken Dreams: the Jennifer Kesse story."

The podcast, which debuted Nov. 12, received more than one million downloads in its first month. After the podcast's release, Drew Kesse said he and his team received credible new information in the case. Kesse declined to elaborate on details given the sensitive nature of the investigation.

"Everyday there are active interviews and actions being taken to find the people responsible for taking Jennifer or the people with the information to piece it all together," said Kesse. "It's painstaking work."
I hope they’re right! Justice for Jennifer!
 
The blog below states she is/was 5'8" correct?

However, the FBI analysis stated the POI was approximately 5'3" - 5'5"?

Does this sound "off" to anyone else?

It does. I think female at 5'3. Could be male. Could be a person dropping the vehicle for the person who did kill her.
 

Jennifer Kesse disappearance: Orlando Police botched case, says father of Florida woman missing since 2006​

It's now been 16 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared from Orlando. The 24-year-old vanished without a trace and no one's been arrested.

Frustrated with the Orlando Police Department's handling of the case, Drew Kesse, Jennifer's father, sued to get access to every file tied to her case. In a new interview with FOX 35 News, Drew Kesse says the department botched the investigation from the moment an officer was sent out when calls were first made about her disappearance in January 2006.

"We went up to the condo, and they sent an officer out, officer came in, looked around for about 30 seconds, and said, ‘She probably had a fight with her boyfriend. She’ll be back,’ and he walked out."

The Kesse family and Orlando Police reached an agreement outside of court. Drew Kesse says the department took years to redact and hand over Jennifer's case files instead of the four months the family and OPD agreed on.

"Dealing with the government is very hard. Snail's pace." Kesse explained.

On top of taking years instead of months, Kesse says what OPD handed over was in complete disarray.

"When we received the files, it was like someone just threw 16,000 pages on the floor, and picked them up again and scanned them."

"We had to hire someone to go through them and categorize it and organize it properly, so we can go in and query the database."

Kesse told Fox 35 the process was lengthy and expensive, and in the meantime, he's hired a team of private detectives to keep the search going.

"So we’re trying to play catchup, and now we have the ability because Orlando does not have to find Jennifer. Again, that was the number 1 thing in the contract, Orlando Police is no longer responsible for finding Jennifer Kesse. We’re good with that."
 

Jennifer Kesse: Investigation into Orlando woman’s disappearance turned over to FDLE​

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.

Kesse’s family said FDLE’s cold case unit will take over and essentially restart the investigation into the Orlando woman’s 2006 disappearance from the beginning and work with OPD.

Investigators will interview people Kesse’s law enforcement team has already identified as possible suspects or people who may have valuable information. But because they are retired, they don’t have the power to make an arrest.

It also means retesting evidence the Kesses say has not ever been retested. The family said they are excited about what now might be possible under FDLE.
 

Jennifer Kesse disappearance: Orlando Police botched case, says father of Florida woman missing since 2006​

It's now been 16 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared from Orlando. The 24-year-old vanished without a trace and no one's been arrested.

Frustrated with the Orlando Police Department's handling of the case, Drew Kesse, Jennifer's father, sued to get access to every file tied to her case. In a new interview with FOX 35 News, Drew Kesse says the department botched the investigation from the moment an officer was sent out when calls were first made about her disappearance in January 2006.

"We went up to the condo, and they sent an officer out, officer came in, looked around for about 30 seconds, and said, ‘She probably had a fight with her boyfriend. She’ll be back,’ and he walked out."

The Kesse family and Orlando Police reached an agreement outside of court. Drew Kesse says the department took years to redact and hand over Jennifer's case files instead of the four months the family and OPD agreed on.

"Dealing with the government is very hard. Snail's pace." Kesse explained.

On top of taking years instead of months, Kesse says what OPD handed over was in complete disarray.

"When we received the files, it was like someone just threw 16,000 pages on the floor, and picked them up again and scanned them."

"We had to hire someone to go through them and categorize it and organize it properly, so we can go in and query the database."

Kesse told Fox 35 the process was lengthy and expensive, and in the meantime, he's hired a team of private detectives to keep the search going.

"So we’re trying to play catchup, and now we have the ability because Orlando does not have to find Jennifer. Again, that was the number 1 thing in the contract, Orlando Police is no longer responsible for finding Jennifer Kesse. We’re good with that."
That's a great way to not work on an investigation. I don't understand the department responsible to investigate this. It's what you're SUPPOSED to do!!! You just throw it to the side?. The video of the man walking past the gate has stuck with me.
 

Jennifer Kesse disappearance: 17 years later, family says they have new leads in Orlando cold case​

It has been 17 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared in Orlando. The 24-year-old vanished without a trace in January 2006 – and no one's been arrested.

Her family tells FOX 35 they have new leads in the case. Drew Kesse – Jennifer's father – says the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is working on the case with the family’s investigators.

After spending over $80,000 on case files from the Orlando Police Department, Kesse says they’re getting new leads. Orlando police initially investigated the case, but the family was not happy with how it was handled.
 

By Audrey Conklin Fox News
Published September 24, 2023 8:00am EDT

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jennifer Kesse's family is holding out hope potential DNA evidence might some day help investigators solve her 2006 disappearance.

Kesse vanished from her Orlando, Florida, condo Jan. 24, 2006, when she was 24 years old. She had placed several outfit choices on her bed that morning for work before leaving her new condo located within a complex called Mosaic at Millenia, her uncle Bill Gilmour told Fox News Digital at CrimeCon 2023.

Authorities located her vehicle, a black 2006 Chevy Malibu, at a different residential complex called Huntington on the Green about a mile away from Mosaic at Millenia on Jan. 26, 2006, after a neighbor reported seeing her missing car on television.

The Orlando Police Department (OPD) apparently claimed "that there wasn't … any evidence or nothing of consequence with [her] car," said Gilmour, who recently published a book, "Aftermath of Jennifer Kesse's Abduction: An Uncle's Quest for Understanding & Inspiring Life Lessons."

"But after my sister and brother sued them and got the records from the OPD and had their own team comb through the records — some 15-18,000 records — it said that they collected DNA in the car, which they originally said that they did not," Gilmour explained.

The records obtained as a result of the Kesse family's lawsuit against OPD also included images of Kesse's vehicle, which had dust from the ongoing construction at her condo complex.

The images showed "signs of a struggle" against the hood of her car, he said.

"We were never aware of that either. So it's just, it's just disheartening," Gilmour explained of his family's frustrations with OPD.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement took over the case in November, and the change could allow for new testing of potential DNA evidence from Kesse's car that her family hopes still exists today. Though law enforcement has never confirmed that information to the family directly.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

More at link. ~Summer
 

By Audrey Conklin Fox News
Published September 24, 2023 8:00am EDT

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jennifer Kesse's family is holding out hope potential DNA evidence might some day help investigators solve her 2006 disappearance.

Kesse vanished from her Orlando, Florida, condo Jan. 24, 2006, when she was 24 years old. She had placed several outfit choices on her bed that morning for work before leaving her new condo located within a complex called Mosaic at Millenia, her uncle Bill Gilmour told Fox News Digital at CrimeCon 2023.

Authorities located her vehicle, a black 2006 Chevy Malibu, at a different residential complex called Huntington on the Green about a mile away from Mosaic at Millenia on Jan. 26, 2006, after a neighbor reported seeing her missing car on television.

The Orlando Police Department (OPD) apparently claimed "that there wasn't … any evidence or nothing of consequence with [her] car," said Gilmour, who recently published a book, "Aftermath of Jennifer Kesse's Abduction: An Uncle's Quest for Understanding & Inspiring Life Lessons."

"But after my sister and brother sued them and got the records from the OPD and had their own team comb through the records — some 15-18,000 records — it said that they collected DNA in the car, which they originally said that they did not," Gilmour explained.

The records obtained as a result of the Kesse family's lawsuit against OPD also included images of Kesse's vehicle, which had dust from the ongoing construction at her condo complex.

The images showed "signs of a struggle" against the hood of her car, he said.

"We were never aware of that either. So it's just, it's just disheartening," Gilmour explained of his family's frustrations with OPD.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement took over the case in November, and the change could allow for new testing of potential DNA evidence from Kesse's car that her family hopes still exists today. Though law enforcement has never confirmed that information to the family directly.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

More at link. ~Summer
So we can assume that the car is still in police custody?
 

Desperate family, law enforcement continue search for Orlando woman who went missing 18 years ago​

It has been 18 years since Orlando woman Jennifer Kesse went missing.

Since then, her family has pushed for answers from the community, as well as Orlando police.

The 24-year-old went missing in 2006 and was never found. Her parents claim there was a 10-year stretch where no one in law enforcement worked to find their daughter. They've been working with others to get answers.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement began looking into the cold case in November 2022. Kesse's family hopes something comes of this new case review.

"With FDLE having the case for over 14 months, they've taken that physical evidence and put it back through for DNA and anything they can pull out of it. It is our understanding that was done and we hope that's done." Drew Kesse, Jennifer's father, said.

The Kesse family says if anyone has any information or tips about Jennifer's disappearance, give them a call.

Her website can be found by clicking here.
 

Woman claiming to have information on Jennifer Kesse allegedly threatens to 'blow up' FDLE building​

A woman is accused of threatening to bomb an office of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after claiming a local agent was phony.

She was contacted after she claimed to have information in the Jennifer Kesse disappearance case.

"It seems the dates trigger something within people," Drew Kesse, Jennifer's father, said.

It's been 18 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared. Now, a woman who state investigators were told might have information in that case, is facing several charges.

“She's 45 years old, she's never been arrested before in her life," Nicole Russell-Sambrato's lawyer told the judge at her initial court appearance.

Russell-Sambrato is accused of calling a local FDLE agent and leaving a voicemail message threatening the agency.

The report quotes her saying, "I am threatening to blow up the state building with my car," and detailing that she would "fill it with gallons of gasoline and drive it into (garbled) building and blow them up."

The document says a local cop in the state of New York went to her home, where she told him she was trying to provide information in the Jennifer Kesse case but believed the investigator was fake.

A local FDLE agent called Sambrato when he was told she might have information.
It was the day after the 18-year anniversary had passed of Kesse's disappearance.

Sambrato told him his investigation was a "cover-up," according to the arrest paperwork.

"People are constantly contacting us saying they know exactly what happened," Drew Kesse said.

The Kesse's have been through so much, including a lengthy number of people claiming to have valuable information, but leading nowhere.

"It has never stopped. We had someone reach out on the 24, contact us and say, 'Of course I know who that is in the picture,' and 'I know who did it,' and 'Just reach out to me and I'll tell you,'" Drew Kesse said.

"We do have concerns about her mental health status," a prosecutor said.

In court, Sambrato's attorney promised she would stay on her prescribed medication and continue her mental health treatment.

A statement from FDLE reads in part:

"We will not tolerate anyone threatening the safety of our members and will work with prosecutors to make sure these bad actors receive the consequences."

"Jennifer's case has stuck with people around the world, thankfully, but sometimes it comes out in not the best of ways," Drew Kesse said.
 

Woman claiming to have information on Jennifer Kesse allegedly threatens to 'blow up' FDLE building​

A woman is accused of threatening to bomb an office of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after claiming a local agent was phony.

She was contacted after she claimed to have information in the Jennifer Kesse disappearance case.

"It seems the dates trigger something within people," Drew Kesse, Jennifer's father, said.

It's been 18 years since Jennifer Kesse disappeared. Now, a woman who state investigators were told might have information in that case, is facing several charges.

“She's 45 years old, she's never been arrested before in her life," Nicole Russell-Sambrato's lawyer told the judge at her initial court appearance.

Russell-Sambrato is accused of calling a local FDLE agent and leaving a voicemail message threatening the agency.

The report quotes her saying, "I am threatening to blow up the state building with my car," and detailing that she would "fill it with gallons of gasoline and drive it into (garbled) building and blow them up."

The document says a local cop in the state of New York went to her home, where she told him she was trying to provide information in the Jennifer Kesse case but believed the investigator was fake.

A local FDLE agent called Sambrato when he was told she might have information.
It was the day after the 18-year anniversary had passed of Kesse's disappearance.

Sambrato told him his investigation was a "cover-up," according to the arrest paperwork.

"People are constantly contacting us saying they know exactly what happened," Drew Kesse said.

The Kesse's have been through so much, including a lengthy number of people claiming to have valuable information, but leading nowhere.

"It has never stopped. We had someone reach out on the 24, contact us and say, 'Of course I know who that is in the picture,' and 'I know who did it,' and 'Just reach out to me and I'll tell you,'" Drew Kesse said.

"We do have concerns about her mental health status," a prosecutor said.

In court, Sambrato's attorney promised she would stay on her prescribed medication and continue her mental health treatment.

A statement from FDLE reads in part:

"We will not tolerate anyone threatening the safety of our members and will work with prosecutors to make sure these bad actors receive the consequences."

"Jennifer's case has stuck with people around the world, thankfully, but sometimes it comes out in not the best of ways," Drew Kesse said.
If this person holds the new tip that they were talking about a couple of months ago, I don’t have much faith in it.
 

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