mysterymaven, not sure who your comments are directed at but I'm going to take for granted at least some of them are pointed at me and my assessments, so if I may (and I will tread lightly as to not get booted from here since I know the Administrator is watching) . . .
Not for 1 second do I believe the Kesse's have protected (i.e. deflected attention away from) any possible suspect in this case. My point has been this: After over 8 years of not one new piece of evidence, I'm saying it wouldn't be unusual for the family to start re-assessing pre-conceived notions they have about Jennifer's disappearance. This isn't unusual. It's not rare. Families, cops, and people who follow this stuff do that all the time in any case as years pass and no one is caught. And since going way back to 2006 the focal point of this case has been Jennifer's complex workers, it could be very easily understandable that the Kesse's bought in to this popular theory, especially given Jennifer's prior statements about those men leering at her. Makes total 100% sense.
In any case, the worker angle has produced nothing. Zilch. Nada. So, once again, it wouldn't be irrational for the Kesse's thoughts to start to stray to other possibilities whether it's a co-worker, neighbor, her hairdresser, etc. And as I always point out: Most female victims are harmed by men they know, not strangers. And if I know that, the Kesse's know that.
As for the OPD clearing people in this case, from what I can tell, the Kesse's opinion of the OPD couldn't be lower. Whether they have good reason to believe that, I'm not sure--I have no inside knowledge. Although it should be said that every family who's ever lost a loved one complains about the police and how they're not doing enough to bring the perpetrator to justice. So, it's possible many people have been cleared but I'm not sure that means anything to the Kesse's. The cops in the 1980's in the state of Washington cleared Gary Ridgway early on too . . .
As for the integrity of the investigation, if that's the reason the Kesse's kept mum all these years then is the integrity of the case not important now?
By the way, I guess I'm showing my old-fashionedness/insecurity/control issues but I'm sorry: People in committed serious relationships shouldn't meet ex's in single bars and not tell their current better halves about it. Nothing good can come of it. I think it's one of the things where most people look at it from the outside and say: Hey, no big deal. But if it's done to them they say: How could you do that!! But for the record: No proof Jennifer ever saw her ex-bf alone that night or any other night before she disappeared.
Lastly, yes it is ludicrous to think the Kesse's would protect somebody--meaning keep the person from being brought to justice. I've already explained that above. But it certainly isn't ludicrous to think the Kesse's may have a blind spot regarding a possible suspect just because they know the person. I know enough about a ton of other murder cases to know how family members of the victim come to the defense of the loving husband, the cordial ex-husband, the loving girlfriend, etc. to then eventually abandon them when evidence pops up--sometimes not for several years. An example? Look up Michael Clark. Murdered his wife--allegedly, since her body was never found. The victim's mother for 30 years insisted Michael had nothing to do with it despite his story changing several times regarding the night of his wife's disappearance and him marrying another woman. It wasn't until he was arrested that the mother changed her mind. What we the public also found out in that case after the fact--the cops suspected him for years but could never put the case all together, the whole time saying they were pursuing leads. When really, they were only pursuing one lead--Michael Clark.
So, given that and many other reasons, I'm keeping my mind totally open and dismissing no one or anything in this case despite me having my own pet theory that I like to defend. The parents have their motivations. The cops have every reason to lie and withhold facts. But for the record, I think the reason I've been drawn to the revelation on Greta's show is because for a long time--5 yrs at least--I've insisted Jennifer disappeared the night before, and not the following morning. So, you can understand why when that new piece of info popped up out of nowhere I felt vindicated and motivated--it slid right into my theory. Although it's still possible that new public fact means nothing.