FL - Jennifer Kesse, 24, Orlando, 24 Jan 2006 - #1

[LaMer]

LaMer wrote: "Mellon, I was thinking, even if Jennifer was in bed and Travis called her after she was in bed, she could've decided to go out and the nightclothes could be on the floor when she decided to get dressed to go out. Either way the nightwear could be on the floor."

But there were clothes laid out on the bed. She wouldn't have laid out clothes if she got up to send the phone.

About the parents selling the car...maybe it's a "setup" to see if someone comes to buy it right away...maybe some thinking they hid something in the car and it might still be there. The article doesn't say what dealership, but someone might drive around until they found it. I would bet that whoever buys it will be watched.

My friend works for a car rental company and they find a lot of instances where renters have sliced carpet, or made hiding places in their rentals (apparently to hide drugs.)

About Jennifer's bed: How many bedrooms did Jennifer's condo have? The reason I ask, is our daughter stayed in our condo when she first moved to FL, and she had one bedroom, but often slept in another, cause of the morning sun.

Then again, her brother and his friend had stayed there, so were the bed linens clean, maybe not, and Jen wasn't planning on sleeping in her own bed. She may not have washed the sheets and I doubt the guys would've done it. They could have tho.

Another thing, quite quirky about me I know, but when I am staying in our condo and I am by myself, I often sleep on the couch, cause I feel more in tuned to hearing any noises, even tho I have a security system. I am a bit nervous there when I am alone. I don't want to be upstairs, as I like to be by the door(wierd I know). So either way, Jen might not have been planning on sleeping in her own bed. just trying to think

Jennifer's car:

Not only were Laci's parents upset with her car being sold, but the prosecutor objected to SP selling his vehicle, right? Didn't Geragos buy it? I'm fuzzy about that one.

 

[Bobbisangel]

If someone left their phone at my house and it was already late and dark outside It would be tough chit; they'd have to wait til the morning. I don't care what part of town I lived in. These days, at least here, no part of town is safe. I mean are ya gonna die cuz you don't have your friggin' cellie? How did we survive in the olden days? GMAB!

I don't think that Jennifer mailed the phone that night because when her boyfriend talked to her on the phone at 10-10:30 pm she was already in bed. I doubt that she would get up and get dressed to go and mail a phone. I know I wouldn't unless it was an emergency that got me up and out.

Her parents said last night that Jennifer had taken a shower that morning because the shower was still wet and a towel was wet too. Her dad is positive that she wasn't taken from the condo the night before. Her parents said that all of her morning work routine was normal...makeup on counter, wet shower, discarded work clothes on bed...that she had tried on. Mom said that the bed wasn't made. Parents said that Jennifer's condo looked just like it always did with nothing out of the norm.

 

[LvsAMystry]

Okay, I'm trying to find more info on the condos, this is an interesting piece that speaks for itself. This is from a site that rates apartments/condos and this is from a resident that was robbed in May 2005, presumably by someone with a master key. Sorry if this has been found already.

Apartment Ratings


We Were Robbed There
From: honestaptreview
Date posted: 5/7/2005
Years at this apartment: 2004-2004
1 response


Let me start off by saying...save yourself the time and look elsewhere! We lived at 3735 Conroy Apt 2217 and were robbed a month after we moved in. I came home from work to a locked apartment and soon realized that our safe, xbox, jewelry, electronics and so on were stolen. I called the police only to learn that they were already there...Upstairs at another apartment that had been robbed with keys!! Management had the nerve to try and blame us saying that we should have had our alarm on but they quickly changed their tune when we reminded them that we had put in a maintanance request to have the alarm fixed because the phone man had to unhook it because it was wired incorrectly and continually went off! The apartments did an investigation and told us that the construction company was supposed to change all of the locks as soon as the apartment was built and ready to be rented but there were several units that were not done and someone had a master key! Even though our apartment was locked and the robbers had keys, the apartments said they were not responsible and refused to pay any damages. The gates was ALWAYS BROKEN and it took them weeks to fix it allowing anybody to get in and when we brought to their attention the fact that the gates were broken at the time of the robbery they told us that they were for traffic control not security...NICE! The garbage was horrific and piled into the street on a daily basis...they have one dumpster for 1000 apartments you do the math! This is by far the worst apartment complex I have ever lived in and trust me all of the horrible things you will read if you go down the list of reviews are true!

 

[LvsAMystry]

Another from November 2004, and there are several others also. Trend seems to be people having keys too....

Apartment Reviews #2


The worst place I have ever lived
From: -Anonymous-
Date posted: 11/8/2004
Years at this apartment: 2003-2004


Pretty much everyone has said what the deal is with The Tradition, but I wanted to add my 2 cents...
1- The "home buying" situation is absolutely misleading. They give you no paper work on it so you dont really know what it is, but its free so what the hell right? Wrong, it essentially is worthless because you have to work with a realtor who is making full commission and the $ are only deducted from the realtor's commission.
2- Maintainence issues- There were *several* times when we waited over 2-3 days for someone to come out and when I asked about the credit, managements response was that it was a busy time, so it wasnt applicable.
3- BUGS!!- I have lived in FL for two years and have NEVER seen SO MANY spiders. We literally killed 2-3 spiders per day in our apartment, not daddy long legs kind of spiders, these are big brown scary wolf spiders. Not cool
4- Crime, we moved in about a month before the whole shooting incident. THEN, TWO of the apartments in our building were robbed by the guys that had keys (mentioned in another comment). One apartment was DIRECTLY across from ours. My girlfriend and I spoke to management about leaving because she ended up on Xanax because of the anxiety of sleeping and being worried about getting robbed.. or worse, and they were willing to do... you guessed it NOTHING for us.
5- Management billed us incorrectly for rent for 7 months, they were charging us like 5$ less than we were supposed to be paying. Well on the 8th month, they returned our rent check and then tried to charge a late fee because our rent wasnt paid in full, which we had NO IDEA about until that check was returned. We ended up getting the extra erased off our bill, but they expected us to pay for THEIR ERROR.

Luckily we moved out the 1st of October. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you are looking for an apartment DO NOT MOVE HERE. They are overpriced and worse... dangerous

 

[13th Juror]

"Investigators Collected Clues From Missing Woman's Car"​

WFTV - POSTED: 4:42 pm EST February 17, 2006


ORLANDO, Fla. -- Channel 9 has learned some of the clues investigators might have uncovered from Jennifer Kesse's car. The 24-year-old disappeared almost a month ago.

"Something happened there and that's my daughter, a living being, and she was taken from that car," Jennifer's father, Drew Kesse, said.

He said, even with the splashes of processing fluid used to check for evidence, his daughter Jennifer's car is cleaner than she ever kept it. Detectives likely have most of the items of clutter that used to be there, hoping for clues.

"I'm sure they took everything they possibly could out of it and I hope they pulled something off of something in that car to give them a direction," Drew Kesse said.

Fingerprint dust lines the steering wheel, gear shift, door handles and anything else a suspect might have touched. The seats and floors were likely vacuumed to collect hairs and fibers. Soil tests could show where the mud caked on the bottom of the car came from.

"It's just logical thinking of the technology they have nowadays that they have to have something within the car," Drew Kesse said.

Investigators do know, from Jennifer's credit card bill, that she filled her gas tank in Ft. Lauderdale before driving back to Orlando. She went to work, then home and should have had about half a tank left. That's about what's there now, so her attacker may not have taken the car very far.

"It seems to be right to us, but again we're not the professionals, we're letting them do their job and we're doing what we need to do on our end," Drew Kesse said.

Detectives said any evidence from the car has already been sent to a lab for testing. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement handles fingerprints and DNA. The FBI does trace evidence.

Channel 9 has learned there have been requests to expedite any results in this case.

The Kesse's did have a bit of a let down Friday. They were hoping specific information about the person of interest seen walking near where the car was found would be released Friday. The FBI is still calculating the person's height and show size. Those results won't be ready until Tuesday at the earliest.


My thoughts & comments:

This article & news story on WFTV was posted Friday afternoon between 4-5 pm.

By the evening newscasts there were film clips of OPD Lead Investigator (Ring) stating that the "POI" forensics had been completed by the FBI however, they (FBI forensics team) were going to re-check the results again before releasing it to local LE & the media.

It could have been published yesterday - but won't be until Tuesday (at the earliest). With so much hope and attention focused on the identification of this "POI" outside the gate of 'Huntington On The Green's poolhouse area' - I really hope the additional time delay wasn't a mistake.

This excerpt gave me pause for thought.

Drew Kesse's comment - He said, even with the splashes of processing fluid used to check for evidence, his daughter Jennifer's car is cleaner than she ever kept it. Detectives likely have most of the items of clutter that used to be there, hoping for clues.

I watched several film clips of Drew & Logan inspecting Jen's car after LE was finished processing it. In my estimation - the inside of the car was a mess with all that processing fluid residue left in place. I would have thought LE would have (should have) cleaned it up before releasing the car back to Jen's parents. But, apparently not.

I can certainly understand why the Kesses would want that car 'out of their sight' at this point - but, the timing of permanently getting rid of it - leaves me a tad uncomfortable. Jennifer is still considered a "missing person" - not declared deceased with an estate for her parents to dispose of in her absence.


If Jen was a bit of a "clutter-bug" where her car was concerned then it would not surprise me that she was not exactly a neat-freak in her bedroom domain. It seems perfectly logical to me that Jen might decide to go out to mail the package & pick up some "take-out" at a fast food place on Mon. night after speaking with Rob on the phone.

Does it matter that she may have been dressed in her night-clothes & was already in or on the bed when she made that decision?

How long does it take to slip out of a nightgown, let it drop to the bathroom floor and slip on some sweats to run an errand?

I do that sort of thing all the time. I've even been known to leave the house late at night wearing my bathrobe to complete a quickie errand where I do not need to leave my car.

Jen's mother said that the bed was "unmade" when they arrived at her condo on Tuesday and that there were 2 skirts & 1 pair of pants/slacks on the bed. NOT complete outfits that were necessarily laid out for the following day. There was nothing else 'laid out' to go with the skirts or slacks. Perhaps she was still in the process of unpacking from her trip?

Perhaps that "unmade bed" was left unmade by her brother Logan and/or 'friend Travis' - as they were staying in her condo during her absence. It is assumed they slept there. Did they 'do laundry' and change the bedding before she arrived home on Monday night?

I would hope so - but, most young men Logan's age are not exactly known for their tidyness or deserving of gold stars for their good housekeeping skills. (I know 2 of my 3 '20 something' sons were not such tidy housekeepers. lol)

So - I guess the point I'm attempting to make - is .. just because the bed was "unmade' doesn't mean Jennifer slept there on Mon. night. The bed may have been left "unmade". I would imagine that the forensics team would have checked the bedding for Jen's DNA anyway.

I am curious to know if she was the type of gal that always made her bed before leaving for the day - or if she often just left it 'unmade' when she got up in the morning. Might be a helpful clue as to when she disappeared - Mon. night or Tues. a.m. I still have a strong hunch that it was Mon. night.

Okay - even if Jen didn't intend to leave her Condo complex Monday night to "overnight" the phone to Travis - she could have gone out to her car to retrieve additional items brought back from her trip - or even some of the clutter type stuff her Dad said she always had there. (mail, clothing, "stuff")

Let's not forget - there are NO security cameras in her complex. After 10 p.m. - possibly no other resident was outside in the parking area. The perpetrator(s) could have taken Jennifer by surprise right there in her complex as she was removing items from her car or preparing to leave. No video - no witnesses.

Who knows - it's conceivable that the perp could even have been a resident or guest.


Volunteers were at the "Florida Mall" this morning picking up boxes of the newest "missing flyers" that the family had printed. They are now printed in 3 languages - English, Spanish & Creole. Individuals can also print them out directly from the Jennifer Kesse website - and are requested to do so.

Prayers for the Kesses - and wishing all websleuthers a terrific weekend!

JMHO - 13th Juror

 

[littlemisslegal]

She doesn't work at a travel agency (her company is called Central Florida Investments, so sounds like she's a financial analyst or broker of some kind), but she did just get back from a cruise so that would most likely have been booked through a travel agency ...

the company is westgate resorts , they are a major timeshare corporation. she worked within financial project director news said. recent offer of promotion. a billboards with her pic in occoee fl outside orlando has her pic on it says: a westgate employee is missing with the now familiar flyer pic of her. the area she lives in is very near universal studios-the florida mall , mall of millenia and i-4 -conroy -kirkman . universal is off kirkman rd. the street of texas and americana , orange blossom trail are all streets that cut thru to john young prkway and orange blossom trail or obt as called . the conroy -kirkman area has a lot of apts and not many condos actually. the area near is called metrowest . country clubs, affluent area -nice . some people have made the area of jennnifers apt sound like the outskirts are the ghetto. not true at all. texas-americana is tacky -low level of poor people -known for drugs areas ect -yet not that everyone who lives there is a low life or on drugs that would insult many who are not !. the apts are low priced and attract the poorer classand the class of rough living. respectable familys live in this areas too trying to provide a home and such for their familys. it is not correct to say this is an area you will be found dead in if you are out in it -just a chance of this anywhere -any place -could happen . the street called john young parkway runs miles . the jail called 33rd street is on it -minutes away from thisi whole area ,along with bail bond agency and a pancake house . if someone made bail or was released it is in area of all described here. the buisness on conroy include olive garden , fridays ect -all the nice place we all love to eat at. the mall has upscale and a lot of outlet malls near international drive , disney is very near on i-4 . seaworld-holy land. it is not a area that is portrayed as the wild side of orlando. the very area that is so nice can not be blocks away . bless jennifer for a safe return to her family and her life she has /we all can have this happen anywhee any place . always be aware of your surrounding =carry pepper spray . yes i am a fl resident and know all areas fairly well -even disney has their own problems -some let their guard down when on vacation --do not think its all fantasy land -its real out there too. i seen to many tourist think they can leave their brains at home because we are on vacation -not true. locals and tourist neeed to use their heads - i seen tourist count money in a parking lot ! then they wonder why someone may want to rob them ====hello ???? jennifer ran into someone -but who ?shes is smart and aware i bet -yet -now missing . how sad . bless her .

 

[LvsAMystry]

Here is a site I found that has pics of various condo conversion projects in the area of Orlando near the Mall. It has several of Mosaic complex also. Lets you get a good feel for what these complexes are like anyway. I wish it showed the parking situation better at her complex, though.

Condo Conversion pics in area

Better yet, here's one just for her complex

Mosaic at Millenia

 

[littlemisslegal]

yes -excellent link to metrowest area. as you can see it is not the ghetto! texas and americana street, where car found , have simple apt complexes . even if you pay thousand of dollars in rent or live in a low income project ---once you leave your door and drive or walk you are no longer the value of your rent of how much you pay to live in style -you enter real world . you can not put oneself in a bubble and think if i only go drive to ann klein outlet i am safe but if i drive to bargain store i am not . its ridiculous when people think -oh she lived near bad area so thats why !not true jmo-anyhone who travels to work ect goes to areas they would not be able to afford to live in or would not want to rich or poor . this was very accurate of orlando link -then you have areas that are for millionares and homeless . like everywhere else in the world .

 

[ShowerSinger]

33rd Street is an exit off of I-4, and it does have that jail there. Also, a 7-11, but mostly it is an industrial area. I know, as I had the sales territory there. It was scary in the daylight. AND, yes, there are some--few, but some nicer areas surrounding the industrial sides. OBT, well, now that's another road known to all as mostly seedy. Orlando is soooo spread out! Still, I have to wonder if this perp had some casual acquaintance to her. Perhaps someone from work? Timeshare workers have a high turnover rate, as sales are commissioned. Those previous posts about the complex make you wonder about the maintenance side, as well. I'm more inclined to think she was stalked/targeted than just an opportunity crime. And someone said on an earlier post about how she might have gone to her car to retrieve some items she left in it, after her trip, and all. I too, have run out to my car to retrieve my blow dryer, toothbrush, whatever after a long trip. Even as the sun was coming up... We just don't know, and I truly pray that she is one of those rare cases, where she will be freed from her captor(s). About the family wanting to sell the car...well, just maybe that was a rash emotionally charged response.
I am supportive of LE's efforts in this crime. Orlando is such a haven for transients looking for work, I really worry sometimes that the employers don't do sufficient employee screening.
I tend to think that LE will resolve this, and are careful in what they release to the public.
That "mud" under the car is strange, though. Most places are simply SAND! And more SAND.
I do wonder if a co-worker/employee lived anywhere near her. But, I guess police have searched those records.

 

[13th Juror]

Here is a site I found that has pics of various condo conversion projects in the area of Orlando near the Mall. It has several of Mosaic complex also. Lets you get a good feel for what these complexes are like anyway. I wish it showed the parking situation better at her complex, though.

Condo Conversion pics in area

Better yet, here's one just for her complex

Mosaic at Millenia

As for the parking situation at 'Mosaic at Millenia' - Jennifer's parking spot is directly in front of her condo. Open parking - not covered like some others that have a carport or garage.

During Greta's interview at Mosaic with the Kesse parents, I noted that Jen's space is 2226 which probably corresponds with her apartment number. It seems that's how most assigned spaces are handled at the condo complexes down here.


13th Juror

 

[strach304]

As for the parking situation at 'Mosaic at Millenia' - Jennifer's parking spot is directly in front of her condo. Open parking - not covered like some others that have a carport or garage.

During Greta's interview at Mosaic with the Kesse parents, I noted that Jen's space is 2226 which probably corresponds with her apartment number. It seems that's how most assigned spaces are handled at the condo complexes down here.


13th Juror

I don't think that's a good idea at all. If someone is stalking you then they know by your car and where you park which unit you live in. That's if there is a main entrance the front door to each unit is inside. That's the kind I had at one time with a security door, in other words you can't tell from the street which unit the person is going in. If they really want to find you they will but at the same time it makes it harder for them and someone may notice them as well.

 

[concernedperson]

Jennifer's condo has an open air breezeway to each of units. I saw pics of it on Greta's blog a few days ago. It also had some "dark" spots in the corridor/stairwell area.

 

[Mygirlsadie]

Those condos are beautiful. I didnt realize that where she lived was so nice. I noticed in the picture right before the last one that there are garages also under amenities it says 'monitored alarm systems' ..I wonder what that means?

Here is a site I found that has pics of various condo conversion projects in the area of Orlando near the Mall. It has several of Mosaic complex also. Lets you get a good feel for what these complexes are like anyway. I wish it showed the parking situation better at her complex, though.

Condo Conversion pics in area

Better yet, here's one just for her complex

Mosaic at Millenia

 

[Beyond Belief]

All the folks that called Jennifer Monday night called her on her cell phone I think. Who says she was even at the apartment during those calls. She could have been anywhere. At least I think the boyfriend said she was on the cell when he talked to her at 10.

 

[LvsAMystry]

All the folks that called Jennifer Monday night called her on her cell phone I think. Who says she was even at the apartment during those calls. She could have been anywhere. At least I think the boyfriend said she was on the cell when he talked to her at 10.

I don't know whether he said she was on her cell or not, but he did say she was in her bed while he was talking to her.

 

[Beyond Belief]

I know I don't always tell the truth as to where I am on the cell phone, especially if its someone who would be angry with me if I was out and about when I shouldn't be.

 

[LvsAMystry]

I wouldn't want to question her character to assume she wasn't being truthful. I suppose it's always possible in anything, but I haven't heard anything about her character that would lead me to think she led a lifestyle that would require lying to people she cared about.

Aside from that, her bed was unmade and had been slept in, nightclothes on floor of bathroom with wet shower and towel so it appears there was a morning shower.

I suppose there could be 1000 scenarios created in our minds about it being the night before, but I really think that logic points to something happening that morning, whether it was before she left her condo, on the condo grounds, or on her way to work.

 

[littlemisslegal]

Those condos are beautiful. I didnt realize that where she lived was so nice. I noticed in the picture right before the last one that there are garages also under amenities it says 'monitored alarm systems' ..I wonder what that means?

MONITORED ALARM MEANS THE BURGLAR ALAM SYSTEM IS TIED INTO THE OFFICE THAT MONITORS ALL ALARM ALERTS -CALLS BACK HOMEOWNER IF ALARM GOES OFF OR CALLS POLICE TO CHECK OUT ALARM GONE OFF. IT CALLS BACK AND SEND POLICE OUT IF NO ANSWER ECT.

 

[citrus]

I think "the friend's cell phone" is key in this whole mystery

If the last conversation before going to bed was with her boyfriend why didn't she mention the conversation she had with her brother about "the friend's cell phone"?

If she was abducted from her apartment by a complete stranger why he took "the friend's cell"?

In my opinion she left her apartment with somebody she knew I don't think she left in a hurry.

 

[LaMer]

I think "the friend's cell phone" is key in this whole mystery

If the last conversation before going to bed was with her boyfriend why didn't she mention the conversation she had with her brother about "the friend's cell phone"?

If she was abducted from her apartment by a complete stranger why he took "the friend's cell"?

In my opinion she left her apartment with somebody she knew I don't think she left in a hurry.

Hi Citrus, Welcome to Websleuths!

Good question about the call from Rob. From what 13th Juror posted a thread or so back, it was reported, it was the guy who left his cell-phone at Jen's who called about the phone. I dunno tho, we have had conflicting reports, as I think it was originally reported it was her brother who had called her about the phone, but maybe they both called her. Also, it seems to me, we were left in the dark for quite awhile as to what was the package Jennifer had to mail. That's how I remember it.

I don't know if the guy, Travis (I think that's his name) called before or after Rob called. Anyone?

I think there are lots of things we don't know and of course it is good to hold back info, as we all know and can respect.

Good question tho, to as why would an abductor take the cell-phone from her condo.

Personally, I believe Jennifer may have gone out that night to mail the phone. We all seem to be divided on that theory.

She might not have wanted to take the time in the morning. Possibly not wanting to be late for work. I wonder if she was late for work on Monday, when she returned from her trip, if so, she wouldn't want to be late again. Then there is always the chance she could've mailed it from work too. Maybe. Maybe not.

The damp towels are puzzeling tho, but who knows how long it would've taken them to dry and the water left there (LE wasn't convinced of the drying time), and she could've showered that evening and left her make-up and all on the counter when un-packing. Boy I dunno. It's all so sad.

I just pray she is found and can come home ALIVE!