FL FL - Jennifer Odom, 12, Blanton, 19 Feb 1993

[carbuff]

That would also explain why no blood on the back pack or case. They were still in the truck or in a home. The cloths may have had so much blood that they had to get rid of them but why not just toss them with the body. Head wounds bleed a lot and you have a hard time stopping the bleeding. She wasn't found in anything like a blanket or rug, something to transport the body and not get evidence on or in the truck. So another thing to consider is that it was done in a home or trailer, someplace they could wrap a body up, toss it out and take the rug or blanket with them. As you can see I am still not sure where she was killed. Inside the truck, in a home or trailer. Surely not in another wooded area as it wouldn't make sense to then transport the body all that way to put it some where else. LE stated she was killed shortly after she was taken. So the autopsy must have told them that or some other evidence.

If it was in the back of a horse trailer, she could have been wrapped in a horse blanket or feed sack.

 

[Beatrice]

It appears to me that the backpack & clarinet case were deliberately placed there
near the 2 year mark of Jennifer's anniversary.
That someone else knows the truth & may be being paid for their silence.
That "Weekiwachi/Hospital/Searching for Scrap Metal" may be clues.
I hope LE has info on the couple seaching for scrap metal.
It all seems staged.
JMO.

 

[Skully]

It appears to me that the backpack & clarinet case were deliberately placed there
near the 2 year mark of Jennifer's anniversary.
That someone else knows the truth & may be being paid for their silence.
That "Weekiwachi/Hospital/Searching for Scrap Metal" may be clues.
I hope LE has info on the couple seaching for scrap metal.
It all seems staged.
JMO.

I absolutely think someone one knows and just isn't saying. Is there any kind of $$$ reward on info for her case? Maybe that is something they could offer, $$$$ to lead to the killer or killers? $$$ talks! Surely there is a victim's fund or something like that, to offer a reward.

 

[DreamyEye]

Well, I'm still more inclined to think that killer was a male rather than a female, though it certainly could be a female.

Originally I thought the killer was someone who had a relationship with Jennifer, who got angry with her, and who killed her out of rage he felt toward her. My thought was that she may have appeared older than she was, and some male may have thought she was going knowingly into an adult-type relationship ... and then he went into a rage when he realized she was still basically a little girl and didn't want the same things he wanted.

However, things I have seen and thought about the last couple of weeks have led me to another possibility that seems more likely, esp after reading that some of Jennifer's family have considered that she may have been killed by someone they know.

I now think that there was rage, yes ... but it was directed at one of the adults in her life, and killing Jennifer so brutally was the killer's way of "sticking it to" the adult he was mad at. Toward this end, he may have led Jennifer on--flattering her, paying a lot of attention to her, drawing her in to a bit of a 'romantic' relationship.

I think Jennifer got into the truck willingly and agreed to sneak off for a bit of a visit--but not to go very far away or be gone for very long, because she knew she was supposed to be home to let her sister in. I cannot think of a single older sister who would let her younger sister know she was hanging around with a fellow--because everyone knows that the little sister always blabs. Because of this, I think Jennifer thought she would be gone for a very short time, maybe long enough to get a Coke. But she planned to be home with the fellow long gone by the time her sister showed up.

A note about horse trailers: Some of these things are very fancy! Some of them have living quarters for people in the front and then up to 2 stalls for horses in the back. Sometimes the 'living' quarters for one or two humans are just spaces for one or two people to lie down and sleep--no bathroom, no sinks, no cooking facilities.

 

[Skully]

Dreamy,

great post. The more I think about it and read I agree with the family, she knew her killer. If you look at the videos of her walk up to the house, I don't think it would be more than a friendly offer to ride her up to the house kind of thing. Once in the truck, whole other story. She may have been going off with a boy or a friend, but truthfully, I think he stopped and offer to give her a lift up to the house. Remember, he didn't ambush her at the house. He could have. He waited by the bottom of the road, a better ploy to get her to get into that truck. This person was around the family, but somehow, under the radar.

 

[Skully]

I have been assuming all alone that the horse trail where Jennifer was found was not the crime scene. I got that impression from articles but is that incorrect? As I watched the video recently posted, they say again that it rained and washed away all the evidence. But I also know that people interviewed said the trial was used everyday. She was taken in daylight, and it is only about a 25 minute ride to the trail. So people would be around and would hear if someone was screaming or something was going on, no? It is also a long ride to keep a 12 year old in a vehicle for that length of time if you are kidnapping her. But once again, if you have a gun pointed at somebody, they will probably stay put. Do you think she was murdered on that trail? Because that makes a difference in details of getting from point A to point B.

Also owning a horse or riding takes some money. If the person rode there and hauled a horse trailer or just boarded the horse, it still takes some money. So if the person is connected to the trail, he or she is not poor.

 

[DreamyEye]

Dreamy,

great post. The more I think about it and read I agree with the family, she knew her killer. If you look at the videos of her walk up to the house, I don't think it would be more than a friendly offer to ride her up to the house kind of thing. Once in the truck, whole other story. She may have been going off with a boy or a friend, but truthfully, I think he stopped and offer to give her a lift up to the house. Remember, he didn't ambush her at the house. He could have. He waited by the bottom of the road, a better ploy to get her to get into that truck. This person was around the family, but somehow, under the radar.

Thanks, Bern.

Here is my thinking: The kids on the bus saw the truck following Jennifer, but didn't see her getting into the truck. So we don't really know at what point between the bus and her front door that she got in.

The kidnapper was taking quite a risk in view of the fact that Jennifer's grandmother lived on the same street. Now maybe the grandmother had a habit of watching for Jennifer at this time every day--and maybe she didn't. But anyone who knew where the grandma lived would have to take that into account: Grandma might be watching.

Thus I think the killer knew Jennifer and likely others in her household ... but wasn't close enough to the family to know that Grandmother lived nearby. To me, things point more and more to a disgruntled employee or business associate. Thus I agree with you, Bern: someone who was 'around' the family, but under the radar. That's a great way to put it.

 

[DreamyEye]

I have been assuming all alone that the horse trail where Jennifer was found was not the crime scene. I got that impression from articles but is that incorrect? As I watched the video recently posted, they say again that it rained and washed away all the evidence. But I also know that people interviewed said the trial was used everyday. She was taken in daylight, and it is only about a 25 minute ride to the trail. So people would be around and would hear if someone was screaming or something was going on, no? It is also a long ride to keep a 12 year old in a vehicle for that length of time if you are kidnapping her. But once again, if you have a gun pointed at somebody, they will probably stay put. Do you think she was murdered on that trail? Because that makes a difference in details of getting from point A to point B.

Also owning a horse or riding takes some money. If the person rode there and hauled a horse trailer or just boarded the horse, it still takes some money. So if the person is connected to the trail, he or she is not poor.

Bern, I honestly feel Jennifer was killed almost instantly. Because if we are right that she wouldn't have agreed to go very far, she had to have known pretty quick that the person was up to no good. Like if he said he'd drive her up to her house and then went past it or turned around, she'd know right then and there that he had tricked her. And you're right: It would be pretty hard to control an angry, frightened 12 yr old.

In fact, at one point you had speculated that he might have somehow taken her outside of the truck. After I saw your video, I think that's very possible--because if she was between the truck and the grove, he would know that they couldn't be seen. And he could kill or knock her out very quickly and put her into the truck. In fact, that might have been the easiest way for him to do it, because he could have then placed her on the floor and not let her be visible in the window.

If something like this is what happened, though, it would discredit the one witness who thought he saw Jennifer in the truck. So I don't really know. In any case, though, I kind of doubt she was killed on the horse trail.

You know, it would pay to know who owned the land with the trail where she was found. Who owned it at the time of the crime, I mean. In my area, the horse clubs are active year round and the ones that have their own land and facilities do events all the time. But land that the state owns is closed, usually in October and then not opened until sometime between March and May. (How soon they open it depends on the budget of the Dept of Natural Resources)

Sometimes lovely big hunks of land in our area are owned by businesses, such as a logging company. These businesses sometimes open their land for people to use recreationally ... but the business can close the land at any time. A business may decide they don't want the liability of the public on their land. Or they may close an area if they're getting 'squatters' or drug activity. If crime has become a problem in the area, it might be closed ... and of course, when the business itself wants to use its land, they close the area.

The killer may have known when those horse trails would be opened and closed. I'm thinking if there were groves in the area, the trails might have been closed for the recent orange harvest. Here when an area is 'close,' it has locked gate across the main access points--but sometimes there's enough clear space around the gate to drive around it, and sometimes the locals know other routes for getting in.

 

[Skully]

I think I may have to start at point A, where she was taken, how he could have gotten her in the truck with all her stuff, and make a list of people who may have been know to the family. Not names, just like workers, grove owners, people they may have had on the property that knew the schedule and she may have gotten into a truck with. Sort of see it on paper if you will. This way you can cross things off and narrow it down. Once you have an idea of Who, then you can see What, Where and Why more clearly. There is lots we don't know and have to fill in the blanks, but the family feels strongly that it was someone close, maybe even had dinner with! That is scary. I don't know why expect that they went over not to get into a truck or car with a stranger, and what to do. The mom said "zig zag the grove, drop your books and run". So either she knew the person or like I said, a stranger, that had a gun or a ruse, like grazed her with the truck. But once in the truck he had to keep her there, so I am leaning towards a gun.

I would make a lousy criminal, I can't think like one. I always stop and say, that wouldn't happen, but it does.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

I think I may have to start at point A, where she was taken, how he could have gotten her in the truck with all her stuff, and make a list of people who may have been know to the family. Not names, just like workers, grove owners, people they may have had on the property that knew the schedule and she may have gotten into a truck with. Sort of see it on paper if you will. This way you can cross things off and narrow it down. Once you have an idea of Who, then you can see What, Where and Why more clearly. There is lots we don't know and have to fill in the blanks, but the family feels strongly that it was someone close, maybe even had dinner with! That is scary. I don't know why expect that they went over not to get into a truck or car with a stranger, and what to do. The mom said "zig zag the grove, drop your books and run". So either she knew the person or like I said, a stranger, that had a gun or a ruse, like grazed her with the truck. But once in the truck he had to keep her there, so I am leaning towards a gun.

I would make a lousy criminal, I can't think like one. I always stop and say, that wouldn't happen, but it does.

Perhaps they should look at those whom had intimate, close contact with her. Such as a water skiing instructor or an assistant.
Anyone other then the family, whom had regular close contact with her.

And check those prints with what they recovered from the case.

I read she had won trophies for her water skiing i believe it was.

Not implying anything negative of course.
But maybe one developed a obsessive attraction towards her.

From having a close personal relationship with her through after-school hobbies or events that occurred away from the school.

THE ABOVE ALL MOO AND SPECULATION ON MY PART.
NOTHING POSTED AS BEING FACTUAL UNLESS OTHERWISE KNOWN TO BE.
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[Skully]

The blue truck

He doesn't care if the truck is seen by witness. Why?
a. He stole it
b. He borrowed it
c. He plans on getting rid of it, like in a lake or taking it to a dump yard
d. He is leaving town
e. no one will think it was him because he never drives this truck.
f. He is not from this area

The family doesn't recognize the description of the blue truck. If it was a person close to the family wouldn't they know what they were driving, and say "so and so has a blue truck with a silver bumper"?

LE stops all the trucks in the area, (did they check DMV?) the truck is never found.

 

[Skully]

He is not afraid to do this in broad daylight, on her road, by groves that may have workers. A road that a passerby may see him and ID him. A road that her grandmother lives just up the way. Her sister is due within the hour. He knows this is a good time.

a. He looks like he belongs there.
b. He can say he has business there if someone stops him.
c. He knows that no one will see him, because the grove has been picked, no workers.
d. He knows the parents work and her sister gets off the bus at a later time.
e. He knows that no one walks with her now, since the 2 girls moved away.

How does he know?

a. He used to work there, recently
b. He knows the family and he talks to someone who gives him information in a small talk sort or way. The family member doesn't realize it.
c. He works with one of the parents.
d. He took a chance after watching a few days.
e. Jennifer is around this person, and she talks about her family not realizing he is getting information to kidnap her. Like a teacher, or coach, or somebody from school, or church. Someone she trusts.
f. He is around the family because he dates someone in the family or is friends with the family, close friends.

 

[DreamyEye]

Keep going, Bern. This is a great way to sort through it.

 

[Skully]

Keep going, Bern. This is a great way to sort through it.

feel free to "vote" on the choices. Maybe we can see what makes the most sense and see if we can figure it out.

 

[Skully]

The blue truck

He doesn't care if the truck is seen by witness. Why?
a. He stole it
b. He borrowed it
c. He plans on getting rid of it, like in a lake or taking it to a dump yard
d. He is leaving town
e. no one will think it was him because he never drives this truck.
f. He is not from this area

The family doesn't recognize the description of the blue truck. If it was a person close to the family wouldn't they know what they were driving, and say "so and so has a blue truck with a silver bumper"?

LE stops all the trucks in the area, (did they check DMV?) the truck is never found.

I am thinking b and f at this point. When I say not from this area, still Dade City only maybe south end or south of it. Back pack and the body were left in Hernando. So one that means Dade city isn't the county working it. Also he puts stuff in the opposite direction of where he lives to sort of throw things off. Hernando would be at a disadvantage not knowing all the little details of the town like Dade LE would. They would help in the case, but I think Dade LE knows the people in their town and who was more likely to do this, in or around her circle of family and friends, and acquaintances. I don't mean any offense to Hernando at all they are good at their jobs, just maybe this is why he put her in another county.

one more thing, if Dade had the case, the family may get a little more information than if another county had the case. If he is around them or with them, he doesn't want them to pick up on something that LE may tell them. This is all just speculation on my part, my lame attempt to profile this case.

 

[Skully]

So my next question;

Why doesn't Jennifer drop her books and case, run or zig zag the groves as her mother told her too? Why does she get in without an apparent struggle?

a. She knows the person well enough to accept a ride to the house
b. There are two people and she was taken by surprise
c. He had a gun and pointed it out the window and told her to get in the truck
d. He used a ruse like bumping the truck into her, causing her to fall and told her he would drive her up to grandmas to get help. Another ruse if he knew her is that her mom asked her to pick her up to go somewhere.
e. It was a boy she liked and agreed to go for a coke or short ride.

I can answer this once I think about question #2 more.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

So my next question;

Why doesn't Jennifer drop her books and case, run or zig zag the groves as her mother told her too? Why does she get in without an apparent struggle?

a. She knows the person well enough to accept a ride to the house
b. There are two people and she was taken by surprise
c. He had a gun and pointed it out the window and told her to get in the truck
d. He used a ruse like bumping the truck into her, causing her to fall and told her he would drive her up to grandmas to get help. Another ruse if he knew her is that her mom asked her to pick her up to go somewhere.
e. It was a boy she liked and agreed to go for a coke or short ride.

I can answer this once I think about question #2 more.

quote...Why doesn't Jennifer drop her books and case, run or zig zag the groves as her mother told her too? Why does she get in without an apparent struggle?...End of quote.

We don't know for a fact that she did not do as you posted.
There were no forthcoming witnesses that seen the abduction occur. From watching the video, i now know the vehicle was behind the bus, and not parked among the orange groves as i had suspected!

We do know after she got off the bus and started her long walk, that is when the vehicle started to follow her.

In the video it states that the vehicle was behind the bus.
when she got off and started to walk, the bus took off, and the vehicle turned onto the gravel road Jennifer was walking on.
Which would mean it was not setting among the groves
at the time?

I Wish
One Of Those students whom was on the bus watching was here to tell us at least that.

We have two possible theories.
1. Someone was traveling behind the bus, when it stopped and she got off to start the walk home, someone at that time decided to abduct her that was waiting behind the bus to take off.

2. It was someone whom had knowledge of Jennifer.
Knew what time she would be home from school.
Followed the bus to her house, waited for her to get off and start walking up the road and then followed her. She may have not known the vehicle in question, that is why she continue on her walk and got as far as she did. The truck following could had her believing at one time, it was headed towards her house or her grandmas house, or someone whom would be working, inspected the grove area.

Maybe that is why the truck resembled the kind to use in the orange groves. In case anyone notice it, it would have appeared to be in place and not out of place. Would not had cause suspicion? If IT was noticed, it would put suspicion on a orange grove worker?

Which could mean it was all preplanned?
They had to know about the groves, and vehicles to use.
Where she lived. And so forth.
Abducting her there, apparently was a GOOD place to do that and not be caught.

He did wait, I assume for the bus to continue on and get farther away before the actual abduction, so he would not be seen if he had to get out of the vehicle.


If it was someone she knew, she could have left for what she thought was just a little while. The DEMON made his move on her and she refused. And threatened to tell.
And she was killed for it.
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[Skully]

I agree with your post. I also think he knew her, her family and had knowledge of her schedule and everyone around her. I think he borrowed the truck. Because as you say, it would appear to fit in. That is why he didn't care that the school bus kids saw him. That is why Jennifer didn't recognize the truck, she thought it was on of the grove workers, or inspectors or something like that. And I do believe it was pre planned and well thought out. Even leaving her in another county. He wanted her found, but not in his neck of the woods. He wanted the backpack found too, and the case. They are not going to find his prints in CODOS. He has no record. He is very intelligent. He blends in. He had to kill her, because once he made his move, she would have told, and he couldn't risk it.

Borrowing the truck was another thing that threw them off. I was looking at grove workers, construction guys, pool men, any one with that sort of truck. Finding her in Hernando was another thing, I thought they must live in Hernando or someplace between, but now I think it was another thing to throw them off.

Not knowing everyone she knew or the family I could not even begin to think who would fit this profile, but I bet LE does, just no proof.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

I agree with your post. I also think he knew her, her family and had knowledge of her schedule and everyone around her. I think he borrowed the truck. Because as you say, it would appear to fit in. That is why he didn't care that the school bus kids saw him. That is why Jennifer didn't recognize the truck, she thought it was on of the grove workers, or inspectors or something like that. And I do believe it was pre planned and well thought out. Even leaving her in another county. He wanted her found, but not in his neck of the woods. He wanted the backpack found too, and the case. They are not going to find his prints in CODOS. He has no record. He is very intelligent. He blends in. He had to kill her, because once he made his move, she would have told, and he couldn't risk it.

Borrowing the truck was another thing that threw them off. I was looking at grove workers, construction guys, pool men, any one with that sort of truck. Finding her in Hernando was another thing, I thought they must live in Hernando or someplace between, but now I think it was another thing to throw them off.

Not knowing everyone she knew or the family I could not even begin to think who would fit this profile, but I bet LE does, just no proof.

And now you know why i find BLOOD relatives PRICELESS!
They see a video playing in there mind, and type or speak the words that they see playing in there mind. Where LE types, or speaks first, and then has us to create our own video of possible events in our minds.

If this was someone, whom had a Obsessive attractiveness to her.
They may have consider her to be there Trophy mate.
There ultimate playmate.

If could be as you suggested, someone whom has never committed anything serious before or after this. But at the time wanted to have an intimate relationship with a young girl. A Young girl such as Jennifer.

And they made the decision that it was going to happen on that day. But things did not go as planned. Or planned as far as the DEMON had in mind. Perhaps in there twisted mind, they thought that day was going to be the start of a long intimate relationship with a very lovely distinguish young girl.
A ultimate fantasy for someone.

But it is all speculation on my part.
Just another theory in many.

But right now, I am not believing in the random abduction theory. And apparently, neither is the family.
So we start there.

Quote...Not knowing everyone she knew or the family I could not even begin to think who would fit this profile, but I bet LE does, just no proof...End of Quote.

I would start with someone in the county/counties. That knew about those orchards.
Where she was taking from and taking to. For he used the same truck to take her where she was found.
And like at the house, the truck that was used would not had appeared out of place.
Appearing as being a part of the orchard business perhaps, and blended in.

THE ABOVE ALL MOO AND SPECULATION ON MY PART.
NOTHING POSTED AS BEING FACT. UNLESS OTHERWISE KNOWN TO BE.
​

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

This is when I wish LE was here right now to answer questions.

I remember a link to a house a psychic picked up on, that LE said a POI, a suspect lived there. It could have been that the psychic picked up on LE CONNECTION to the house, and had nothing to do with the actually killer of Jennifer. But this persons past, and his connection to the orange grove at Jennifer's house may had been the reason he was a POI. Without the official LE documents, we don't know the reasons why this particular person became a POI.

This suspect eventually fail off the radar, and nothing ever materialize from this part of the investigation and it became cold over time.

In this regard, i would do another check of those whom had a connection to Jennifer over time where she took her water skiing lessons/Meets/etc. She won some trophies in her water skiing I believe i read somewhere. So i would go back and check that thumb print with any of those man around her at that time to check for a comparison.

I would ask the family also.
If they remember back then, anyone. ANYONE AT ALL.
That Jennifer mentioned seemed to be VERY friendly towards her.
Someone they them selves seemed to think this person was being VERY friendly towards her.
Someone that would go out of there way, to help the family, Jennifer etc.
Someone they thought of as being such a wonderful person.

DEMONS can be very manipulative in there relationships with humans.
And have you to believe many wonderful things about them.
Before they bestow upon you there evil acts.
Its to destroy your faith in God.
By having you see such evil, when at fist you seen only the good in them.


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