NE NE - Jason Jolkowski -19 - Omaha - 13 Jun 2001 - #4

[Alleykins]

IMO, "missing with vehicle" = 75% chance they drove into a body of water, 25% chance they packed up their stuff into the car and drove away and cut off ties with the family.

Definitely agree with missing person+missing vehicle most likely indicates they're in a body of water. I think law enforcement does, too, but it's expensive to go searching them. Especially if they went missing in an area where there are multiple bodies of water to search. I don't exactly agree with your percentages, I think there's also a 1-10% chance of foul play where the vehicle was well hidden/stripped down/or sold and slipped under the radar of being detected as a possible stolen vehicle, kind of a miscellaneous category. But other than that, I agree.

 

[Alleykins]

For anyone (like me) who thinks this was premeditated, do you have any theories why the perpetrator had to make Jason disappear that day?

Let's say Jason had been secretly meeting someone, platonically or otherwise, I'm struggling to understand why that morning.

Even if this person was upset or angry that Jason had stood them up, that's still some overreaction.

I'm not one who thinks this was premeditated, however, based on what little we know, it can't be ruled out, either. The only thing I can think of, which would still be an over reaction, is if he were in a relationship and had planned to break it off that day before work, and his plans got sped up because of getting called in early to work. So he stopped in on the way to the HS to do so, and that person flipped out, and this turned out to be a crime of passion. I think it's a stretch, there really wasn't much time to stop and visit anyone on the way, for any reason, especially for something like that, but we have so little to go on, I don't think anything is off the table at this point. Like, I don't think he ran away, but we have little to support if he did or didn't.

 

[Alleykins]

It just occurred to me that Jason was doing Fazoli's a favor by agreeing to come in early. There really wasn't anything stopping him from saying "I can come in early, but this is short notice and I can't be there until this time, take it or leave it." I used to do that all the time when I worked at the grocery store. If they called me in on short notice, they took whatever arrival time they could get from me, though they'd beg me to be there by a certain time. If I said I couldn't, they didn't even haggle at that point, they were just grateful I agreed to come in at all. I couldn't just drop everything, hop in my car and clock in. I had to shower, find my work clothes, sometimes find a ride to and from, and so they were lucky I got there when I got there.

He truly had the upper hand there, and if he needed more time for anything, even an extra 15 minutes for stopping in someplace on the way to the HS, he could have asked for it, no need to rush around, really.

I truly think it would be unreasonable for any business to expect someone to be ready to work on such short notice as Jason was given. That's why some of these time frames just don't seem to add up for me. Except for my sister, I know few people who can shower, shave, dress, and be out the door in 15 mins. Kudos to those who can, but I can't. They'd laugh if it were expected of them, including me. I would be like "I'll get there when I get there, and you'll like it, thanks!"

 

[Vital Forces]

For anyone (like me) who thinks this was premeditated, do you have any theories why the perpetrator had to make Jason disappear that day?

Let's say Jason had been secretly meeting someone, platonically or otherwise, I'm struggling to understand why that morning.

Even if this person was upset or angry that Jason had stood them up, that's still some overreaction.

Did he make any calls - from either his cell or home phone - that morning? Besides being called by Fazoli's?

 

[Alleykins]

Did he make any calls - from either his cell or home phone - that morning? Besides being called by Fazoli's?

Not sure about the cell phone, but I don't think we've ever heard what calls, besides the ones received from Fazoli's, were made from the house that morning. We don't even know if the local call usage detail was even requested by the police department. I hope they were, but I don't recall we've ever been told.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

He truly had the upper hand there, and if he needed more time for anything, even an extra 15 minutes for stopping in someplace on the way to the HS, he could have asked for it, no need to rush around, really.

I truly think it would be unreasonable for any business to expect someone to be ready to work on such short notice as Jason was given. That's why some of these time frames just don't seem to add up for me. Except for my sister, I know few people who can shower, shave, dress, and be out the door in 15 mins. Kudos to those who can, but I can't. They'd laugh if it were expected of them, including me. I would be like "I'll get there when I get there, and you'll like it, thanks!"

I understand what you're saying. I've also worked @ restaurant jobs when I was younger, and was called in unexpectedly under circumstances very similar to this, etc.

However, in JJ's case his co-worker was waiting on him. If he had his own car & wasn't dependent on anyone else to get to work, I could see spending 10-15 extra minutes taking a side-trip - since he was doing his work a favor by going in that day (or at least going in earlier than his pre-scheduled time).

But, in this case his co-worker was doing him a favor by picking him up in a car. And, given that he was on foot - he would have probably made a point of trying to get to the meeting point ASAP as a courtesy to his co-worker. After all, if he took too long she would probably leave.

I'm in the camp that believes something unexpected happened to JJ that didn't involve anyone he knew - or at least not anyone he knew well.

 

[Alleykins]

I understand what you're saying. I've also worked @ restaurant jobs when I was younger, and was called in unexpectedly under circumstances very similar to this, etc.

However, in JJ's case his co-worker was waiting on him. If he had his own car & wasn't dependent on anyone else to get to work, I could see spending 10-15 extra minutes taking a side-trip - since he was doing his work a favor by going in that day (or at least going in earlier than his pre-scheduled time).

But, in this case his co-worker was doing him a favor by picking him up in a car. And, given that he was on foot - he would have probably made a point of trying to get to the meeting point ASAP as a courtesy to his co-worker. After all, if he took too long she would probably leave.

I'm in the camp that believes something unexpected happened to JJ that didn't involve anyone he knew - or at least not anyone he knew well.

I'm with you on believing something unexpected happened to JJ, etc.
But the coworker wasn't waiting on him while they were arranging the meet up place and time, and I truly feel if he had somewhere he wanted to stop along the way, he would have at least tried to squeeze some extra time out of it. Not a lot, maybe 10-15 minutes, and it doesn't appear he asked for extra time, which means to me, he had no plans to stop along the way to the HS.

See, if it were me, and I were called in early, I'd have been like, I can meet you at noon, take it or leave it. And if the coworker declined, I'd say, oh well, tell management I'll get there when I get there, but no later than my regularly scheduled start time, lol. But he may not have realized he was the one doing the favor by coming in early.

 

[deadinthewater]

JJ had originally said he'd walk. In this scenario, he could have afforded himself 10 minutes or so to make a stop. Since his employer at Fazoli's called and said 'so so is coming in now and can pick you up', he might have agreed to be polite because they were shorthanded, etc. Though he didn't seem to be in any rush if he still wanted to make some sort of stop after agreeing to the lift. He helped his brother roll the garbage bins back, he left no earlier than the 10-15 minute walk to Benson.

This leads me to believe he wasn't stopping anywhere.

 

[A citizen]

Hi first post here and I have read so much on Jason’s case. I do not necessarily agree with the proposal that seems to have been widely accepted which is that because Jason was 6 foot in height and basically a grown man that he could not have been targeted and kidnapped by a lone male or targeted and subdued by a gang. Being 6’1 is not that tall and we don’t see any pictures of Jason’s physique but from all accounts he appears to have been just an average built lanky teenager, it’s not as if he was hugely built and physically imposing, and also it was said he had some kind of learning disability or immaturity which may have made him appear vulnerable and an easy victim particularly for a gang of men (who may have been armed)

All throughout the comments about this case around the Internet it has been mentioned and stated as fact actually that surrounding his area was very gang oriented and had a problem with drug dealing gangs and culture yet I feel this been passed over. When I look at Jason and picture him walking through streets that are surrounded by blocks known for gang problems I could easily see him being randomly victimised unfortunately. If a group of men pull up in a car or walk around the block and approach him to rob him that situation could easily turn into murder, he says he doesn’t have any money, all it takes is one loose cannon member of the gang to pull a knife and stab him and that’s it.

Or he could have been kidnapped by a gang who were trying to rob him. They threaten him to get in the car with them and go to an ATM and get money, with a gun pointed at him he would comply regardless of his height and age. Gangs of drug dealers and gang bangers kidnap people all the time. As for why his body has not been located it could have been just missed, we see examples all the time of victims who died and went missing then they are found nearby having been missed the first time like Brandon Lawson or his body could have been dumped if he was driven somewhere by a gang or car dumped and torched.

For me this theory makes the most sense given Jason’s profile (good kid, shy, kind of sheltered) and the known fact that he lived around neighborhoods known for gang activity. The idea of Jason being In a gay relationship and being murdered by a neighbor pensioner or elderly man in a fit of rage seems absurd to me.

 

[Andreee]

I feel the same way at times. Often, the simplest explanation is the right one.

I don't know if anybody has been watching the new season of Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix, but the episode covering the disappearance of Josh Guimond made me immediately think of Jason.

I'm guessing that at the time he disappeared, Jason's family and investigators looked into all the construction being done in the neighbourhood. It may've been mentioned before, but I would like to know which projects were being worked on at the time there.

 

[Andreee]

I think I've mentioned this before, but I wonder if this skull found about 45 minutes from Omaha, could be Jason's. I read that there are several UID's eliminated. And also I read there were several conclusions made about the skull, that some experts were quite certain it was a female's, while this article says young male.https://www.wowt.com/content/news/Human-skull-found-in-Salt-Creek-remains-unidentified--446580793.html Maybe we can ask if Jason has been eliminated as a possible. Not many UID's in Omaha that I can see.

 

[ekardh]

Hi first post here and I have read so much on Jason’s case. I do not necessarily agree with the proposal that seems to have been widely accepted which is that because Jason was 6 foot in height and basically a grown man that he could not have been targeted and kidnapped by a lone male or targeted and subdued by a gang. Being 6’1 is not that tall and we don’t see any pictures of Jason’s physique but from all accounts he appears to have been just an average built lanky teenager, it’s not as if he was hugely built and physically imposing, and also it was said he had some kind of learning disability or immaturity which may have made him appear vulnerable and an easy victim particularly for a gang of men (who may have been armed)

All throughout the comments about this case around the Internet it has been mentioned and stated as fact actually that surrounding his area was very gang oriented and had a problem with drug dealing gangs and culture yet I feel this been passed over. When I look at Jason and picture him walking through streets that are surrounded by blocks known for gang problems I could easily see him being randomly victimised unfortunately. If a group of men pull up in a car or walk around the block and approach him to rob him that situation could easily turn into murder, he says he doesn’t have any money, all it takes is one loose cannon member of the gang to pull a knife and stab him and that’s it.

Or he could have been kidnapped by a gang who were trying to rob him. They threaten him to get in the car with them and go to an ATM and get money, with a gun pointed at him he would comply regardless of his height and age. Gangs of drug dealers and gang bangers kidnap people all the time. As for why his body has not been located it could have been just missed, we see examples all the time of victims who died and went missing then they are found nearby having been missed the first time like Brandon Lawson or his body could have been dumped if he was driven somewhere by a gang or car dumped and torched.

For me this theory makes the most sense given Jason’s profile (good kid, shy, kind of sheltered) and the known fact that he lived around neighborhoods known for gang activity. The idea of Jason being In a gay relationship and being murdered by a neighbor pensioner or elderly man in a fit of rage seems absurd to me.

You claim the neighbour theory is "absurd" whilst suggesting imo an even more incredible scenario.

There may well have been gang activity in that area, but it wasn't "Hell Valley" from Back to the Future II, with droves of wild gangs cruising the streets attacking random dudes. And not only did they stab Jason but they bundled him into a car? In a residential neighbourhod? At 10 in the morning? Without anyone hearing or seeing a thing?

Jason's low-risk victim profile, the location and time of day make it incredibly unlikely that he was just snatched off the street.

 

[MatthewTyler]

Hi first post here and I have read so much on Jason’s case. I do not necessarily agree with the proposal that seems to have been widely accepted which is that because Jason was 6 foot in height and basically a grown man that he could not have been targeted and kidnapped by a lone male or targeted and subdued by a gang. Being 6’1 is not that tall and we don’t see any pictures of Jason’s physique but from all accounts he appears to have been just an average built lanky teenager, it’s not as if he was hugely built and physically imposing, and also it was said he had some kind of learning disability or immaturity which may have made him appear vulnerable and an easy victim particularly for a gang of men (who may have been armed)

All throughout the comments about this case around the Internet it has been mentioned and stated as fact actually that surrounding his area was very gang oriented and had a problem with drug dealing gangs and culture yet I feel this been passed over. When I look at Jason and picture him walking through streets that are surrounded by blocks known for gang problems I could easily see him being randomly victimised unfortunately. If a group of men pull up in a car or walk around the block and approach him to rob him that situation could easily turn into murder, he says he doesn’t have any money, all it takes is one loose cannon member of the gang to pull a knife and stab him and that’s it.

Or he could have been kidnapped by a gang who were trying to rob him. They threaten him to get in the car with them and go to an ATM and get money, with a gun pointed at him he would comply regardless of his height and age. Gangs of drug dealers and gang bangers kidnap people all the time. As for why his body has not been located it could have been just missed, we see examples all the time of victims who died and went missing then they are found nearby having been missed the first time like Brandon Lawson or his body could have been dumped if he was driven somewhere by a gang or car dumped and torched.

For me this theory makes the most sense given Jason’s profile (good kid, shy, kind of sheltered) and the known fact that he lived around neighborhoods known for gang activity. The idea of Jason being In a gay relationship and being murdered by a neighbor pensioner or elderly man in a fit of rage seems absurd to me.

This was still a residential area with many families- kids play outside, people walk dogs, etc. Especially at that time. Gangs don't just go to places with a lot of potential witnesses in broad daylight and take some random person off the street. Sorry, it just doesn't happen. If anything gangs are more likely to just drive by and shoot. If they wanted to rob Jason for his money, his ATM card would likely have been used at least once, but according to reports it never was.
In regards to the neighbor theory, it doesn't have to necessarily have been an elderly pensioner, but someone maybe 30-40. Or maybe even someone closer to Jason's age as well.

 

[A citizen]

This was still a residential area with many families- kids play outside, people walk dogs, etc. Especially at that time. Gangs don't just go to places with a lot of potential witnesses in broad daylight and take some random person off the street. Sorry, it just doesn't happen. If anything gangs are more likely to just drive by and shoot. If they wanted to rob Jason for his money, his ATM card would likely have been used at least once, but according to reports it never was.
In regards to the neighbor theory, it doesn't have to necessarily have been an elderly pensioner, but someone maybe 30-40. Or maybe even someone closer to Jason's age as well.

You claim it doesn’t happen with respect have you Ever lived in an inner city area? I have grown up in the environment and have witnessed it with my own eyes. One of my brothers oldest friends is serving 25 years in prison for this exact scenario- a robbery of a random victim which turned into a murder over literally nothing. The only difference being that it was at night in a dark environment rather than in broad daylight. And I do accept that it’s more unlikely to happen in the middle of the day which is why I’m not 100 percent sold for this happening but it still does happen in daylight hours. Lone males walking down the street literally get robbed all the time. Anyone who witnessed a “stick up” will tell you it’s not only restricted to the darkest hours of night. If he was not an outgoing person who regularly spent time hanging around these neighborhoods and knew the local youth his age he could have been seen as an outsider and targeted on that basis. Every time I read up on anything about this case anywhere on the internet there are so many comments saying “it was known as a very rough area” “he didn’t live far from gang land” so if these comments are not accurate please let me know but they seem to have been agreed upon by everyone who has posting about this for years. I haven’t seen anyone correct it and say this was nice quiet suburbia where nothing ever happens.

 

[A citizen]

You claim the neighbour theory is "absurd" whilst suggesting imo an even more incredible scenario.

There may well have been gang activity in that area, but it wasn't "Hell Valley" from Back to the Future II, with droves of wild gangs cruising the streets attacking random dudes. And not only did they stab Jason but they bundled him into a car? In a residential neighbourhod? At 10 in the morning? Without anyone hearing or seeing a thing?

Jason's low-risk victim profile, the location and time of day make it incredibly unlikely that he was just snatched off the street.

Why would anyone see or hear anything at 10am? This doesn’t work in either scenario whether the area was rough and full of gang activity or whether it was a nice quiet middle class area because in the first scenario not many people are out and about at 10am since in low income “ghetto” areas unemployment is high and many people sleep until after 10am. The streets are not exactly bustling with people. In the second scenario where it’s a more upper class area with low crime then everyone would be at work anyway. I have lived in both type of environments and in either case you go out at 10am and the streets are dead. I’m not saying he was stabbed or attacked and then bundled into the car I’m saying its either possibility (whether taken in a car or confronted in the street) it’s entirely possible he was first accosted for money and then someone attacked or stabbed him when he didn’t give them any. His body is somewhere in that area and just never been located or was dumped somewhere else IF it happened in a vehicle. Or it doesn’t even have to be a hostile situation, someone he vaguely knew but found kind of intimidating could have scoped him out and offered him a ride and he felt he couldn’t say no and then they decided to victimise him and rob him once he’s in their company. Nobody would hear anything, how would they? If people are either sleeping or at work who would hear? If someone says “yo get in the car” with a gun pointed at you you don’t stand there screaming the neighbrhood down you comply with a gun or knife pointed at your face. It was said that Jason was a bit naive and very trusting of people. Not every robbery or kidnapping starts with instant hostile confrontation, he could have gone willingly with these people (that he recognised only by face) and then he was attacked after.

Look up Nelson Alexander Snr a recent case of an older gentleman who was targeted for robbery and and then when he didn’t produce any money they killed him anyway. These things happen all the time among gang members and drug dealers. I know because my own extended family have suffered consequences from this kind of life is cheap mentality.

I am not sure what you mean by low-risk victim profile.

Again, I am only suggesting this kind of theory based on the endless mentions that his area or surrounding area was “rife with gang activity”, “that area has a huge problem with gangs” and these kinds of comments I have seen everywhere alongside the suggestion that Jason was a bit shy and naive and over trusting of people. If this is not the case I will be happy to throw out this theory and focus on another one.

 

[MatthewTyler]

Why would anyone see or hear anything at 10am? This doesn’t work in either scenario whether the area was rough and full of gang activity or whether it was a nice quiet middle class area because in the first scenario not many people are out and about at 10am since in low income “ghetto” areas unemployment is high and many people sleep until after 10am. The streets are not exactly bustling with people. In the second scenario where it’s a more upper class area with low crime then everyone would be at work anyway. I have lived in both type of environments and in either case you go out at 10am and the streets are dead. I’m not saying he was stabbed or attacked and then bundled into the car I’m saying its either possibility (whether taken in a car or confronted in the street) it’s entirely possible he was first accosted for money and then someone attacked or stabbed him when he didn’t give them any. His body is somewhere in that area and just never been located or was dumped somewhere else IF it happened in a vehicle. Or it doesn’t even have to be a hostile situation, someone he vaguely knew but found kind of intimidating could have scoped him out and offered him a ride and he felt he couldn’t say no and then they decided to victimise him and rob him once he’s in their company. Nobody would hear anything, how would they? If people are either sleeping or at work who would hear? If someone says “yo get in the car” with a gun pointed at you you don’t stand there screaming the neighbrhood down you comply with a gun or knife pointed at your face. It was said that Jason was a bit naive and very trusting of people. Not every robbery or kidnapping starts with instant hostile confrontation, he could have gone willingly with these people (that he recognised only by face) and then he was attacked after.

Look up Nelson Alexander Snr a recent case of an older gentleman who was targeted for robbery and and then when he didn’t produce any money they killed him anyway. These things happen all the time among gang members and drug dealers. I know because my own extended family have suffered consequences from this kind of life is cheap mentality.

I am not sure what you mean by low-risk victim profile.

Again, I am only suggesting this kind of theory based on the endless mentions that his area or surrounding area was “rife with gang activity”, “that area has a huge problem with gangs” and these kinds of comments I have seen everywhere alongside the suggestion that Jason was a bit shy and naive and over trusting of people. If this is not the case I will be happy to throw out this theory and focus on another one.

One thing you're forgetting is that there are more than just "unemployed people sleeping past 10 am" and "middle-class people at work at 10 am". What about retired people? Kids/teens off of school for Summer? People who don't work traditional 9-5? Jason's neighbor who saw him leave (the last confirmed sighting of Jason) was a retired man out working in his garden. I'm sorry that that you had to have the experience of growing up in not so great inner city areas; admittedly, I never have. Perhaps in those areas people wouldn't want to be on the streets even at 10 am, but in most places there would most definitely be someone. The 8 blocks from Jason's home to the school were NOT part of the "gang zone" that people talk about there, and even Jason's mother herself said that the area was perfectly fine, just that she may not want to walk alone there at night. As for the example you gave about your brother's friend, that too was at night. That's the point I was trying to make before. If Jason disappeared late at night I would be more onboard with the gang theory, but it just doesn't sound plausible. You said men get jumped during the day all the time, but how many of those cases lead to them disappearing? It seems way more likely that their body would just be dumped on the street or a nearby ditch. What purpose would it serve to go through the trouble of hiding a body so well. If Jason's body is somewhere, it is concealed in some way, as they did have ground and air searches for him.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Or it doesn’t even have to be a hostile situation, someone he vaguely knew but found kind of intimidating could have scoped him out and offered him a ride and he felt he couldn’t say no and then they decided to victimise him and rob him once he’s in their company. Nobody would hear anything, how would they? If people are either sleeping or at work who would hear? If someone says “yo get in the car” with a gun pointed at you you don’t stand there screaming the neighbrhood down you comply with a gun or knife pointed at your face. It was said that Jason was a bit naive and very trusting of people. Not every robbery or kidnapping starts with instant hostile confrontation, he could have gone willingly with these people (that he recognised only by face) and then he was attacked after.

Yes. Ever since I first started doing research on the case this past summer, I always felt it was extremely plausible that a criminal/criminals in a car saw JJ, stopped, asked him where he was going, and offered him a ride to the H.S. And, they then proceeded to rob/kill him & took the body somewhere (where it still hasn't been found).

It's possible he knew them vaguely/slightly & decided to take them up on their offer of the ride. Or, maybe he didn't know them at all & they may have used intimidation to get him into the car.

The idea of JJ running into "gang activity" (i.e. criminal activity that he unintentionally interrupted) is something I found unlikely @ 10:00am-ish in a suburban neighborhood. But, a gang (i.e., 2 or more people) could easily have gotten JJ in the car quickly, without anyone seeing much.

I mentioned in thread #3 that several years ago in my general area, some criminals were driving around in the morning(s) and robbing joggers of their Smart-phones/I-phones. So, I can easily see this being taken one step further where the person was coerced/forced into the car.

 

[Alleykins]

Yes. Ever since I first started doing research on the case this past summer, I always felt it was extremely plausible that a criminal/criminals in a car saw JJ, stopped, asked him where he was going, and offered him a ride to the H.S. And, they then proceeded to rob/kill him & took the body somewhere (where it still hasn't been found).

It's possible he knew them vaguely/slightly & decided to take them up on their offer of the ride. Or, maybe he didn't know them at all & they may have used intimidation to get him into the car.

The idea of JJ running into "gang activity" (i.e. criminal activity that he unintentionally interrupted) is something I found unlikely @ 10:00am-ish in a suburban neighborhood. But, a gang (i.e., 2 or more people) could easily have gotten JJ in the car quickly, without anyone seeing much.

I mentioned in thread #3 that several years ago in my general area, some criminals were driving around in the morning(s) and robbing joggers of their Smart-phones/I-phones. So, I can easily see this being taken one step further where the person was coerced/forced into the car.

I agree. I lean toward a chance acquaintance encounter gone awry, a friend of a friend, a fellow parishioner, maybe someone Jason recognized but didn't know well.

OT: I grew up in the housing projects, what I would consider the slums of my town. Though my area has a very low crime rate, burglaries and car break-ins still happen. Robbery knew no time frame. We were robbed twice, once in the middle of the day, in broad daylight, while we out. And once at 5 a.m., when everyone was home, where there were three vehicles in the driveway, indicating we were home, everyone upstairs, asleep. At least two people broke in that time, maybe more. One of the robbers went into my sister's room, which woke her up, luckily she wasn't harmed. And my snoopy retired neighbor, who always seemed to know our comings and goings, who would tell folks stopping by when we weren't home "Oh, she went to work" or "they're away for the weekend", conveniently didn't see who robbed us during the time we were out. I have a sneaking suspicion he may have seen who did it, just didn't want to get involved. So I'm thinking someone could have witnessed what may have happened to Jason, or caught beginning or end of it, but have chosen to stay silent. Just because no one came forward doesn't mean no one saw anything, they might have been too scared, didn't think anything of it, or didn't want to get involved.

 

[studebkr]

All throughout the comments about this case around the Internet it has been mentioned and stated as fact actually that surrounding his area was very gang oriented and had a problem with drug dealing gangs and culture yet I feel this been passed over. When I look at Jason and picture him walking through streets that are surrounded by blocks known for gang problems I could easily see him being randomly victimised unfortunately.

Welcome to the forum. We can always use fresh eyes.

I was Jason's Neighbor at the time he disappeared. While the area is not West Omaha, in 2001 it was not the gangland you describe. The Vaughn family of Holy Name spent many years and $$$ buying, renovating, and reselling houses to young families in the area to keep it from being blighted. Even if you watch Omaha Scanner (Facebook/Twitter) you won't see much crime activity in 2022 in this area. Most of it happens on the other side of Fontenelle Blvd. (to the East about six blocks)

Six blocks isn't very far, but the gang violence I am familiar with is drive by shootings, black on black, and nobody is picking up and hiding any bodies. I'm not saying it isn't possible, but we felt pretty safe there. My son also walked to Benson High, and Monroe Jr High before that. He and I have talked about the path we think JJ might have taken. How likely it was someone could have encountered trouble without a neighbor seeing something, etc.

I don't have a favorite theory. None have any evidence. I used to believe JJ ran away, because I was aware of some tension between him and his father over possibly joining the seminary, and I don't even know if that story is true. The longer he remains away, the less likely that remains a possibility. That would be quite a secret to keep.

Anyway, I know some of us have challenged your opinions, but opinions are welcome. I believe they all need to be looked at.

 

[Alleykins]

Welcome to the forum. We can always use fresh eyes.

I was Jason's Neighbor at the time he disappeared. While the area is not West Omaha, in 2001 it was not the gangland you describe. The Vaughn family of Holy Name spent many years and $$$ buying, renovating, and reselling houses to young families in the area to keep it from being blighted. Even if you watch Omaha Scanner (Facebook/Twitter) you won't see much crime activity in 2022 in this area. Most of it happens on the other side of Fontenelle Blvd. (to the East about six blocks)

Six blocks isn't very far, but the gang violence I am familiar with is drive by shootings, black on black, and nobody is picking up and hiding any bodies. I'm not saying it isn't possible, but we felt pretty safe there. My son also walked to Benson High, and Monroe Jr High before that. He and I have talked about the path we think JJ might have taken. How likely it was someone could have encountered trouble without a neighbor seeing something, etc.

I don't have a favorite theory. None have any evidence. I used to believe JJ ran away, because I was aware of some tension between him and his father over possibly joining the seminary, and I don't even know if that story is true. The longer he remains away, the less likely that remains a possibility. That would be quite a secret to keep.

Anyway, I know some of us have challenged your opinions, but opinions are welcome. I believe they all need to be looked at.

Glad you posted this, studebkr. I was going to ask you what route you think Jason took, I can't remember if you had already posted what route you thought he might have taken, since you're very familiar with the neighborhood. Was it in your video and I missed it? The hill on N 48th looks steep, and the one on Bedford looks gradually long and arduous going uphill, at least on Google maps.

If it were me walking the route on a hot June day, I'd take the one with the most shade and had the flattest route possible, which there doesn't seem to be any approach from that direction without some sort of incline, so I'd take the least steepest. What route would you or son have taken? Sorry if you've already answered this, but I can't recall.

Also, the stretch of Pinkney between Jason's house and N. 49th St (not ave) looks like it's in extreme disrepair on the current Google map. Has it always been like that, do you know?