FL - Jennifer Kesse, 24, Orlando, 24 Jan 2006 - #6

[SeriouslySearching]

I have, but am still not convinced the blow ups you have done are as accurate as you believe they are. Sorry.

 

[rd_jfc]

As I've heard that from a couple of other people as well, I guess it mystifies some people that what is not visible to the naked eye becomes visible when magnified. If magnification created something out of nothing, then it wouldn't be a standard technique used by professional analysts.

There is nothing ambiguous about the face, sheriff's shoulder patch, stun gun holster with leg straps, left hand clenched behind his back close to the stun gun holster, his hair cut short under the bike helmet or beret, or the prominent ring around his neck.

It is blurry on bad monitors. The sharper the monitor, the more crystal the image is. 15" LCD for example show the sheriff's shoulder patch in photo one whereas a good 19" monitor spreads it too wide for the eye to detect as a solid shoulder patch.

So different aspects of these blowups can be observed with different sizes and types of monitors.

But they are all there everytime. It's a matter of how easy it is for the eye to detect. For example, the sheriff's shoulder patch is even visible in photo three as the police released it, once you know it's there and know where to look for it.

The ring is so solid and pronounced that I find it impossible to believe someone can't see it for what it is on any monitor.

As a computer programmer who wrote the scanner drivers for PC Paintbrush back in the day, and some graphics correction utilities to go along with it, I have seen some amazing things done with graphics. I just used standard Paint Shop Pro for this, and anyone else can do this. It's just a matter of combinations of enlargement, gamma correction, brightness, and contrast, although it's not easy.

rd

 

[UCFAlumni2002]

rd- I'm glad that you are so convinced, but while you are convinced, there are quite a few of us that are not. Also, I'm still hopeful that Jenn might possibly be alive. Liklihood I know is slim if any, but there is a chance and I will hold onto that chance and hope and miracle until proven otherwise. I personally do not believe that the poi(suspect) is the same as the person who actually abducted Jennifer. I also do not see, with staring at the blowups that you did and of the pictures numerous times any resemblence to a badge, bike helmet, taser, etc. I feel that the person who parked Jennifer's car is someone who may not be aware of what he/she did- a favor for a friend, someone paid off to park the car, etc are some scenarios. Who did it? That is the million dollar question. The height part- I think the person can be any height in all reality. I'm not quite sure on that one, except that I know someone who is 5'7 and standing next to a SUV who met the top of the car. So I can see how someone 5'5 can appear to be taller then top of Jenn's chevy malibu. Continuing to pray for Jennifer's miracle.

 

[rd_jfc]

Well, of course if you don't see the bike patrol uniform, then of course all sorts of other possibilities become available.

As I posted above, none of the items you mentioned not being able to see are even ambiguous. The taser holster is blown up to three different sizes. By the third blow up, it has all the detail of a catalog picture of a taser holster with leg strap.

And the sheriff's shoulder patch in photo three is visible both bright and darkened, which is the way I first found it. Then of course, knowing that, it is actually visible in the original picture.

Knowing that he has a county sheriff's shoulder patch, I was stunned to find that some of the pattern in photo one over the front shirt logo I couldn't make out on a 19" monitor is in fact the sheriff's shoulder patch. It is very clear on a 15" LCD.

His face in photo three is that of a bike patrolman wearing a helmet and chinstrap, and the ring around his neck below that.

Whether he is an imposter or not, there is just as much chance of him keeping Jennifer alive as anyone else. That has nothing to do with it, or whether this person is parking a car for a friend, etc., as you think.

But in fact none of it is ambiguous whatsoever, and features are very clearly seen in all three photos. I posted resolution and display size guidelines, and I also posted that other resolutions besides 1024 x 768 will fare poorly in showing the detail.

I have seen another person respond as you have, but it was basically just disbelief that what he was looking at was real.

rd

 

[Enrique Sparta]

rd's analysis is spot on. I see everything clearly. My monitor is perfect for viewing, in my opinion there is no question rd is correct in his findings....the badge is there, same size, same shape, the taser holster couldn't be more obvious, and the taser too. oh and the face, the dude's face is absolutely there, he turned towards the car, you can see the sunglasses, not sure about the goatee/chin strap but my guess is chin strap cause he's wearing a helmet. however he may also be wearing a beret. i think he may be some kind of military police, if not bike patrol, maybe a security guard of some kind. Taser, by the way, absolutely perfect weapon to immobilize somebody, quiet and efficient. I also believe he has military/police training.

UCFAlumni, what makes you think the suspect who drove and parked JK's car is not the one who abducted her? I mean we've all considered that theory and nobody's discounting it, but you seem confident that's the case. Why do you think the kidnapper is not the one who drove the car? Just wondering.



As for the Orlando cops not getting in on the case soon enough and they should've gotten involved the second JK was reported missing...that's ludicrous. Law enforcement got involved VERY quickly in the JK case. Especially for a missing adult, they got involved very fast. The large majority of missing people have not been abducted in any way, they either stayed out longer than expected, ran away, whatever....but usually it's voluntarily and people worry about their loved ones (understandably) If the cops treated every missing person report as an abduction the second they heard about it, they'd be spending just about all their time hunting down people who voluntarily left for a while, a long while, whatever. There wouldn't be nearly enough manpower to police the city in other matters. Keep in mind adults have every right to leave town when they want and are not required to phone home or whatever. They have to make sure it's an abduction case or an involuntary disappearance. In the case of JK, after some background info they quickly got on the case. However once her family called in, the Orlando PD couldn't just say "OMG Shut down the city, an adult has been reported missing!"

Notice how the family of JK has been very supportive of the Orlando PD's investigation into J's vanishing. There is certainly no shortage of victim's families who feel their local law enforcement has not done enough to help find their loved one. They usually will criticize LE publicly. Nothing like that at all from JK's family. Nope LE got involved quick and shouldn't be criticized for that.

Some mistakes they made....

1.should've released the video of the suspect right away with the photos. it was a dumb strategy to think that their trap was gonna work. Even if the kidnapper is a complete fool, he still wasn't gonna fall for that "oh we just wanted to make it seem like he was just a person of interest and not a suspect" yeah right. May not have mattered though. You can't really see anything. Plus we all knew the guy was the suspect anyway. Common sense. I know they can't reveal all their clues/evidence but I'm sure they have other stuff they aren't telling anybody. The video may have been more helpful shortly after JK's vanishing.

2.the height of the suspect. wrong wrong wrong. so dumb. the regulars on the JK case here blew that 5'3"-5'5" estimate outta the water. Stick a fork in that. It's a normal height man. Great work by you guys. I really stayed outta the questioning of the suspect's height but it's clear you guys were right. At first I thought the cops got it right. No. That's just bad police work.

3.the suspect photos without being blown up are not very good. they could've added some blown up photos next to the regular. This isn't only the cops fault. Whoever is putting those fliers up and driving that billboard around should have included enhanced photographs as well.

Other than that though, they've taken the case very seriously. not getting involved soon enough is not one of their errors. they just haven't gotten somebody to drop a dime yet. rd took the case in a whole new direction though. The RIGHT direction. He should get the million dollars if they find her alive. There's a reason why the state of Florida is checking out all tasers now....rd rd rd.


hey are you guys sure cops have to be fingerprinted before they get their badge or whatever? I didn't think that was the case.

 

[rd_jfc]

I agree with your analysis, ES. I of course would be so happy if Jennifer were recovered and the generous donors could keep their reward money. Helping to bring justice for Jennifer is reward enough.

The regulars here had me convinced the height was totally offbase. When I went down to Orlando recently (shortly after finding this stuff, I wanted to see what the possibilities were at the site with what I was seeing - I posted a road trip report in the link with the blow ups), I based my height estimate as a couple of people here did, on the palm tree.

The palm tree I estimate at 7', and I judged how far away from the tree he was walking from the space between the curb and his feet. He is as you say, and I would concur with the estimate of the others here at 5'11" based on the palm tree he's standing next to.

As to fingerprinting, I would be surprised if a major city/county like Orlando didn't fingerprint as part of a felony identity check before hiring. But maybe not. I think I was first fingerprinted when I went into the military. I would be surprised if this guy has no military exposure that would get him fingerprinted.

But thanks for the kind words. Regardless, the important thing to me is what you said, there is an investigation going on even as we speak. In my mind it wouldn't have taken long to determine if imposter or not. Making a murder case is what takes the time, and there won't be anything said one way or the other until then.

The recent news of searching local ponds was encouraging.

rd

 

[Enrique Sparta]

didn't we call for searching nearby bodies of water last year? should've been done more recently by somebody. but better late than never.

on the photo when his face is revealed, where was he when he turned a little to look at the car? you know how the pool complex has that curve? it seemed to me he walked around that curve and then towards the end of the pool complex turned to look at the car, yes? Like close to where the entrance to the apartment complex is. am I off? Just curious. Cause I do see his face.

 

[rd_jfc]

Yeah, but I guess they thought it was impractical until they saw the sonar equipment being used to search for Brandy (but I don't recall that they found her though, either).

It could be that simple, or it could be that the investigation has given them insight into possibilities that are more than a shot in the dark, I don't know.

He parked Jennifer's car by coming into the complex off of Texas, immediately through a parking lane that extends right and left in front of apartments facing Texas, then past the pool in the first available spot. He walked back the way he came in, and curled around to the right around the pool fence into the parking lane that he passed up for parking coming in.

That's probably because parking along that lane would be somewhat visible to traffic on Texas, but by parking right past the pool he passed up driving the car well on into the complex and really out of sight. Basically he just came in the main entrance and parked first available spot on the main entrance, just past the pool.

He walked back and turned the corner around the pool fence into the parking lane along Texas, going toward Americana. He most likely would have done this anyway, but he pretty much had to, there is no sidewalk along Texas there.

Just a few steps gets him to the gate, another couple steps past the gate and to the palm tree. That's a point where basically the pool fence stops with an extension out to the parking lane. The palm tree is in a little corner between the gate and the extension to the parking lane.

That's sort of the last spot to look back before passing the end of the pool area and no longer being able to see the car because of the pool maintenance building with the surveillance camera aimed at the gate.

Not that he was looking back just to look at the car, in my opinion. It looks like he was covertly looking back at the last second to check if anyone was watching him, noticing him, in other words, a potential witness.

If he had not turned, he would have just walked out the entrance a few feet away, but there's no sidewalk. He was walking back towards Americana along the parking lane. In my opinion, his movements show he was very familiar with that complex.

rd

 

[Enrique Sparta]

Yeah, but I guess they thought it was impractical until they saw the sonar equipment being used to search for Brandy (but I don't recall that they found her though, either).

It could be that simple, or it could be that the investigation has given them insight into possibilities that are more than a shot in the dark, I don't know.

He parked Jennifer's car by coming into the complex off of Texas, immediately through a parking lane that extends right and left in front of apartments facing Texas, then past the pool in the first available spot. He walked back the way he came in, and curled around to the right around the pool fence into the parking lane that he passed up for parking coming in.

That's probably because parking along that lane would be somewhat visible to traffic on Texas, but by parking right past the pool he passed up driving the car well on into the complex and really out of sight. Basically he just came in the main entrance and parked first available spot on the main entrance, just past the pool.

He walked back and turned the corner around the pool fence into the parking lane along Texas, going toward Americana. He most likely would have done this anyway, but he pretty much had to, there is no sidewalk along Texas there.

Just a few steps gets him to the gate, another couple steps past the gate and to the palm tree. That's a point where basically the pool fence stops with an extension out to the parking lane. The palm tree is in a little corner between the gate and the extension to the parking lane.

That's sort of the last spot to look back before passing the end of the pool area and no longer being able to see the car because of the pool maintenance building with the surveillance camera aimed at the gate.

Not that he was looking back just to look at the car, in my opinion. It looks like he was covertly looking back at the last second to check if anyone was watching him, noticing him, in other words, a potential witness.

If he had not turned, he would have just walked out the entrance a few feet away, but there's no sidewalk. He was walking back towards Americana along the parking lane. In my opinion, his movements show he was very familiar with that complex.

rd

Interesting observation. But if he was familiar with that complex, why would he have parked where the camera would visibly show him dropping off the car? plus there may be other ways of leaving that complex. he walked right by the camera. Perhaps he didn't wanna drive near anybody's front door. Actually since it's an apartment complex, he'd be driving up to a lot of people's front doors. And their living room windows I imagine. At that time of day, it was a school day and work day so it wasn't likely anybody would be at the pool. But sitll plenty of people work at night. How lucky that nobody was lounging by the pool that day.

what's creepy is that he's probably reading all our posts!

 

[rd_jfc]

Several quick points, ES.

IIRC, the HOTG apartment complex was said to be sparsely populated at that time for some reason or another. I thought that he had specifically picked HOTG at that time for that reason. On the other hand, he didn't try very hard to park it further on back in a quieter out of sight spot. I might have misunderstood. The HOTG is well populated now.

Speaking of which, he parked Jennifer's car directly in front of the camera on the other side of the pool maintenance building. He then walked around in front of the other camera. He could not possibly be aware of the cameras.

For that matter, although many have said that's a sign of ignorance, I would never have known there were cameras unless I knew where to look for them. In my experience of living in many complexes, including currently in a similar complex in Florida, I have never known of surveillance cameras before. If they were there, I was as ignorant as this guy about it.

By familiar, I mean with layout, as in being involved with security and driving through it and elsewhere around that area. I would expect he would never have lived there. Of course, with security one would think he might have been more aware of surveillance cameras from past experience, but nevertheless, he was obviously aware of the layout but unaware of the cameras.

For example, if he had just driven further in before parking, and walked through the complex to Americana, the camera where he parked would have got only the briefest glimpse of the car driving past as he drove past where he parked.

To be honest with you, whatever trail has been left has been left, and knowing about part of the trail being a surveillance camera he walked in front of has been something he knew all along, but none of the rest of us did.

Now we do, and so do the police.

rd

 

[Truthful Lies]

rd's analysis is spot on. I see everything clearly. My monitor is perfect for viewing, in my opinion there is no question rd is correct in his findings....the badge is there, same size, same shape, the taser holster couldn't be more obvious, and the taser too. oh and the face, the dude's face is absolutely there, he turned towards the car, you can see the sunglasses, not sure about the goatee/chin strap but my guess is chin strap cause he's wearing a helmet. however he may also be wearing a beret. i think he may be some kind of military police, if not bike patrol, maybe a security guard of some kind. Taser, by the way, absolutely perfect weapon to immobilize somebody, quiet and efficient. I also believe he has military/police training.

UCFAlumni, what makes you think the suspect who drove and parked JK's car is not the one who abducted her? I mean we've all considered that theory and nobody's discounting it, but you seem confident that's the case. Why do you think the kidnapper is not the one who drove the car? Just wondering.



As for the Orlando cops not getting in on the case soon enough and they should've gotten involved the second JK was reported missing...that's ludicrous. Law enforcement got involved VERY quickly in the JK case. Especially for a missing adult, they got involved very fast. The large majority of missing people have not been abducted in any way, they either stayed out longer than expected, ran away, whatever....but usually it's voluntarily and people worry about their loved ones (understandably) If the cops treated every missing person report as an abduction the second they heard about it, they'd be spending just about all their time hunting down people who voluntarily left for a while, a long while, whatever. There wouldn't be nearly enough manpower to police the city in other matters. Keep in mind adults have every right to leave town when they want and are not required to phone home or whatever. They have to make sure it's an abduction case or an involuntary disappearance. In the case of JK, after some background info they quickly got on the case. However once her family called in, the Orlando PD couldn't just say "OMG Shut down the city, an adult has been reported missing!"

Notice how the family of JK has been very supportive of the Orlando PD's investigation into J's vanishing. There is certainly no shortage of victim's families who feel their local law enforcement has not done enough to help find their loved one. They usually will criticize LE publicly. Nothing like that at all from JK's family. Nope LE got involved quick and shouldn't be criticized for that.

Some mistakes they made....

1.should've released the video of the suspect right away with the photos. it was a dumb strategy to think that their trap was gonna work. Even if the kidnapper is a complete fool, he still wasn't gonna fall for that "oh we just wanted to make it seem like he was just a person of interest and not a suspect" yeah right. May not have mattered though. You can't really see anything. Plus we all knew the guy was the suspect anyway. Common sense. I know they can't reveal all their clues/evidence but I'm sure they have other stuff they aren't telling anybody. The video may have been more helpful shortly after JK's vanishing.

2.the height of the suspect. wrong wrong wrong. so dumb. the regulars on the JK case here blew that 5'3"-5'5" estimate outta the water. Stick a fork in that. It's a normal height man. Great work by you guys. I really stayed outta the questioning of the suspect's height but it's clear you guys were right. At first I thought the cops got it right. No. That's just bad police work.

3.the suspect photos without being blown up are not very good. they could've added some blown up photos next to the regular. This isn't only the cops fault. Whoever is putting those fliers up and driving that billboard around should have included enhanced photographs as well.

Other than that though, they've taken the case very seriously. not getting involved soon enough is not one of their errors. they just haven't gotten somebody to drop a dime yet. rd took the case in a whole new direction though. The RIGHT direction. He should get the million dollars if they find her alive. There's a reason why the state of Florida is checking out all tasers now....rd rd rd.


hey are you guys sure cops have to be fingerprinted before they get their badge or whatever? I didn't think that was the case.

In Florida, yes. I was going to just answer the phones on campus at the police department and they fingerprinted me, ran it through FBI, etc. Definitely YES! =) I also wonder if they checked out the uniform...most uniformed positions keep track of the number of uniforms given out, etc. Wonder if this person stole the uniform.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Or what if you are misinterpreting the photos? Suppose the things you are seeing on the blow up perhaps are not what they seem as the badge, the holster, etc.? You can take a photo and make them fit...yes...but things are not always what they appear to be. This part bothers me a great deal. The human mind sees what it wants to see.

 

[rd_jfc]

when there are gaps. There no gaps in the taser holster, sunglasses, ring around his neck in all three pictures, and sheriff's shoulder patch in two pictures.

Quite solid, in fact.

rd

 

[SeriouslySearching]

If you could actually read the word SHERIFF on the patch...you can say it is such. You can only speculate it is a patch and a sheriff's patch at that! There is nothing to define it other than a shape. This to me is pure speculation and not evidence of anything. The same with the rest of the "shadows" or perceived items you are saying with certainty are there.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Speaking of which, he parked Jennifer's car directly in front of the camera on the other side of the pool maintenance building. He then walked around in front of the other camera. He could not possibly be aware of the cameras.

For that matter, although many have said that's a sign of ignorance, I would never have known there were cameras unless I knew where to look for them. In my experience of living in many complexes, including currently in a similar complex in Florida, I have never known of surveillance cameras before. If they were there, I was as ignorant as this guy about it.

By familiar, I mean with layout, as in being involved with security and driving through it and elsewhere around that area. I would expect he would never have lived there. Of course, with security one would think he might have been more aware of surveillance cameras from past experience, but nevertheless, he was obviously aware of the layout but unaware of the cameras.


rd

Uhm...or he could have just read the big sign to know they had cameras.

I don't recall anyone saying HOTG was "sparsely populated" at the time. Defnitely, Mosaic was...but they called HOTG a hotbed of drug activity and crime, as I remember.

 

[CatLynnette]

Regarding the suspect's photos, as taken by the surveillance cameras at the Huntington On The Green Condominiums, a person can zoom in/enlarge or lighten/darken the photos in an attempt to see more detail. Anything more than this that is done to the photos is actually altering the photos and that is something that should not happen because it is misleading and wrong.

Just My Own Honest Opinion

 

[docwho3]

The suspect is a man,. . .

Not entirely sure that is so from the pics I have seen released to the public.

. . . I didn't see anything else posted that suggested why you said wife other than the official height estimate.

rd

I said "wife" in my post because the very poor quality image of the POI has been reported that so far no one has been able to determine for certan whether it is female or male and the official height estimate puts the height well inside the height range for a female.

Of course I have not seen any pics released that for sure showed a face image from close enough distance that could be worked with successfully without ending up with false image characteristecs added in due to the processing.
(Howevever I am not trying to knock your pic renderings as I have not yet seen them or examined the raw file data.)

And it is possible that whoever took J.K. had his wife or girlfriend drop off the car. So, while I have no preference as to which sex of person is in the pic of the POI I just felt it would be best not to overlook the wife of a suspected perp when thinking of the pic of the POI unless or until a better quality pic of the POI is released that shows for sure that the POI was a male.

 

[Enrique Sparta]

In Florida, yes. I was going to just answer the phones on campus at the police department and they fingerprinted me, ran it through FBI, etc. Definitely YES! =) I also wonder if they checked out the uniform...most uniformed positions keep track of the number of uniforms given out, etc. Wonder if this person stole the uniform.

Ok thanks Truthful Lies. And good point about keeping track of uniforms being given out.

 

[reportertype]

Regarding the suspect's photos, as taken by the surveillance cameras at the Huntington On The Green Condominiums, a person can zoom in/enlarge or lighten/darken the photos in an attempt to see more detail. Anything more than this that is done to the photos is actually altering the photos and that is something that should not happen because it is misleading and wrong.

Just My Own Honest Opinion

I agree.

I've never heard of any law enforcement agency not fingerprinting employees.

 

[Enrique Sparta]

I doubt the suspect left any fingerprints in the car.