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

[Skully]

As I have read about this case, questions keeps coming up for me. Other than the children on the bus, who saw the blue truck? Did the bus driver? How old were the children who saw the truck? Bottom line, are we sure there was a blue truck? It would seem to me this person was local. Was it a woman?

I have only read that the kids on the bus saw the blue truck. IIRC they said that it was sitting along side the road when the bus came up to the stop where she got off. And as the bus pulled away they saw it go slowly up the driveway or road behind her. I would think it would be just a few moments and then the bus would be beyond the drive way and the kids wouldn't be able to see anything after that. They even noted that wires were dragging or hanging off the back of the truck, so they got a good look at it. My only question would be, is this the truck that had the person that took her. It was an orange grove, February and crops are being harvested. Could this have been a man looking for work? Could he have just turned around and left? Was there another car or truck that was behind him, or already parked somewhere waiting for her? IDK, but for now that is what they have as a lead and you have to go with what you have.

 

[Skully]

Bump :heart:

 

[Skully]

Bumping for Jennifer.

Today marks 19 years that a beautiful, talented, kind,smart, young girl was taken away from her family and community. This was a girl who wanted to change the World and become a lawyer and make a difference here. She had so much to offer.

Saying a prayer she gets Justice and her family can stop wondering who did this horrible thing to their daughter. lease:

 

[Kimster]

:rose: Remembering Jennifer :rose:

 

[truecrimebuff26]

My memory is sketchy on the time frame and I have tried to find an article but cannot. There was an attempted abduction from a school bus stop, in the eastern part of New Port Richey, along HWY 52, leading out to Jennifer's area, I want to say a year or two after her murder. Witnesses described a blue truck. It's a rural area. Dirt roads and such. IIRC, it was brother and sister. Who just got home from school and they were riding their bikes. The man tried grabbing the sister.

That lead went nowhere too.

Hi...I'm new here - found this forum when I looked up information on this case - I look it up from time to time just to see if there are any new leads etc. It's one that has stayed with me for years.

I had just moved to Florida in early March of 1993 and I remember following the story closely. On the day this incident you describe above happened, I was at that Circle K on the corner of Moon Lake/52 getting gas - I had just walked into the store to pay and suddenly there were police everywhere, asking if anyone saw this blue truck - I can't even describe what the collective feeling was in that store at that moment that he said that. One guy who was in there said he had seen it and he went off to talk to a deputy outside. The whole incident completely freaked me out for quite a long time.

I saw the link to the article too - does anyone know if they ever found that guy or that truck? (If I missed that info elsewhere, I apologize)

And yeah...I will concur that the Moon Lake area was creepy back then. (If you ask me, it still is - though it's hard for me to view it any other way based on my own personal experiences) I'm originally from the NYC area, but I lived in Baywood Meadows right on Moon Lake Rd. from 1993 to early 1995. I had never been to the area before moving...rented my condo there sight unseen with only the recommendation of a friend. Not even a week into living there I spotted the KKK advertising a meeting by holding a sign outside what used to be the Cumberland Farms there. :hills: Never mind that I routinely heard gunshots at night or strange wild animal sounds in the woods behind my house. It was just too much for this city person to take in one helping LOL.

The moment my lease was up, I moved to Tampa.

 

[Sleuthster]

Hi...I'm new here - found this forum when I looked up information on this case - I look it up from time to time just to see if there are any new leads etc. It's one that has stayed with me for years.

I had just moved to Florida in early March of 1993 and I remember following the story closely. On the day this incident you describe above happened, I was at that Circle K on the corner of Moon Lake/52 getting gas - I had just walked into the store to pay and suddenly there were police everywhere, asking if anyone saw this blue truck - I can't even describe what the collective feeling was in that store at that moment that he said that. One guy who was in there said he had seen it and he went off to talk to a deputy outside. The whole incident completely freaked me out for quite a long time.

I saw the link to the article too - does anyone know if they ever found that guy or that truck? (If I missed that info elsewhere, I apologize)

And yeah...I will concur that the Moon Lake area was creepy back then. (If you ask me, it still is - though it's hard for me to view it any other way based on my own personal experiences) I'm originally from the NYC area, but I lived in Baywood Meadows right on Moon Lake Rd. from 1993 to early 1995. I had never been to the area before moving...rented my condo there sight unseen with only the recommendation of a friend. Not even a week into living there I spotted the KKK advertising a meeting by holding a sign outside what used to be the Cumberland Farms there. :hills: Never mind that I routinely heard gunshots at night or strange wild animal sounds in the woods behind my house. It was just too much for this city person to take in one helping LOL.

The moment my lease was up, I moved to Tampa.

Welcome!

They never identified the owner of the truck or if in fact the truck was actually involved, although it was spotted at the bus stop when Jennifer got off the bus.

 

[MRSFLUFFURS]

Hello,
As a citizen of the area I'm glad that someone has kept this case alive. Yesterday Jennifer was brought back into my mind as my 12 year old son informed me that on several occasions, some one, strangers, have offered him rides home from his bus stop. This immediately sparked the same response from both my husband and I, horror, hadnt we gone over this enough, then as we looked at each other I could tell my hubby's mind went to the same place mine did...Jennifer. We both started to tell her story to all of our children. Since my husband and I were children ourselves when this happened, but it has been a cautionary story told to us and passed down. So I had to revisit this story, now as an adult. I'm also a very overprotective mom. Friday was my sons last day walking home alone from the bus. Anyway, I've read this thread entirely and since I have lived in this area for so long I felt I needed to point out what I didn't see posted that might help. The most important is that the area around where she went missing and was found is very close to Interstate 75. Actually there is an exit directly to the area off 75. I felt this was important for all to know cause speculation has been by some that the person (if that's what you want to call him) had easy access to leave the area. Also in March we had the no name storm come through. It devastated the coastal areas of Pasco and Hernando Counties. A lot of construction was needed in those areas after the storm of the centrey went through. Ther perp could gone to the coastal area after that. This is info I have not previously seen on this post. As a life long resident of Pasco/Hernando counties, I realize it's difficult to understand the areas surrounding this horrific crime. It is a diverse area, always has been. I hope with year 20 just around the corner that this case gets solved. I hope in my lifetime Jennifer gets the justice she deserves and someone comes forward. Her family is owed at least that much.

 

[Skully]

I know the FBI has a database of unsolved cases, I don't know what it is called, but I think VICOM?? I will have to google it, but LE can put in details of a crime and see if there are any crimes elsewhere that are similar in MO. I bet they have done this, as the FBI were looking at it again IIRC just last year or so. I find it hard to believe that this person only killed once. I bet he has done it before and no one has tied the person to this crime yet.

 

[MRSFLUFFURS]

I know the FBI has a database of unsolved cases, I don't know what it is called, but I think VICOM?? I will have to google it, but LE can put in details of a crime and see if there are any crimes elsewhere that are similar in MO. I bet they have done this, as the FBI were looking at it again IIRC just last year or so. I find it hard to believe that this person only killed once. I bet he has done it before and no one has tied the person to this crime yet.

I agree with the theory that Jennifer's murder wasn't this perps last. I feel that he/she has some sort of connection to the Pasco/Hernando area, whether that be work or family. Even though the area Jennifer lived in, most of the orange production is gone, the area is one of the top kumquat producers in the country. There are still migrant workers in and out of the area in the fall/winter months. Blueberries farming and winerys along with the kumquats have taken over where oranges left off. And long time families aren't likely to move away. But with I75 so close, it's easy to come and go. We looked to buy a home in that general area before the market went out, we weren't able to find much. Not many people over in that area sell that often. More subdivisions have gone up over the years, but not too much has changed. Now where Jennifer's book bag and clarinet was found, that has totally been cleaned up and lots of new homes are there now behind the hospital.

 

[MRSFLUFFURS]

Oh I forgot to note this before. There were some questions about the Moon Lake area that I can shed some light on. On a map all these areas look close but in reality they are not. I do remember that children were approached by someone in a blue truck around that time that Jennifer went missing. As I recall they couldn't say that it was related and never found the guy. As far as Moon Lake goes, the area has quite a reputation. I worked out there years back at their volunteer fire dept. Story goes that Al Capone used to "vacation" there all those years ago which is how Moon Lake got its start. He built a cabin on the lake with hidden rooms and all. I've been in the cabin which was more like a big wooden home. It was amazing. It was renamed The Moon Lake Lodge. It was burned down a few years back for insurance money. Witches do practice out there. That has been documented by the press several times. With Al Capone came a certain criminal element that has never really left the area. There are famous biker groups that also live there as well as the KKK. Bikers used to have a huge get togethers at the lodge every year. They did toys for tots charity drive. KKK would have to come by the station to get their cross lighting permits.
The area back there is very confusing and unless you have 4 wheel drive or better, and have someone familiar with the residents and area, you won't get back very far past the lake. Most folks back there prefer to be left to themselves and the rest of the surrounding area obliges with that. Most Moon Lake folk stick to this area, they don't leave their community. The folk back in Moon Lake know who belongs back there and who doesn't. Some parts in the way back of this area most people dont go back there and are unwanted by those that live there. I don't think this area or it's residents have anything to do with this case, but the reports are that some man did try to pick up a couple of kids during that time. He wasn't sucessful. There are other areas closer to east Pasco that are similar to Moon Lake, although they don't have such an unusual history.
This area, Moon Lake, is a pretty good drive from Dade city/San Antonio area where Jennifer lived and was found. Since Moon Lake has been mentioned in this thread I figured I'd shed some light on that. Everything I read that was posted by others is true. All I've posted can be verified by news articles written over the years and my experiences working at the Moon Lake Volunteer Fire Dept. if you have any questions on the area, I can try to help. I'd also like to say that Bern has done a wonderful job giving everyone a real look at the areas involved.

 

[Skully]

I was close, the database for the FBI is VICAP....

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2010/august/vicap-anniversary

 

[Skully]

MRS FLUFFURS :welcome: and Thank You for your input, we need locals here. I am not from Pasco, but moved to Hernando in 2000. Jennifer's story is so sad and I want so badly for her family and friends to know what happened to her. So I try to keep it going and any new tidbit I find I try to post it for her. Thank you for joining us here!

 

[Skully]

Nothing new to report, I just thought of Jennifer today and thought I would pop in to see if anyone posted anything of interest. Every now and again we get a local that remembers the case, or the area or something of interst. So soon it will be coming up on 20 yrs, and I am sure lots of things have changed, people moved, or died. Business closed and opened and things don't look the same, but I still hope that one day the person that knows what happened to this sweet, young, girl will be brave enough to call in that tip.

lease:

 

[Skully]

Many thoughts:

- Just watched Bern's video (that was great)... it seems like a really, really long way to drive with a kidnapped girl, or even a body. I can't help but think it was not a direct route that the killer took.

- She had to have gotten into the truck willlingly, otherwise the clarinet case would have been dropped at the abduction site. Even at gunpoint, she'd have dropped it.

- The purse is different from the clarinet case and the backpack. She'd have kept the purse on her. So either she separated them (put the items in the bed of the truck), or she left the truck still carrying the purse.

- My guess is that a 12yo girl would not have gotten into a car with one or more migrant workers willingly.

- Could have been someone she knew, but I kinda feel the police would have nabbed that person, or would know who it was but just don't have enough proof. They don't seem to have any suspects though.

- A pickup truck that had a hitch and electrical harness was probably used for carrying something recently. This could be a boat, a trailer, equipment, etc. Most electrical harnesses wouldn't hang down so noticeably unless they had been used.

- The killer dumped the body in a fairly remote area. It seems likely that the killer would have been there before.

- I don't feel like the partial print belongs to the killer, who seemed to leave little evidence of anything else. Isn't it possible someone at school could have left it? 2 years later i doubt they had everyone's prints from the school.

- I don't believe the clarinet case and bookbag were dumped with the intention of being found. It seems too likely they could never have turned up.

- I imagine Jennifer waited for the bus out there in the morning at the same place. It would have been easy for anyone driving by to see her and make a note to come back later.

Theories:
- I've heard the orange grove theory, which I like. It would tie in with many of the locations. From that video Bern made, those groves seem like a great place to hide. It's an all-cash business I'm sure, so there'd be no record of who worked there, including past sexual offenders. It appears there are some thick woods nearby where she might have been taken to be molested, and may have been where she was killed and then the body moved.

- The other theory I have is that the trailer hitch was for a horse trailer, or for something related to horses. They found her body I believe near a horse trail, which might have been known to someone who worked with horses. It would be a natural for a 12yo athletic girl to be tempted by horses, and I could see someone so young assume that a person with gear related to horses was safe.

One mile north of her house was a place now called Ennis Stables, which was bought from Sun Bank in March 1993. In February 1993, the property seems to have been foreclosed on by Sun Bank just before her murder. http://images.pascogov.com/deed.aspx?bp=31171804

You can see the list of defendants on that list. Do we know anything about them?

One additional note... if Jack Mulligan is correct (he's the eyewitness who said he saw the truck and her in Zephyrhills), then the most direct route from that ranch/stables to Zephyrhills would have been south right by where Jennifer's school bus would drop her off. If the killer's home was Zephyrhills, and had work related to those stables, they'd have driven right by her.

Does anyone know the actual site Jack Mulligan says he saw the truck? The news report I see shows 4th st and 4th ave in Zephyrhills, but they don't say whether that was the site. If his lead has any truth to the case, it's invaluable.

This board and site (and all you all) are really great. Let's catch this snake.

I got to thinking about this post and Ennis Stables. It is nearly 20 years and I doubt that the records for this stable and any workers, on the books or off would be something LE could get, but we have talked about that truck and the wires, and we too felt it could be a truck that hauled a trailer with horses. Given where she was found, it sort of could tie in. So did Jennifer or her family ever have dealings with that stable? Could someone have known her, and offered her a ride up the driveway? I don't think the owners had anything to do with this, so in no way am I sleuting them out, but lots of men and boys took jobs under tha table, that is just common in some businesses. Something to think about. Since they were going bankrupted they may have forgotten someone that owned a blue truck.

 

[Skully]

Bumping up for Jennifer, 20 yrs is coming up in a few months. I was really hoping LE would get the one tip they need for her and her family to get justice. Halloween is coming and the weather is cool and nightfall comes earlier; so keep a good look out for the kids in your neighborhood. It only takes seconds for someone to grab them. It also doesn't take long for a predator to gain their trust and get them to go with them on their own. Twenty yrs ago, Jennifer and girls her age didn't have computers or Ipods or cell phones, but someone found a way to get this girl right in her driveway, and make off with her.

I still believe in my heart that there is a person out there, that knows who is responible and needs to come forward. It must be a heavy secret to keep, weighing you down every single day.

 

[Skully]

I was sitting here thinking about the circle of family and friends around Jennifer. We can't name people here because LE never named anyone, but through research I have done, there is a circle that includes other orange groves, in the area. Does anyone know if one farm owner would help another farm harvest crops if they were done early? Is it possible that at some point total strangers (migrate pickers) come to help out during the harvest time for them? I know from riding around in February that it is harvest time and lots of places are done by then and some are selling oranges on the road sides, but many are still picking. I am not totally convinced that this is what happened but it is a question I have.

I lean towards a " bf " or someone in her circle that knew her, offered a ride to the top of her driveway. That would account for her getting in on her own and no signs of a struggle. I don't think it was a trip to the store offer or anything like that, because she had to let her sister in the house and she was coming home soon. Of course there is the old line "Your mom asked me to pick you up and blah, blah, blah," and drove off with her.

 

[Skully]

In light of the Jessica Ridgeway case and Autumn Pasquale case, you have to wonder if Jessica could have been murdered by a teen 16- 19 yrs old. Both of the above cases were teens killing their victims that were younger. Very sad cases and very eye opening to how young these monsters start.

I keep going back to the one change in her life that left this killer an opening and that was knowing she walked alone up that driveway. Knowing that he was safe to take her there, on that road, with her grandmother's home just yards away. Knowing he could get her and her stuff into that truck.

 

[carbuff]

In light of the Jessica Ridgeway case and Autumn Pasquale case, you have to wonder if Jessica could have been murdered by a teen 16- 19 yrs old. Both of the above cases were teens killing their victims that were younger. Very sad cases and very eye opening to how young these monsters start.

I keep going back to the one change in her life that left this killer an opening and that was knowing she walked alone up that driveway. Knowing that he was safe to take her there, on that road, with her grandmother's home just yards away. Knowing he could get her and her stuff into that truck.

That sounds quite plausible. And if it was a boy not that much older, who she happened to kind of like, and he drove by offering, "Hey, let's go for ice cream, we'll be back before your sister gets here," well, I'd have fallen for that at her age.

I have to wonder if it's someone who kept on killing after that.

 

[Skully]

I just found this article this morning and it gives me hope that Jennifer's killer can be caught. this case is from 1993


http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...cles/bn9/2012/10/25/son_arrested_in_93_m.html

Deputies say 39-year-old Christopher Shane Knight, a.k.a. Christopher Shane Watson, was arrested for the murder of his mother, Jahala Watson.

 

[carbuff]

We just had two arrests in the Boston area for crimes more than 20 years old -- one an unsolved murder, the other a series of rapes. Improved DNA testing was responsible in both cases.

So I'm crossing my fingers for Jennifer as well.