NE NE - Jason Jolkowski, 19, Omaha, 13 Jun 2001 - #3

[MatthewTyler]

Certainly anything is possible given the lack of evidence. My understanding is that Jason was attending college only part-time, and I seem to recall someone else saying that he hadn’t been on the air recently around the time of his disappearance. There’s a common misconception that he was going to be a DJ at the new job he had lined up, but according to another poster who knew the family, that’s not the case.

Jason had dropped out of school in the Winter due to financial reasons. This means he wasn't actually DJing for a few months before his disappearance, this I'm pretty sure the only DJing he actually did was through the college program. The job he was starting was as a customer service rep at a company called SITEL Corp. He was doing it to earn money to go back to school, and supposedly they had a tuition program. I don't know what that means exactly. Jason's uncle worked at SITEL, so he likely got the job through him.

 

[Valiant]

If he was shy and socially awkward, introverted, what was he doing working as a radio DJ? I don’t know. That seems a bit strange to me. My wife suffers from social anxiety and can barely even leave the house sometimes. If he had problems making eye contact and I’ve also read somewhere he was on the autism spectrum, being a radio presenter is one of the last jobs I would associate with his personality and what we know of his character. But apparently he excelled in the job and was hoping to do it more full time. Seems like he would have been engaged with the community and have at least a few friends/contacts while he was involved with radio. I wonder if anything to do with that job was ever looked into rather than the Fazoli’s one

Sometimes it is easier for shy people to communicate when they aren't face to face with the person. Look how so many "shy" people thrive online.
I don't see this as odd at all - just a quirk of his personality.

 

[ekardh]

Jason's case is so baffling because he was a very low-risk victim. As far as we know, Jason was not into drugs, gangs or any other unlawful behaviour, and his victimology doesn't have the same risk factors as a young woman or child. On the face of it, we have an amiable, squeaky clean young man with no known enemies.

I don't think Jason disappeared voluntarily and I don't see much scope for an accident, so foul play most likely occurred. Low-risk victims are frequently murdered by someone known to them, be it a family member, friend or lover.

 

[studebkr]

Jason had dropped out of school in the Winter due to financial reasons. This means he wasn't actually DJing for a few months before his disappearance, this I'm pretty sure the only DJing he actually did was through the college program. The job he was starting was as a customer service rep at a company called SITEL Corp. He was doing it to earn money to go back to school, and supposedly they had a tuition program. I don't know what that means exactly. Jason's uncle worked at SITEL, so he likely got the job through him.

Yes, I was working at SITEL when this happened. His uncle Ken worked there with me. We might have had this discussion? Jason was scheduled to start, I ran the company portal, and they had even sent me his login information, but he never started. Ken was as baffled as anyone of us. It was just something that nobody saw coming.

 

[retrometro]

[bump]

Just wanted to say that the recent break in the Alissa Turney case gives me some hope that Jason's case might one day be solved. Though the cases aren't similar in specifics (it's clear that Jason's family wasn't involved in his disappearance), it does make me wonder if the police overlooked an obvious suspect who didn't fit ther initial theory of case.

 

[ekardh]

[bump]

Just wanted to say that the recent break in the Alissa Turney case gives me some hope that Jason's case might one day be solved. Though the cases aren't similar in specifics (it's clear that Jason's family wasn't involved in his disappearance), it does make me wonder if the police overlooked an obvious suspect who didn't fit ther initial theory of case.

Unfortunately I don't think there were any clear suspects in this case, but who knows what investigators might be sitting on?

 

[MatthewTyler]

[bump]

Just wanted to say that the recent break in the Alissa Turney case gives me some hope that Jason's case might one day be solved. Though the cases aren't similar in specifics (it's clear that Jason's family wasn't involved in his disappearance), it does make me wonder if the police overlooked an obvious suspect who didn't fit ther initial theory of case.

Well these are the same people that waited 10 days before doing anything, so quite possibly. Although, as said, not sure there were any real suspects that stuck out. Kelly had said that the police looked at all the "crackpot" types in the area. For a successful crime of this caliber, not sure a crackpot type would be able to pull it off. This perp is likely a "Joe Everyman" and charismatic to boot.

 

[CountSnap]

The most mysterious case I know of wrapped up in a short paragraph.
What the heck.
Current leaning anyone?
Walkaway?
Suicide?
Someone nefarious along the way?
Aren't those always the 3?

"Jason went missing when he was 19 years old. Jason was last seen leaving his home to walk to Benson High School, where he was supposed to meet a coworker for a ride to work. He never arrived at the school and has not been heard from since. Jason's nickname is J.J."

 

[ekardh]

The most mysterious case I know of wrapped up in a short paragraph.
What the heck.
Current leaning anyone?
Walkaway?
Suicide?
Someone nefarious along the way?
Aren't those always the 3?

"Jason went missing when he was 19 years old. Jason was last seen leaving his home to walk to Benson High School, where he was supposed to meet a coworker for a ride to work. He never arrived at the school and has not been heard from since. Jason's nickname is J.J."

I'm pretty much convinced it was foul play but obviously the exact circumstances are a mystery.

I like the idea that Jason was making a detour that morning, which is the REAL reason he asked to be picked up at the school. I don't think his disappearance was a random event.

 

[MatthewTyler]

The detour does make sense, and at least adds a bit more to the story so that it doesn't seem so out of the blue. But Jason's phone and computer were supposedly checked, so I don't see how he could have arranged a rendezvous with someone without that kind of communication (though not sure how thoroughly a computer could be checked back then). There has to be some rug pull or unknown detail about him- 19 year old men don't just disappear randomly in daytime suburbia, so close to home.
The more I think about his potential financial struggles, and family life (religious parents) the more I question if it isn't some kind of Brian Barton case all over again. The timing doesn't make much sense I know; but if it wasn't for him catching a ride to work I would be a lot more open to the suicide idea and him just not being discovered. Foul play is still the #1 theory though.

 

[BethAnn777]

Reading back through posts on thread one and I keep seeing that “Jason disappeared from his own driveway while waiting for a ride to work from his carpool”. What? I thought he was walking to the local high school to meet a coworker for a ride. Which is it?

 

[Andreee]

The detour does make sense, and at least adds a bit more to the story so that it doesn't seem so out of the blue. But Jason's phone and computer were supposedly checked, so I don't see how he could have arranged a rendezvous with someone without that kind of communication (though not sure how thoroughly a computer could be checked back then). There has to be some rug pull or unknown detail about him- 19 year old men don't just disappear randomly in daytime suburbia, so close to home.
The more I think about his potential financial struggles, and family life (religious parents) the more I question if it isn't some kind of Brian Barton case all over again. The timing doesn't make much sense I know; but if it wasn't for him catching a ride to work I would be a lot more open to the suicide idea and him just not being discovered. Foul play is still the #1 theory though.

I first read about this case some time ago, and I thought there had been mention that there was investigation of residents who lived on the route he took and that there may've been a sketchy one?

 

[retrometro]

Reading back through posts on thread one and I keep seeing that “Jason disappeared from his own driveway while waiting for a ride to work from his carpool”. What? I thought he was walking to the local high school to meet a coworker for a ride. Which is it?

What they mean is Jason was last seen in his driveway by his brother and a neighbor pulling his family’s trash cans back in from the street. He planned to walk to the high school, but there aren’t any known witnesses who saw him on the route.

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bump

 

[MatthewTyler]

What they mean is Jason was last seen in his driveway by his brother and a neighbor pulling his family’s trash cans back in from the street. He planned to walk to the high school, but there aren’t any known witnesses who saw him on the route.

Which is why a neighbor seems like a plausible suspect. Nobody remembers seeing him past his own block. Have to factor in the ten days that passed before people were questioned, so it may not be totally accurate. If he WAS meeting someone before going to the school, maybe he hopped in a car with them, hoping that afterwards they'd drop him off at the school.

 

[ekardh]

What they mean is Jason was last seen in his driveway by his brother and a neighbor pulling his family’s trash cans back in from the street. He planned to walk to the high school, but there aren’t any known witnesses who saw him on the route.

Yeah, that was the last verified sighting of Jason that morning. It would suggest that Jason didn't get far or wasn't on foot for long before he disappeared. As @MatthewTyler said, this would implicate a neighbour. Jason was possibly visiting someone, or they lured him into their house/car.

 

[rkendmar]

IIRC, Jason could have passed by his church on his way to the HS parking lot.
He spent quite a bit of time there as he was involved in a project where the church had a person offering intercessory prayers 24/7.
If I remember, Jason was often asked to fill in when others were unable to meet their scheduled prayer time.

 

[dotr]

Last updated January 11, 2019; picture added, age-progression updated.
Jason Anthony Jolkowski – The Charley Project

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''Jolkowski, circa 2001; Age-progression to age 36 (circa 2017)

• Missing Since 06/13/2001
• Missing From Omaha, Nebraska
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 06/24/1981 (39)
• Age 19 years old
• Height and Weight 6'1, 160 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A white Chicago Cubs or Sammy Sosa t-shirt, a blue or black Chicago Cubs baseball cap, black dress pants, and black dress shoes.
• Medical Conditions Jolkowski has learning disabilities related to speech and language. The disabilities may make him appear to be mildly mentally disabled, but he is actually of above average intelligence.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Jolkowski's nickname is JJ.''

 

[Andreee]

Jason Jolkowski: The Cubs Fan Who Didn't Come Home | Free Podcasts | Podomatic" apparently podcast featuring his mom: In an interview in 2016 with Kelly, Jason’s mother, she likewise revealed that the investigation have been working on this angle, as well.

Here follows some of the details she revealed about the investigation:

She said that during the time of Jason’s disappearence, there were a number of registered sex offenders residing within and around their neighborhood area, and one of those offenders lived just across their street. This person was of interest and investigated, and his house was also searched, but nothing was found tying him to the disappearence.

 

[Andreee]

Jason Jolkowski: The Cubs Fan Who Didn't Come Home | Free Podcasts | Podomatic" apparently podcast featuring his mom: In an interview in 2016 with Kelly, Jason’s mother, she likewise revealed that the investigation have been working on this angle, as well.

Here follows some of the details she revealed about the investigation:

She said that during the time of Jason’s disappearence, there were a number of registered sex offenders residing within and around their neighborhood area, and one of those offenders lived just across their street. This person was of interest and investigated, and his house was also searched, but nothing was found tying him to the disappearence.

I found the above info on a crime site, can't recall which one but it seems to me the most likely scenario. Hopefully a full look at all the sex offenders, including one across the street, was made.