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

[Alleykins]

His mom worked for a company that had good health insurance, at the time. I find it hard to believe they don't exist. (I can't remember where he worked. He is retired now.)

I would have to believe that they have never requested his dentals because they have not found a close enough match out there to need them, but then again, you'd think they would obtain them before they can't.

I just thought it was standard procedure for investigators to obtain as many identifiers as they could for missing people and unidentified remains for comparison should a match arise. But you're right, they should be obtained before it's too late, if they haven't been already.

 

[DD Byrd]

I'm guessing if they existed in the first place (probably) then they're available and that listing is incorrect. His mother founded Project Jason after all, she'd be savvy on these items. Even without PJ, we're talking 2001...I think the average parent would think to supply them (or be asked for them by LE). They could be digital even if the dentist office burned down, etc. I could be wrong, but I guess it depends on what technology they had there at the time.

All to say, I think he's deceased and his body just hasn't been found.

 

[Zapoleon]

I'm guessing if they existed in the first place (probably) then they're available and that listing is incorrect. His mother founded Project Jason after all, she'd be savvy on these items. Even without PJ, we're talking 2001...I think the average parent would think to supply them (or be asked for them by LE). They could be digital even if the dentist office burned down, etc. I could be wrong, but I guess it depends on what technology they had there at the time.

All to say, I think he's deceased and his body just hasn't been found.

Do you happen to know whatever happened to project Jason by any chance? I think it closed down right at somepoint? or am I wrong about that.

 

[Andreee]

Do you happen to know whatever happened to project Jason by any chance? I think it closed down right at somepoint? or am I wrong about that.

Yes, I believe his family shut the project down some years ago. One of the other longtimers here may know which year. Hard to remember everything.

 

[Zapoleon]

He was still pretty young right perhaps he just had pretty good teeth? not much work done so it was not uch point in getting those records on file.

 

[Andreee]

He was still pretty young right perhaps he just had pretty good teeth? not much work done so it was not uch point in getting those records on file.

Yes, that is entirely possible.

 

[Alleykins]

Do you happen to know whatever happened to project Jason by any chance? I think it closed down right at somepoint? or am I wrong about that.

I'm going from memory here, so I could be off, but I believe Ms. Murphy retired and closed Project Jason somewhere around 2018. Not sure why she didn't pass the torch to a board of directors or another volunteer group instead. I never saw an official announcement, like it didn't make the news from what I could find, which surprises me. Instead, all I found was a blurb a few years after it happened in an article stating she'd retired and shut it down. I think I posted a link to it somewhere on here a couple years ago.

 

[Zapoleon]

I'm going from memory here, so I could be off, but I believe Ms. Murphy retired and closed Project Jason somewhere around 2018. Not sure why she didn't pass the torch to a board of directors or another volunteer group instead. I never saw an official announcement, like it didn't make the news from what I could find, which surprises me. Instead, all I found was a blurb a few years after it happened in an article stating she'd retired and shut it down. I think I posted a link to it somewhere on here a couple years ago.

ah thank you. Yeah I always wondered why it was shut down, made me kind of sad. Because it seemed like such a good thing that helped other families. But that makes sense that it was shut down due to them retiring. Sad but I suppose it did plenty of good the years it was running.

 

[Andreee]

Every so often I come back to this case, and it is the one I have followed the longest.

Recently, I took another look at SO's on JJ's route to the school and all those within 1 mile. OF COURSE I don't have the list of SO's at the time of his disappearance, but rather the latest one! However, I am going through them one by one, just to get a sense of things, and some seem to have moved around in that general area as far as housing and stayed in general area for years.

So just took a look and I discovered there were several that were extra violent for lack of a better word. Also, I was surprised that several victims were marked as adults. In addition, one SO lives 3 doors away from the former Jolkowski residence. (which doesn't mean he was there 24 years ago of course!) but it does give a sense of the close proximity of them in the Benson region. Does anyone know if a list of SO's from the early 2000's would be available for Omaha? I recall reading the investigators did question a few of the local offenders at the time, although ten days later or more.

To be clear, I do think the only way this case will be
solved is coming across JJ deceased either on a residential property or further afield in a rural area. Some of the SO's I read about had vehicles, some did not.

 

[ekardh]

Every so often I come back to this case, and it is the one I have followed the longest.

Recently, I took another look at SO's on JJ's route to the school and all those within 1 mile. OF COURSE I don't have the list of SO's at the time of his disappearance, but rather the latest one! However, I am going through them one by one, just to get a sense of things, and some seem to have moved around in that general area as far as housing and stayed in general area for years.

So just took a look and I discovered there were several that were extra violent for lack of a better word. Also, I was surprised that several victims were marked as adults. In addition, one SO lives 3 doors away from the former Jolkowski residence. (which doesn't mean he was there 24 years ago of course!) but it does give a sense of the close proximity of them in the Benson region. Does anyone know if a list of SO's from the early 2000's would be available for Omaha? I recall reading the investigators did question a few of the local offenders at the time, although ten days later or more.

To be clear, I do think the only way this case will be
solved is coming across JJ deceased either on a residential property or further afield in a rural area. Some of the SO's I read about had vehicles, some did not.

I'm still not sure I place any stock in Jason being targeted by a random sex offender on the block.

I would be willing to guess that the majority of SOs had committed crimes on minors and women. That's not to say that an SO can't change their victimology, but the odds of someone targeting a 6 foot, 18 year-old man in broad daylight of a suburb, then disposing of his body without a trace, are minuscule.

That's why I suspect that Jason visited or caught a lift from someone he knew. I'm picturing an older male who lived alone and had the means to hide the body (vehicle and dumping site).

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Yes, but I think the thought is perhaps he saw someone he knew as a neighbor who targeted him. They.could have ask him to come inside to help them quickly with something, for example.

 

[Andreee]

I'm still not sure I place any stock in Jason being targeted by a random sex offender on the block.

I would be willing to guess that the majority of SOs had committed crimes on minors and women. That's not to say that an SO can't change their victimology, but the odds of someone targeting a 6 foot, 18 year-old man in broad daylight of a suburb, then disposing of his body without a trace, are minuscule.

That's why I suspect that Jason visited or caught a lift from someone he knew. I'm picturing an older male who lived alone and had the means to hide the body (vehicle and dumping site).

Yes and if someone he knew then that person would have had SO type motives most likely or some kind of jealous obsession IMO.

 

[Andreee]

Dbm

 

[ekardh]

Yes, but I think the thought is perhaps he saw someone he knew as a neighbor who targeted him. They.could have ask him to come inside to help them quickly with something, for example.

It's possible, but that's a strange crime. I can't think of any similar cases off the top of my head.

Normally, that type of opportunistic, predatory crime happens to smaller, younger boys who can be easily manipulated and physically subdued.

 

[MatthewTyler]

I did a look through of the SO's on the site that they provide within a certain distance within Omaha and surrounding area. 251 profiles. Didn't go through every single one, but most of them. There were only about 4 who had an adult male victim, and even then it doesn't state what the circumstances exactly were. Like @ekardh said, it's really just not a common thing. Or at the very least it's not reported often. If Jason did cross paths with someone who had nefarious sexual purposes, then I still think it was someone he was already planning on seeing that day and someone who had some kind of a plan figured out already. Even if it were a neighbor who Jason knew, the huge risk of luring him into either a house or car without being seen or recognized by others just makes it seem unlikely.

 

[Andreee]

I did a look through of the SO's on the site that they provide within a certain distance within Omaha and surrounding area. 251 profiles. Didn't go through every single one, but most of them. There were only about 4 who had an adult male victim, and even then it doesn't state what the circumstances exactly were. Like @ekardh said, it's really just not a common thing. Or at the very least it's not reported often. If Jason did cross paths with someone who had nefarious sexual purposes, then I still think it was someone he was already planning on seeing that day and someone who had some kind of a plan figured out already. Even if it were a neighbor who Jason knew, the huge risk of luring him into either a house or car without being seen or recognized by others just makes it seem unlikely.

I know, right?! I had some free time on my hands during winter weather here up north, so I did a very close look at possibles, and like you, narrowed it down to about four! And even those did not specify male or female victim, let alone how long they had been at certain addresses. The more I look at this case every now and then, the more bewildered I get!!! I mean, think about it, it was said by JJ's family I think that he had gone on regular walks in the evenings over the last few months of his life, and I would think THAT would be when he was lured or whatever! NOT at about 10:45 in the morning! When looking at the various routes he could have taken on google maps, I could see people gardening and walking their dogs caught in some of the google photos during the daytime, not people being kidnapped, etc.

By the way, didn't his mom at one time mention THE route Jason would normally take to school? If so, can you refresh my memory. And again, no mishaps on all of those daily trips to school. No wonder this case is termed baffling by most all who follow it, investigators do as well.

 

[I_Love_Waffles]

Longtime lurker of WebSleuths and this is my very first post.

I've been following this case for a very long time now along with numerous others, but this one has always stood out to me and has disturbed me in a disturbing way that other cases haven't. How can this young man just vanish without (quite literally) a trace in broad daylight in the manner that he did? This is one of those cases I always google his name every month or so in hope that something comes up or there's new information or quite literally ANYTHING NEW.

I have been reading through this whole thread, going back to thread #1 and reading each and every post. I'm currently almost done with thread #3 and am going to start at post 1 on thread #4 as soon as I finish the third one.

But one thing that has always bothered me, and something I haven't seen anyone on WebSleuths bring up, atleast in what i've read of the first three threads so far is, Jason had a cell phone. Why didn't he attempt to call either his brother at home, his parents at work, or 911 on his cell phone? Now we know his mom & dad were at work we but don't know if he had his parents work numbers in his phone and/or if Jason knew how to get a hold of them at work. But it's pretty likely and a safe bet he had his house phone number memorized and/or saved in his phone. And of course 911 everyone knows. And this, the lack of calling anyone, also throws so many wrenches into many of the ideas, theories, and possibilities people have conjured up.

It bothers me so much. If he would've been able to call 911, even if he just made the call and hung up as soon as the 911 dispatcher picked up, or if he wasn't able to talk/speak for whatever reason, this whole thing could have gone so very differently. There very well may have not been a 10 day wait to begin searching & canvassing their neighborhood. They could have maybe gotten some sort of general location ping on his phone. Something. Police are required by law to tend to every 911 call, they can't ignore them even if they're 99.9% certain it's a prank call.

If only, even something so small as attempting to call 911, if that would've happened, it could've possibly of made a huge difference and been the difference between solving this and still not knowing in 2025, 24 years later.

What kind of heinous tragedy happened to this poor, young man? Did he not know he was experiencing and/or about to experience foul play? Did the person(s) responsible for his disappearance take his phone? Did Jason not feel comfortable making a phone call because they might and/or were threatening to enact a heinous act against him if he did so? With whatever happened, did it happen so quick he couldn't of possibly of ever made a phone call? I just don't know. It seems so farfetched and so very unlikely for him to wind up in a situation like that on a short, 15 minute walk from his house to the school on a summer morning/early afternoon where someone would take his phone and/or threaten him violently if he attempted to make a phone call. Sounds like some ridiculously scene straight out of a movie or TV show. But I'm grasping at straws here and I digress.

But obviously, something happened. Jason is missing. Has been for almost 24 years. But unfortunately, we have pretty much no evidence, no clues, no nothing to go off of. No information, no leads, no suspects. Nothing has come up in the past 24 years. Nothing. Nada, zilch! It's all just so very, very sad. And it disturbs me greatly. I can't even imagine the pain & suffering the family have went through and what they must feel.

 

[Alleykins]

Longtime lurker of WebSleuths and this is my very first post.

I've been following this case for a very long time now along with numerous others, but this one has always stood out to me and has disturbed me in a disturbing way that other cases haven't. How can this young man just vanish without (quite literally) a trace in broad daylight in the manner that he did? This is one of those cases I always google his name every month or so in hope that something comes up or there's new information or quite literally ANYTHING NEW.

I have been reading through this whole thread, going back to thread #1 and reading each and every post. I'm currently almost done with thread #3 and am going to start at post 1 on thread #4 as soon as I finish the third one.

But one thing that has always bothered me, and something I haven't seen anyone on WebSleuths bring up, atleast in what i've read of the first three threads so far is, Jason had a cell phone. Why didn't he attempt to call either his brother at home, his parents at work, or 911 on his cell phone? Now we know his mom & dad were at work we but don't know if he had his parents work numbers in his phone and/or if Jason knew how to get a hold of them at work. But it's pretty likely and a safe bet he had his house phone number memorized and/or saved in his phone. And of course 911 everyone knows. And this, the lack of calling anyone, also throws so many wrenches into many of the ideas, theories, and possibilities people have conjured up.

It bothers me so much. If he would've been able to call 911, even if he just made the call and hung up as soon as the 911 dispatcher picked up, or if he wasn't able to talk/speak for whatever reason, this whole thing could have gone so very differently. There very well may have not been a 10 day wait to begin searching & canvassing their neighborhood. They could have maybe gotten some sort of general location ping on his phone. Something. Police are required by law to tend to every 911 call, they can't ignore them even if they're 99.9% certain it's a prank call.

If only, even something so small as attempting to call 911, if that would've happened, it could've possibly of made a huge difference and been the difference between solving this and still not knowing in 2025, 24 years later.

What kind of heinous tragedy happened to this poor, young man? Did he not know he was experiencing and/or about to experience foul play? Did the person(s) responsible for his disappearance take his phone? Did Jason not feel comfortable making a phone call because they might and/or were threatening to enact a heinous act against him if he did so? With whatever happened, did it happen so quick he couldn't of possibly of ever made a phone call? I just don't know. It seems so farfetched and so very unlikely for him to wind up in a situation like that on a short, 15 minute walk from his house to the school on a summer morning/early afternoon where someone would take his phone and/or threaten him violently if he attempted to make a phone call. Sounds like some ridiculously scene straight out of a movie or TV show. But I'm grasping at straws here and I digress.

But obviously, something happened. Jason is missing. Has been for almost 24 years. But unfortunately, we have pretty much no evidence, no clues, no nothing to go off of. No information, no leads, no suspects. Nothing has come up in the past 24 years. Nothing. Nada, zilch! It's all just so very, very sad. And it disturbs me greatly. I can't even imagine the pain & suffering the family have went through and what they must feel.

Welcome aboard.
I don't recall if we ever confirmed Jason had his cell phone with him the day he disappeared. Some articles claimed he had it, or were vaguely written or stated to imply he had it; one claimed he left his wallet and cell phone at home. The only source I would trust is Ms. Murphy, but I don't recall in anything she wrote or spoke about on podcasts stating one way or the other that he had it or not. I will stand corrected on this if anyone has a credible MSM article or video to link where she is directly quoted stating he had it with him (or didn't).
As best as I can tell, we know he had a mobile phone and it hasn't been used since. It's possible if he had it with him, he may have been subdued before he had a chance to call for help.

 

[crescentmoon13]

Welcome aboard.
I don't recall if we ever confirmed Jason had his cell phone with him the day he disappeared. Some articles claimed he had it, or were vaguely written or stated to imply he had it; one claimed he left his wallet and cell phone at home. The only source I would trust is Ms. Murphy, but I don't recall in anything she wrote or spoke about on podcasts stating one way or the other that he had it or not. I will stand corrected on this if anyone has a credible MSM article or video to link where she is directly quoted stating he had it with him (or didn't).
As best as I can tell, we know he had a mobile phone and it hasn't been used since. It's possible if he had it with him, he may have been subdued before he had a chance to call for help.

In a semi-recent podcast, Jason's mother stated that Jason had a cell phone and they called it multiple times and it would go straight to voice mail. I assume that means Jason had it on him the day he went missing, but by the time his parents got home the phone was shut off or dead.

"A Mother's Agony: The Unsolved Disappearance of Jason Jolkowski" Jason was LAST seen pulling the garbage cans into the garage of his home in Omaha, Nebraska on June 13th, 2001. An in-depth conversation with his loving mom, Kelly.

Podcast Episode · Can I Help Find Your Missing Loved One? · 2024-06-27 · 1h 2m

podcasts.apple.com

Here is the link and the time stamp on the cell phone comment is 19:38.

 

[hannah246]

In a semi-recent podcast, Jason's mother stated that Jason had a cell phone and they called it multiple times and it would go straight to voice mail. I assume that means Jason had it on him the day he went missing, but by the time his parents got home the phone was shut off or dead.

"A Mother's Agony: The Unsolved Disappearance of Jason Jolkowski" Jason was LAST seen pulling the garbage cans into the garage of his home in Omaha, Nebraska on June 13th, 2001. An in-depth conversation with his loving mom, Kelly.

Podcast Episode · Can I Help Find Your Missing Loved One? · 2024-06-27 · 1h 2m

podcasts.apple.com

Here is the link and the time stamp on the cell phone comment is 19:38.

The perpetrator most likely shut his fone to prevent him from calling. Why didn't the police try to locate his fone? can they even if the fone is dead?