Oldsters of lacking Florida girl determined to solve case

[This story first aired on October 24, 2020. It was updated on July 10, 2021.]

In January 2006, Jennifer Kesse’s family and friends declare she used to be on top of the arena.

“… she used to be in handle.  … She had a expansive job. She had bright gotten promoted,” her mother Joyce Kesse told “48 Hours” correspondent Peter Van Sant.

“She had bright bought her first house with her occupy money,” acknowledged Jennifer’s father, Drew Kesse.

On the morning of January 24, 2006, Jennifer, 24, left her rental and headed to work — nonetheless she by no way made it there.

“We bought a cell phone name,” acknowledged Joyce, “‘Used to be Jennifer OK?'”

Straight, those that knew her knew one thing used to be terribly hideous.

“The Orlando Police Division … they labored it very onerous,” acknowledged Louis Bolden, an investigative reporter for WKMG in Orlando, who has covered the case since Jennifer Kesse went lacking.

After years passed by without a breaks within the case, Jennifer’s folks sued the Orlando Police Division to earn Jennifer’s case file – and received. Now, Drew and Joyce Kesse hope they will solve their lacking daughter’s case.

DREW KESSE: We extinguish no longer bear her. We need her.

JOYCE KESSE: Where is she? aliens didn’t abduct her.

DREW KESSE: Please support us.

Louis Bolden | WKMG investigative reporter: To meet the Kesses is to just like the Kesses. They’re bright bright folks.

Louis Bolden: Joyce and Drew Kesse … were very susceptible. … And you furthermore mght can sense that, and likewise that it’s doubtless you’ll perhaps possibly in actuality feel that …

Louis Bolden: Other folks bright wished to support them.

Louis Bolden: Even as you happen to had told me then, in 14 years we would soundless be shopping for Jennifer Kesse, I don’t bear believed it.

Lauren McCarthy | Jennifer’s very finest friend:  Can I bright bear a 2nd? [Takes a deep breath with tears in her eyes]

Lauren McCarthy and Jennifer were very finest friends since childhood.

Lauren McCarthy: She used to be extraordinarily safety awake. … She used to be very attentive to her environment. … She carried pepper spray with her on a frequent foundation.

Lauren McCarthy: The causes she bought the residing that she did used to be because it used to be a gated community with a guard.

On Sunday, January 22, 2006, Jennifer returned from a commute to St. Croix with her boyfriend Capture Allen.

Capture Allen: My very finest friend acknowledged to me after the day out, he is like, “Oh you furthermore mght can very properly be in handle and likewise you bright extinguish no longer have to admit it.”

They’d been relationship a year.

Capture Allen: You bear bought the computer virus. You might also very properly be all in.

Even supposing Capture lived in Fortress Lauderdale, about 3 hours from Jennifer’s house in Orlando.

Capture Allen: We did the lengthy distance, nonetheless after the preliminary date we started spending virtually every weekend collectively.

On Monday, January 23, on her way into work as a challenge supervisor for a time-portion company, Jennifer known as her mom.  

Joyce Kesse: Jenn shared every component about the day out. … She used to be bright in actuality jubilant. She used to be on a cloud.

But that evening Jennifer spoke with Capture. And their dialog didn’t conclude properly.

Capture Allen: We had a inequity.

Prolonged distance used to be taking a toll on their relationship.

Capture Allen: She used to be a bit emotional … saying, oh, , that “you extinguish no longer handle me. I’m no longer with you “… and a bit insecurity.

They spoke spherical 10 p.m. Capture had no belief that it can perhaps be the final time he would ever hear her inform.

Capture Allen: That is bright no longer one thing that even came in my mind. … You sadly take issues without a consideration.

The next morning used to be when Jennifer didn’t demonstrate up for work and didn’t solution her cell phone.

Lauren McCarthy: She used to be continuously on the radar with everybody.

It used to be so out of persona for Jennifer to no longer answer, her family and friends rushed to her house.

Drew Kesse: We were possibly on the dual carriageway internal 5 minutes. … We were very frantic. … “OK, name the hospitals again. OK, name the police again.”

After they arrived at the house within the early afternoon, a building supervisor opened Jennifer’s locked rental.

Peter Van Sant: What did you look the first time you walked in?

Joyce Kesse: Her scoot compile. … it used to be like she walked within the night earlier than and bright dropped her suitcase bright the put it used to be. The rest of the house regarded like a maid had been there …

Excluding for Jennifer’s bathroom.

Joyce Kesse [2008]:  God handle Jennifer. But she’s a bit bit a WC pig within the morning. So, make-up, curling iron all that stuff all around the conceit … wet bathe, wet towel.

Assist in 2008, the Kesses told “48 Hours” that while the house regarded as if it can perhaps be so as, they did locate that Jennifer’s purse, keys and cell phone were lacking.

Peter Van Sant [2008]:  What extinguish you suspect took residing?

Joyce Kesse [2008]:  She slept for determined. And I mediate she bought up for work as she most ceaselessly would. … OK, I am going to work. I bear a meeting. Or no longer it’s busy, locks the door of her house. That is the put the mystery starts.

Logan Kesse [2008]: [emotional] Or no longer it’s your sister, it’s your family, it’s your blood. I admire her.

That afternoon Jennifer’s brother, Logan, began to seek info from of among the event employees at the complex. He acknowledged they were uncooperative.

Logan Kesse [2008]: It didn’t in actuality feel bright.

Peter Van Sant [2008]: Did you sense somebody knew one thing?

Logan Kesse: [2008]: Yeah, 100 percent.

At the start, the Kesses declare police infuriated them by no longer taking their daughter’s disappearance seriously.

Drew Kesse: I’m like, “Approach on! Begin to work. Gather to work!”

Police declare they didn’t deem Jennifer’s case met the requirements for declaring her lacking. They saved suggesting that she have to bear had a wrestle with her boyfriend and would be again.

Drew Kesse: Joyce aged to bitch to me, she’s like, “name them. I extinguish no longer hear helicopters within the air.”

But, by early evening, when there used to be soundless no sign of Jennifer, police officially declared her lacking. And no matter evidence that she used to be at her house that morning, police pursued a theory that Jennifer also can goal bear been kidnapped the night earlier than. Cell tower info used to be analyzed, and it indicated Jennifer used to be out of her rental and no longer at home.

Joyce Kesse: Police saved insisting that Jennifer went out within the heart of the night …  And we’re like, “you extinguish no longer remember the truth that is no longer how our daughter’s brain works.”

But upon further investigation, police realized the cell tower info used to be misinterpreted, and she truly wasn’t out that night.

Lauren McCarthy: She used to be the form of particular person that would name her mom or her dad or me … when she used to be simply walking from Aim within the auto parking residing and it used to be murky out.

Joyce Kesse: We all along bear felt that she used to be kidnapped within the morning.

Drew Kesse: But police were very like a flash to terminate us down on obvious issues.

As the hours passed by, their panic turned unbearable.  They feared that time used to be running out

Drew Kesse: Now we must at all times compile her as like a flash as that that it’s doubtless you’ll perhaps possibly mediate of for the reason that more time that passes the much less likelihood we have and the worse it goes to be.

The usage of Jennifer’s rental as their headquarters, they started their very occupy media blitz.

Louis Bolden: You might also go to any … section of town, and everybody knew Jennifer Kesse’s name and they also knew her face. Because there bear been posters … There bear been billboards. Her face used to be in each residing.

Lauren McCarthy: The searches were wide. … There bear been many of of oldsters that came out.

Louis Bolden: The community bright rallied. … I had by no way considered the rest of this magnitude.

But, soundless, nobody knew the put Jennifer used to be.

Joyce Kesse: As that it’s doubtless you’ll perhaps possibly imagine we were basket circumstances.

Drew Kesse: We were flipping out.

Then, two days after her disappearance, police found Jennifer’s automotive.

Joyce Kesse: I mediate that my coronary heart stopped … Sheer panic.

THE SEARCH FOR JENNIFER

Sgt. Roger Brennan | Orlando Police Division [2008]: Essentially the most frustrating component’s no longer lustrous the put Jennifer’s at… No longer lustrous the put to gape subsequent …We are in a position to take a seat down spherical and talk about diversified tips and diversified theories, nonetheless no longer having a concrete, stable avenue to lope the full way down to raise decision to the family is basically the most frustrating section of this case bright now.

As the determined hours passed by, Sergeant Roger Brennan and his crew of investigators searched the streets of Orlando shopping for Jennifer Kesse.

Sgt. Roger Brennan [2008]: We’re going thru canvases of areas that she would scoot or that she would possibly perhaps perhaps be at.

“48 Hours” interviewed him in 2008.

Sgt. Roger Brennan [2008]: As we were utilizing spherical the residing spherical her complex, we were seeking to name diversified areas that her automotive also can goal bear been considered.

Jennifer’s automotive had been considered the morning she disappeared.  A pair acknowledged they saw it swerving out of her rental complex at spherical 7: 40 a.m.

Det. Joel Wright | Orlando Police Division: It looked that somebody used to be battling over adjust of the automotive.

Detective Joel Wright used to be one of the distinctive investigators.

Det. Joel Wright: Unfortunately, the witnesses couldn’t declare which way the automotive went as soon as it bought out onto the ground dual carriageway.

Then, two days after Jennifer vanished.

Sgt. Roger Brennan [2008]: The Orange County Sheriff’s residing of job received a name about Jennifer’s automotive being … within the Huntington on the Inexperienced condominiums … roughly 1.1 miles away from her house. … What used to be pertaining to about this used to be the residing it used to be located is no longer an residing frequented by Jennifer. … Or no longer it’s truly a elaborate that is been identified the put stolen vehicles were — would be recovered from.  

Capture Allen: You bear that preliminary hope, like, OK, we found the automotive, it’s handiest going to be a matter of time earlier than we compile Jennifer.  

In an surprising lope, detectives summoned boyfriend Capture Allen to fulfill them at Jennifer’s automotive. 

Capture Allen: When the police officer asked me to be aware with him and to gape at the internal of the automotive and the internal of the trunk, my abdominal used to be churning as some distance as, “What also are you able to compile, ?”

Despite being more than 200 miles away when Jennifer disappeared, Capture used to be an particular particular person of ardour.

Drew Kesse: I mediate they wished to originate the trunk in entrance of him to gape his reaction if, in case Jennifer used to be in there.

When police opened the trunk, Jennifer wasn’t there.  There bear been no signs of a wrestle. If truth be told, in each residing they regarded, all the pieces looked long-established.

In 2008, Sgt. Brennan shared evidence photos.

Sgt. Roger Brennan [2008]: That is the internal of Jennifer’s automotive as we found it. Quite a bit of devices were located internal the automotive … her cell phone, charger … sandals and sneakers … Nothing appears to be like scared within the automotive at all.

Sgt. Roger Brennan [2008]: It didn’t seem that it used to be a robbery. Did no longer seem that it used to be a automotive theft. It didn’t seem that is used to be a carjacking.

Det. Joel Wright: [2008]: When that automotive used to be found, we jumped all over it.  We straight started asking everybody walking spherical within the event that they’d considered the rest.  The canvassing started then and then it bought more intense as the times went on and we at final had horses and helicopters and all the pieces else up within the air taking a scrutinize spherical. 

Sgt. Roger Brennan [2008]: We didn’t come up with any stable leads of someone who saw Jennifer, saw someone park her automotive right here.

But when police checked safety cameras, it regarded like they within the shatter caught a wide break.

Drew Kesse: Now we bear movie of the automotive being dropped off …

Spherical noon on the day Jennifer disappeared, one of the cameras captured an particular particular person utilizing Jennifer’s automotive.

Drew Kesse: He … pulls into a … parking yell subsequent to the pool residing …  backs out to even straighten himself in there, sits in there for 32 seconds … will get out, walks away, by no way appears to be like again.

The phantom figure walked away within the route of Jennifer’s complex.

Joyce Kesse: It used to be past provoking.

Drew Kesse: In my mind, it used to be “that particular person took my daughter. And how like a flash extinguish we compile that particular person?”

Sgt. Roger Brennan [at the parking lot]: That is the camera that caught the actual person that parked Jennifer’s automotive right here. 

But to the Kesses’ frustration, the actual person caught on that camera would possibly perhaps no longer be identified.

Sgt. Roger Brennan [at the parking lot in 2008] It seems this video, when it movies, captures every two to some seconds as it’s filming, so this is why you handiest look the topic on one aspect of the gate and then the opposite aspect of the gate and he is blocked by the posts on both aspect of the gate. 

Louis Bolden: Technology then used to be no longer what technology is now. … what are the possibilities of that going down? But it did.

Lauren McCarthy: [emotional] … seeing that tape of Jennifer’s automotive … that used to be possibly the worst moment. … It used to be like being hit with a ton of bricks. … After which additionally inflame, bright inflame for the reason that-the actual person used to be so casual … one thing in actuality imperfect clearly took residing … and they also were bright so casually dropping this automotive off like they were, , getting home from work.

Sgt. Roger Brennan: [2008] We printed out photos and then we introduced them out right here. … We were hopeful that someone would witness bright the gait or bright the long-established appearance or the stature or possibly the coiffure or some aspect of this particular particular person … nonetheless that did no longer happen. 

Peter Van Sant [2008]:  What does that characterize expose you of that particular particular person in entrance of the gate?

Det. Joel Wright [2008]: Or no longer it’s complex to expose. It appears to be like as if a particular person. … by the stroll. By the gait … And someone with beautiful wide feet for his height is the information we have been getting.

In 2008, Detective Wright and Sergeant Brennan analyzed the surveillance tape with “48 Hours.”

Peter Van Sant [2008]: What extinguish about this particular person’s height?

Det. Joel Wright [2008]: Now we bear executed barely a bit measuring and work with the camera angles. And additionally had folks of diversified heights stroll by. … And we have come up with a height – between 5’3″ and 5’5″. This has been backed up by the FBI who additionally are down and checked out the figures.

Det. Joel Wright [2008]: Now the dresses appears to be like to be possibly someone who’s a painter or some form of employee.

Peter Van Sant [2008] What extinguish we know used to be occurring spherical Jennifer’s house for the time being?

Det. Joel Wright [2008] Everyone is aware of there used to be barely a bit a renovation occurring internal her complex.

Joyce Kesse: The workers made her in actuality feel downhearted.

Drew Kesse: She bright acknowledged, … “there would possibly be a range of employees right here and they also’ve an inclination to like bright end after I’m walking by or going to my automotive. And so that they bright gape.”

Complicating the investigation – lots of the employees disappeared earlier than police also can take a look at with them.

Det. Joel Wright: About a of the folks that were working on the property … left.

Joyce Kesse: Barely a few your day laborers are, um, no longer right here, uh, legally. So … I mediate they were haunted.

Investigators then went to take a look at the safety cameras at Jennifer’s house complex, nonetheless there weren’t any — bright a safety guard who used to be alleged to log names and license numbers of traffic.

Det. Joel Wright: Nonetheless, the logs that we went thru didn’t seem like full.

They additionally couldn’t rely on getting any reliable forensic evidence from Jennifer’s house.

Drew Kesse: It used to be by no way secured by Orlando Police. By the time they took it seriously, we had 14 folks within the house. And so that they acknowledged, “Well you ruined the crime scene.” And I acknowledged, “are you kidding me?”

They’d no better success with the forensics internal Jennifer’s automotive.

Det. Joel Wright [2008]: We didn’t compile any fingerprints on the steering wheel.

Peter Van Sant [2008]: Form you mediate the automotive used to be cleaned by someone?

Det. Joel Wright [2008]: Presumably wiped it. … The surveillance footage does expose us … that there used to be about 30 seconds of time when the actual person used to be internal the automotive. That particular person also can bear taken the time to wipe down the steering wheel and the rearview mirror or what bear you ever.

And what about DNA?

Sgt. Roger Brennan [2008]: There used to be some vacuuming samples taken from every little bit of the automotive that were due to this truth despatched off to the lab for evaluate.

But the samples were inconclusive.

Drew Kesse: So, to me, they extinguish no longer bear DNA.

At every flip, the detectives saved rising empty and the case used to be going frigid.  But the Kesses refused to present up on Jennifer. 

Joyce Kesse: I refuse to let her be forgotten until she is found.

A FRESH LOOK AT THE CASE

In 2008, on the 2nd anniversary of Jennifer’s disappearance, family and friends gathered on a avenue nook in Orlando. 

Lauren McCarthy [at the 2008 gathering]: There’s bright no diversified residing I also can very properly be right this moment time.  My coronary heart is right here. … Or no longer it’s bright complex no longer having her, , she’s like my diversified half of so [wipe away tears] I bright miss talking to her.

They held up signs, bright as they’d executed the day Jennifer went lacking, with the determined hope that someone passing by knew one thing.

Drew Kesse [2008]: A hideous has been executed and an particular particular person has been taken against her will and that is the reason my daughter and she must get back home to her family.

DET. JOEL WRIGHT [at the 2008 gathering]: Maybe the bright particular person will look us.

Detective Joel Wright used to be soundless seeking to solve this confounding mystery.

Det. Joel Wright: There bear been an unbelievable amount of man hours went into this case.

In 2009, Detective Wright determined to take a recent gape at the case. One of many folks he interviewed on audiotape used to be a damaged-down housekeeper at Jennifer’s complex. The girl had no longer been questioned again in 2006:

DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: Form you endure in mind an particular particular person by the name of Jennifer Kesse that turned up lacking?

TRANSLATOR [2009 audio tape]: Certain, she remembers the case.

When he confirmed her that safety camera characterize of the unidentified suspect, she gave him a that that it’s doubtless you’ll perhaps possibly mediate of unusual lead.

Det. Joel Wright: She did gape at the characterize and … acknowledged, “That appears like Chino.”

The housekeeper acknowledged the phantom figure’s stroll, dresses and hair vogue resembled a particular person she knew from the complex named Chino, nonetheless she also can no longer guarantee it used to be him.

Chino used to be a name Detective Wright had no longer heard earlier than. But he realized Chino aged to are residing in one other building at Jennifer’s house complex and used to be a damaged-down upkeep employee there. If truth be told, Chino had executed work in Jennifer’s house bright one week earlier than she disappeared. And that is the reason no longer all he realized.

Det. Joel Wright: I put bright the name Chino into a leads tracking map … and one tip did come up. A Crime Line tip had been received within the first week of the investigation

The tip used to be nameless and urged Chino also can goal bear been all for Jennifer’s disappearance, nonetheless it absolutely’s unclear if police had regarded into it or talked to Chino at all.

Det. Joel Wright: At that time I presumed the investigation used to be kicking into tools.

It wasn’t onerous to seek out Chino. He used to be serving time in a Florida penal complex for statutory rape of a teenage girl – a crime he dedicated two years after Jennifer disappeared.

Det. Joel Wright: I knew that Chino had been arrested for a sex crime. And … that used to be section of the event of him as an particular particular person of ardour.

In 2009, Detective Wright interviewed him and asked him about working in Jennifer’s house:

DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: … when you did the work in her unit, uh – used to be she point to whilst you were doing it

CHINO: Certain, she used to be.

DETECTIVE WRIGHT: …how did you earn into the house?

CHINO: She let us in.

DETECTIVE WRIGHT: Used to be all the pieces long-established?

CHINO: The complete lot used to be long-established. … She bought ready for work and left.

Chino used to be then asked about the photos — the ones that the housekeeper acknowledged also can goal bear regarded like him:

DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: … the photos that you just checked out earlier – the man walking by the gate?

CHINO: Beautiful.

DETECTIVE WRIGHT: is there any cause why somebody would – would declare that used to be you?

CHINO: No, no longer in actuality.

And Chino is 5’9″ — taller than the figure’s height estimated by police.

Det. Joel Wright: Chino used to be very cooperative. He used to be conversant within the case. … And he, … denied to any extent further or much less wrongdoing.

Chino agreed to take a lie detector take a look at. He handed.

Peter Van Sant: And what did that expose you?

Det. Joel Wright: It told me that he handed the polygraph. … But I would by no way rule someone out bright because they handed a polygraph.

Wright additionally re-interviewed one other upkeep employee who had executed repairs with Chino in Jennifer’s house.

DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: Nobody infected about the rest? Getting along magnificent?

WORKER: Everyone getting along magnificent, frequent dialog. Correct letting us know what she wished to be executed in her unit.

Detective Wright then interviewed the building supervisor at Jennifer’s house to seek out out if there bear been any points between Jennifer and Chino — or someone else:

DETECTIVE WRIGHT [2009 audio tape]: Are you attentive to someone which also can goal’ve had a pain with Jennifer that labored there or lived there?

MANAGER: No.

Yet again, the case stalled. Then in 2010, Detective Wright used to be moved off the case. As time passed by, the Kesses felt abandoned by the Orlando Police Division.

Joyce Kesse: We asked them for several years to fabricate her case frigid because there would possibly be more resources on hand for frigid circumstances. And so that they saved saying, “Nope, her case is extremely full of life.”

Peter Van Sant: Form you suspect someone realistically has been working this case in unique years?”

Drew Kesse: No. No. 

In 2016, it had been 10 years since Jennifer went lacking. She used to be declared unnecessary by the Speak of Florida.

Drew Kesse: That used to be one of the hardest issues I’ve ever executed in my lifestyles.  I stood in a court alone while a mediate declared her deceased.

Bored stiff, the Kesses then made a dramatic lope. They sued the Orlando Police Division to earn Jennifer’s case recordsdata.

Louis Bolden: At the time, we belief, “They need what? They need the police department’s recordsdata?” I had by no way heard of that going down.

In 2018, Orlando Rolon turned the Orlando police chief. Though he wasn’t accountable for the duration of the preliminary investigation, he sympathizes with the Kesses.

Chief Orlando Rolon: I’m in a position to take hold of why they’re frustrated. I’m in a position to take hold of why they’d in actuality feel … that possibly an company like ours has no longer delivered on what they’d seek info from for an company to extinguish.

Chief Rolon gave his investigators six months to work the case. After they came up without a weird leads, he made the unprecedented decision to within the shatter start the recordsdata to the Kesses.

Chief Orlando Rolon: After the amount of years that we have spent seeking to solve Jennifer’s disappearance, I mediate it used to be time to additionally honor the needs of the family.

Chief Orlando Rolon: The family needs closure. We need closure. We wanna compile the actual person accountable for her disappearance. … I mediate it’s miles a compile-compile for all.

Peter Van Sant: So, these are bright a few of your daughter’s case recordsdata?

Drew Kesse: Certain. I imply, we possibly bear as a minimum three times more in containers of this.

In all, the Orlando Police Division handed over more than 16,000 pages of documents and 67 hours of video and audio to the Kesses. But under the agreement, the Orlando Police Division would no longer lead the investigation.

Drew Kesse: So, at this point in time, the handiest folks which would possibly perhaps perhaps be genuinely investigating what took residing to Jennifer is us and our crew.

Michael Torretta: Even as you happen to talk about tense investigations, right here is the one.

Michael Torretta is the Kesses’ deepest investigator.

Michael Torretta: I’m taking a scrutinize thru these 16,000 documents for one thing which also can goal bear been missed by the Orlando PD, the FDLE, even possibly the FBI who bear had parts on this investigation.

He says when he reviewed the recordsdata, he used to be amazed at what police didn’t extinguish and who they didn’t talk with.

Michael Torretta: There’s by no way been one quarterback on this case. … There’s a range of info that also can bear been developed that I deem wasn’t in essentially the most severe hours of this investigation.

IN SEARCH OF NEW CLUES

Non-public Investigator Michael Torretta says he has gone thru the more than 16,000-web page case file as a minimum three times.

Michael Torretta: We all bear teens that this also can’ve took residing to and … as folks we would favor to support out every diversified. And that is the reason what I’m doing.

He’s hoping to seek out unusual clues as to who also can bear kidnapped Jennifer Kesse.

Michael Torretta: I continuously told the Kesses what I take to extinguish with this investigation is put a puzzle collectively — one part at a time.

One of many first issues he did used to be go again to the scene of the crime and take a look at with folks that lived at Jennifer’s complex.

Peter Van Sant: You were there at the identical time as Jennifer Kesse. Did you ever meet her?

Colleen: I extinguish no longer engage formally meeting her. … She did gape acquainted.

Colleen, who asked to handiest suppose her first name, moved into the complex two years earlier than Jennifer disappeared believing it used to be a stable residing to are residing.

Colleen: We were a gated community. We had a guard home. I would declare 75 percent of the time somebody used to be there …

But she says as soon as employees started residing in empty residences spherical the complex, she felt uneasy.

Colleen: After I would come home from work, there would be a expansive crew of men outdoor drinking. And each time I would have to stroll past them, there would be a bit little bit of comments or bright a range of downhearted stares. It — it wasn’t a expansive feeling. I didn’t prefer it.

Colleen says she complained to the leasing residing of job supervisor.

Colleen: He used to be apologetic. But he told me there used to be in actuality nothing that he for my portion also can extinguish.

Tami: From the very starting there bear been some uneasy issues that I more or much less brushed off that were red flags.

When Tami, who additionally asked to handiest suppose her first name, moved into the complex years later, she believed employees fundamentally entered her rental when she wasn’t home.

Tami: There used to be creepy issues … like my underwear drawer used to be tossed … one time the bathe used to be wet. … there used to be footprints in my closet.

After which, Tami says she caught a “peeping Tom” – a particular person she believes used to be a employee at the complex.

Tami: He used to be pleasuring himself within the nook of my patio.

Peter Van Sant: You opened the door and saw that?

Tami: Busted him. Caught him.

But she says he fled in a white van. Tami filed a police file and to for the time being she says they’ve by no way found the “peeping Tom” or the white van he used to be utilizing.

Then Torretta spoke to a girl who didn’t have to seem on camera. And the name Chino came up again — that upkeep employee at Jennifer’s complex.  The girl claimed that Chino fundamentally approached her within the auto parking residing leisurely at night when she returned from work and made her in actuality feel downhearted.

Peter Van Sant: How fundamentally would you socialize with him?

Ashley: About a times per week.

But a girl — who needs to be known as Ashley … had a obvious thought of Chino. 

Ashley: I endure in mind him being fun and pleasant, talkative.

She moved into the complex bright weeks after Jennifer disappeared.

Ashley: He came visiting to my house barely a bit.

She says they by no way talked about Jennifer’s disappearance.

Ashley: I continuously wished to position a query to him. … “You bear keys to the full residences. What extinguish you mediate took residing?” … That is a very onerous seek info from of to position a query to somebody that is sitting on the couch subsequent to you.

Ashley says she by no way used to be suspicious of Chino until one day 9 months after Jennifer vanished, when Chino disappeared and moved out of the complex within the heart of the night.

Ashley: He had the chance to expose me and he didn’t.

Ashley says, at the origin, she didn’t reach out to police.

Ashley: I sat on it for a bit bit. And it bright ate away at me. So, I did. I known as the crime line again then and told them and they also took my commentary.

But she says nobody ever adopted up with her.

Peter Van Sant: Why is what the girl at the Mosaic told you necessary?

Michael Torretta: I mediate it’s considerable because it paints a characterize that I extinguish no longer deem I would bear gotten from the 16,000 documents. There’s nothing in there that indicates that there bear been concerns at the Mosaic.

After Chino’s name came up a few times, the Kesse crew used to agonize to take a look at with him.

Drew Kesse: Chino also can goal soundless seek info from to hear from us.  … Chino can bear to be spoken to again.

And no matter telling Detective Wright years ago he knew nothing about Jennifer’s disappearance, the Kesses wondered if Chino used to be being honest. Did he know more than he had admitted?

Peter Van Sant: The final time police officially questioned Chino used to be again in 2009. Now we have a few of our occupy questions we would take to position a query to. So, I’m heading now to his final identified take care of the put I’m hoping we can compile him.

Peter Van Sant: Hey, how are ya?  Chino.  I’m Peter Van Sant with CBS News.

“48 Hours” agreed no longer to suppose his full name. After we asked about Jennifer Kesse, Chino like a flash reiterated that he used to be harmless.

Chino: I even did a lie detector take a look at.  I imply, everybody is aware of for a incontrovertible truth that I had nothing to extinguish with Jennifer Kesse.

Peter Van Sant:  You had nothing to extinguish with her disappearance?

Chino: In no way.

Peter Van Sant: Where were you the morning of January 24th, 2006?

Chino: I extinguish no longer have to solution any questions, nonetheless that is for determined. 

And what about that characterize taken by safety cameras?

Peter Van Sant: Is that this you?

Chino: No, it’s no longer.

Peter Van Sant: Form who right here is?

Chino: No, truly I extinguish no longer. I extinguish no longer.

Peter Van Sant:  Now you were the upkeep man there. You saw the full employees at that complex. You extinguish no longer witness this figure?

Chino [talking to a woman in his home]: Mi amor.  Or no longer it’s OK.  I bear nothing to cloak.  I extinguish no longer witness that particular person.

Peter Van Sant:  Form of someone who would possibly perhaps bear been all for Jennifer Kesse’s disappearance?  Any individual?

Chino: Accept as true with me, if I did know someone that used to be all for that, the Kesse family would be lustrous as properly.

Chino: I met Jennifer Kesse.  She used to be an very ideal particular person.  She had no direct with me.

Outdated to we left, Chino even agreed to chat with the Kesse crew. And truly, weeks later he did. But there bear been no wide headlines and Torretta presses on.

Michael Torretta: I have to extinguish my very finest and elevate Jennifer Kesse home to them one day.

After the full interviews and reviewing the case file, Torretta says he now has a brand unusual theory as to what also can bear took residing to Jennifer Kesse.

Michael Torretta: She’s locking the door and by no way sees it comin’.

“WE JUST WANT AN ANSWER”

Fifteen years bear handed since Jennifer Kesse vanished — years of pain for her family and friends, nonetheless they are determined to compile Jennifer’s story alive.

Lauren McCarthy: Jennifer is plentiful amusing, plentiful witty particular person. …  Very stable willed and in actuality determined of herself … she knew what be aware she used to be gonna take and she knew the way to earn there. … Jennifer is no longer any doubt essentially the most exact particular person I’ve ever been friends with or possibly ever identified.

After years of working for the Kesses, deepest detective Michael Torretta says he has a brand unusual theory as to what he thinks also can bear took residing to Jennifer. Per interviews with folks that lived at the complex, he believes that as a lot as 10 development employees were residing in an empty rental bright across from Jennifer’s.

He thinks it used to be quite lots of of those employees who kidnapped her on January 24, 2006.

Michael Torretta: What I’m pondering is Jennifer comes out. …  she locks the door. If truth be told, she has her again to the rental behind her. After which is kidnapped by those participants across the way.

Peter Van Sant: Across the hallway.

Michael Torretta: Certain. She’s locking the door and by no way sees it comin … She possibly used to be attacked straight upon exiting. … She’s dragged into the diversified rental. … And that is the reason the conclude.

But Torretta struck out when he tried to seek out those employees who he believes lived within the vacant rental across from Jennifer. And he says there would possibly be nothing within the recordsdata indicating that police ever spoke to them.

Michael Torretta: Or no longer it’s no longer doable to seek out those participants. There’s no rent.

Peter Van Sant: There’s no list of names of who used to be staying wherein rental?

Michael Torretta: Fully no longer.

Michael Torretta: That used to be one of essentially the most hideous parts of this investigation.

As he persevered his investigation, Torretta realized that 10 months after Jennifer disappeared, an particular particular person used to be considered dumping a rolled-up part of carpet into a lake no longer some distance from her house.

Peter Van Sant: What’s fascinating in response to your investigation is the boys that were within the rental across from Jennifer’s were putting down carpet that day.

Michael Torretta: That is the reason it’s fully attention-grabbing to me.

Peter Van Sant: Per your abilities is there a likelihood what this particular person threw in that pond used to be her body?

Michael Torretta: Presumably.

NEWS REPORT: For the past two days dive crews bear been out on the water… 

In 2019, local police came out with a dive crew, nonetheless no carpet used to be found.

Michael Torretta: That is one thing that is haunting me. … We must at all times gape what’s internal that carpet.

The Kesses bear devoted their lives and weathered gigantic financial hardship to finding the truth of what took residing to their honest 24-year old daughter on that January morning in 2006.

Joyce Kesse: Or no longer it’s fully, very onerous to lope ahead. … The outlet in our coronary heart is eternally there until we have an solution.

Joyce Kesse:  We bright need an solution.

Jennifer’s relatives hope this file will persuade someone to take the plucky step of coming ahead with info that also can solve this heartbreaking mystery.

Capture Allen: Because someone have to bear considered one thing. … I bright mediate of Jennifer on a frequent foundation. … Who’s aware of what would’ve took residing if this defective crime hadn’t been dedicated?

Lauren McCarthy:  For me, every milestone that I’ve had with out her has been … like a tug of battle with my emotions. … , getting married and having teens and becoming a grownup and bright residing lifestyles; bright having her lifestyles, .  She deserved that.

Drew Kesse: And we bright wish that one particular person that is aware of one thing in Orlando would bright within the shatter declare it. … Or no longer it’s about Jennifer.  Or no longer it’s no longer about us.  And bright please mediate of Jennifer …

HAVE INFORMATION?

The Kesses are offering a $15,000 reward for info leading to Jennifer’s whereabouts.

Even as you happen to’ve any info about Jennifer Kesse’s disappearance, please talk over with the “Get Jennifer Kesse” Fb web page. 

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Produced by Chris Young Ritzen, Tamara Weitzman and Gabriella Demirdjian. Doreen Schechter is the producer editor. Kevin Dean and Gary Frosty climate are the editors. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the govt.story editor. Judy Tygard is the govt.producer.