Speaker #1What's going on everybody and welcome to another episode of True Crime, Authors and Extraordinary People. Of course, I'm your man. David McClam, if you guys haven't already, make sure you follow us on all of our social media. One link to a link tree will get you every place you need to go pertaining to the show. And like I always remind you, if you are someone or you know someone that feel like you want to hurt yourself or others, please leave this episode and dial 988. It's a suicide prevention hotline. You can text or call them. They can get you the help that you need. And just in case no one else has told you this today, let me be the first to tell you that I do care and I do need you to be here. There is nothing that is worth your life. And if you like what we do here, you want to support the show, CrowdWeave. Link is in the show notes. It is a fun way for me to give back to you for supporting the show. And if you just want to simply buy me a coffee, you can do that at that link down below as well. One dollar is all that it takes. Today, we are covering a case that has haunted investigators, journalists, and the Kessie family for now nearly 20 years. Today, we're going to talk about the disappearance of Jennifer Kessie. Jennifer was a 24-year-old woman living in Orlando, Florida. She had just bought her first condo, landed a great job at a timeshare company, and was building her future. But on January 24, 2006, Jennifer vanished without a trace. Her disappearance is one of Florida's most frustrating and well-known mysteries, with surveillance footage that leaves nowhere, eerie details inside her home, and a theory that points to construction workers living in her complex. So what really happened to Jennifer Kessie? And why, after nearly two decades, does this case remain unsolved? Well, let's get into it. See, Jennifer was last heard from on the night of January 23rd, 2006. She had just returned from a vacation with her boyfriend, Rob Allen. They talked on the phone before she went to bed, and by all accounts, everything seemed normal. But the next morning, Jennifer never showed up for work. This was immediately out of character for her. She was responsible, punctual, and always checked in with her family and her co-workers. When her job called, her parents, Drew and Joyce Kessie, they immediately knew something was wrong. Her father, Drew, told Fox News that, I quote, We don't care when, we don't care how, and frankly, we don't care who. We just want our daughter back for the good or the bad. We miss her every day. End quote. Jennifer's parents rushed to her condo expecting to find their daughter. Instead, they walked into a strange and eerie scene. Jennifer's car was missing. A damp towel lay in the bathroom. Pajamas were tossed on the floor. Her iPod, keys, cell phone, and purse were nowhere to be found. Her hair straightener was still plugged in. See, everything pointed to Jennifer getting ready for work that morning, but she never made it out of the condo. Then two days later, police found her car abandoned at a nearby apartment complex. This was the first and biggest clue in the case. Now, here's where it gets even stranger. Surveillance cameras at the apartment complex where Jennifer's car was found captured a person parking it and then walking away. But in a frustrating twist of fate, the camera's frames captured the suspect behind the gate post every few seconds, obscuring their face completely. All police could determine was that the person was between 5'3 and 5'5 inches tall. Even NASA was brought in to analyze the footage, but not even their technology could positively identify the suspect. So who was this person? Jennifer's family has one major theory. It is called the construction worker theory. See, Jennifer's condo was under heavy construction at the time. Her father later told Fox News that Jennifer had felt uneasy around the workers. She even mentioned to her family the workers would stare at her, stop what they were doing, or even enter her condo unannounced. Private investigator Michael Toretta, hired by the Kessie family, believes this is key. He discovered that up to 10 workers were living in a vacant unit across from Jennifer. And here's what he theorized on 48 hours. And I quote, I believe Jennifer was abducted immediately after locking her door. She probably never saw it coming. She was dragged into the unit across the hall. And that's where it ended. It's a horrifying thought, but one that makes sense. Jennifer's car was seen speeding out of her condo parking lot around 740 a.m. The morning she disappeared. Did someone ambush her, force her into her own car, and drive her to another location? And here's another chilling detail. A full set of master keys to the entire complex went missing just one month before Jennifer disappeared. Could someone have used those stolen keys to access Jennifer's condo? Jennifer's case has seen countless twists and turns, but no real answers. Unfortunately, the scene inside her condo was compromised because her family and friends unknowingly disturbed potential forensic evidence before police arrived. And despite the reward money, national coverage and private investigations, no concrete leads have surfaced. Jennifer's family refuses to give up. In 2019, they offered a $500,000 reward. for information leading to her whereabouts. And in 2025, they shared a heartbreaking message. And I quote, How can a missing person's case with such awareness not produce even a direction 19 years later? It's inconceivable, but we fight on for Jennifer's sake. The disappearance of Jennifer Kesey remains one of the most baffling and heartbreaking cold cases in the U.S. If she was abducted by someone in her condo complex, how has there never been a confession? That gives you something to think about. After all these years, if she was taken by someone in her condo, somebody should have seen something. So I implore you, if you know anything about what happened to Jennifer, please contact. the Orlando Police Department at 407-246-2979, or submit tips to the Kessie family's website, jenniferkessie.com. Jennifer's family deserves answers, and Jennifer deserves justice. All right, guys, thank you once again for joining me for this episode. The phone number to the Orlando Police Department and the Kesey family website will be posted in the show notes. Again, if you know anything, the slightest thing at all, call the police or send that tip into the Kesey family's website, JenniferKesey.com. It's time for whoever did this to step out of the shadows, admit to his or her crime, and give Jennifer and her family the justice that they need. and most importantly, deserve. All right, once again, thank you for joining us today. I know you have many choices in True Crime and Interview Podcasts, and I'm grateful that I am one of your choices. You have been listening to the only three-faceted podcast of its kind. Be good to yourself and each other, and always remember, always stay humble. An act of kindness can make someone's day. A little love and compassion can go a long way. And remember that there is an extraordinary person in all of us. I'll catch you guys on the next one.
