News

Task force created to help solve Kesse disappearance

ORLANDO, Fla.,None — There's a new push on Wednesday to solve the 6-year-old mystery behind the disappearance of Orlando woman Jennifer Kesse.

Orlando police announced a new task force that will give the case some fresh eyes, and police hope a new panel of experts will uncover information and generate new leads.

Kesse, 24, disappeared nearly 6 years ago from her Orlando apartment near the Mall at Millenia.

Officials said the task force is hard at work in a conference room at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement headquarters.

A group of experts in various disciplines involving law enforcement and crime solving are putting their heads together, trying to come up with an idea that could solve the disappearance of Kesse.

Kesse's mother Joyce said she is not giving up, and said she's grateful that law enforcement isn't either.

"When they introduced themselves and gave their credentials it's almost like, 'Wow… wow,' is what I will say," said Joyce Kesse.

FDLE's best and brightest from all over the state joined a crime prevention expert from the University of Florida, a prosecutor from Marion County and Orange County Medical Examiner Dr. Jan Garavaglia.

"I hope, I pray, I pray every night that something will come up," said Orlando Police Department Chief Paul Rooney.

Rooney said he's committed to giving the Kesse family closure and to making sure there is justice for whoever is responsible for her disappearance.

Investigators said they want to identify a man recorded on surveillance video walking in the area of the Orlando apartment complex where Kesse's car was found in January of 2006.

The experts who are brainstorming said they plan to work through lunch until the end of the day.

The Kesse family said they hope the new task force will explain what happened to Jennifer Kesse.

Another FDLE Special Multi-Agency Review Team, or "SMART," solved the mysterious 1988 murder of 11-year-old Curnetha Ammons of Sanford.

Years after she had been found stabbed to death, the new review led to the convictions of her aunt and uncle, and the revelation that murder was intended to cover up sexual abuse.

In the Ammons case, investigators had always suspected her uncle Paul Robinson, but could not get witnesses to talk.

Investigators said the Kesse case is tougher.

Kesse hasn't been found and if investigators have a possible suspect, they haven't said so.

Investigators said nothing came of a recent search along International Drive, sparked by a credible tip.

"We haven't been able to find that needle in a haystack, but we're not giving up," Rooney said.

The 19 experts that  FDLE brought together on Wednesday wrote down their suggestions and thoughts. The Orlando Police Department said it has already started analyzing them to find new directions for the Kesse investigation that ran cold.

Previous Stories:

WFTV

Most Read