Nearly two decades after Jennifer Kesse vanished without a trace, her family continues to search for answers — now turning to artificial intelligence in hopes of identifying a person long captured on grainy surveillance footage.
Jennifer Kesse was 24 years old when she disappeared on Jan. 24, 2006, from her Orlando, Florida condominium. Despite extensive searches, multiple investigations, and years of private detective work, her fate remains unknown.
Who Was Jennifer Kesse?
Jennifer Kesse was born on May 20, 1981, and raised in Tampa, Florida. A strong student and high achiever, she graduated with honors from the University of Central Florida in 2003 with a degree in finance.
Soon after graduation, she began working in the finance industry and advanced quickly in her career. By her early 20s, she had purchased her own condominium in Orlando, a milestone her family described as a point of pride.
Friends and family say Jennifer was highly safety-conscious. She carried pepper spray, stayed alert in public spaces, and routinely called loved ones when walking alone at night. She chose her condominium complex in part because it was gated and staffed with security.
The Days Leading Up to Her Disappearance
Shortly before she vanished, Jennifer had returned from a vacation in Saint Croix with her boyfriend, Rob. They arrived back in Florida on Jan. 22, 2006. Jennifer returned to her condominium, while Rob traveled back to Fort Lauderdale.
Family members later said Jennifer sounded happy and relaxed after the trip. On Jan. 23, she returned to work as usual and spoke with both her parents and her boyfriend that evening. Their phone call around 10 p.m. was the last confirmed contact anyone had with her.
The Morning Jennifer Never Showed Up
On the morning of Jan. 24, Jennifer did not report to work — something her coworkers immediately found concerning. When they could not reach her, they contacted her parents, Drew and Joyce Kesse.
Unable to get in touch with their daughter, her parents drove to her condominium. Inside, they found no obvious signs of a struggle.
The apartment looked as though Jennifer had gotten ready for work and left in a hurry. A towel was still damp in the bathroom. Pajamas lay on the floor. Hair tools and makeup were out. The bed was unmade.
Missing from the apartment were Jennifer’s purse, keys, cellphone, and iPod — items that have never been recovered. Her car was also gone.
Based on the scene, her family believes Jennifer left for work as normal and something happened shortly after she exited her home.
The Discovery of Her Abandoned Car
Jennifer’s car remained missing for two days. On Jan. 26, it was found parked at another apartment complex approximately one mile from her condominium.
Security footage showed the vehicle being parked around noon on the day she disappeared. The footage also captured a person exiting the car and walking away.
Unfortunately, the individual’s face was obscured by fencing posts in the foreground of the video, making identification extremely difficult. Investigators estimated the person’s height to be between 5 feet 3 inches and 5 feet 5 inches and noted clothing that appeared consistent with a laborer or maintenance worker.
No usable forensic evidence was found inside the car.
Early Investigative Challenges
At the time Jennifer disappeared, her condominium complex was undergoing renovations. Construction workers were living in vacant units, and access to the property was less controlled than usual.
There were no functioning security cameras at Jennifer’s complex. A security guard kept incomplete visitor logs, and investigators later learned that a master set of keys for the property had been stolen roughly one month before Jennifer vanished.
The investigation was further complicated when Jennifer’s apartment was unintentionally compromised after family and friends used it as a meeting place before police fully secured the scene.
Possible Signs of a Struggle
Photographs of Jennifer’s car taken shortly after it was recovered showed markings on the hood that some believe indicate a violent confrontation.
Handprints appeared spread across the surface, suggesting someone may have been forced onto the hood and dragged off. Despite analysis, the markings did not lead to any definitive conclusions or suspects.
Why Federal Technology Was Used
Due to the extremely poor quality of the surveillance footage showing the person of interest, investigators sought assistance from federal agencies with advanced image-enhancement capabilities.
While the footage was improved to some degree, it remained too distorted to clearly identify facial features.
Leading Theories in the Case
One of the most persistent theories is that Jennifer was abducted by someone working at or living temporarily in her condominium complex.
Jennifer had told her parents she felt uncomfortable around some of the workers, noting that they would stop and stare at her or linger near her car. Family members said she often stayed on the phone while workers were inside her unit during repairs.
Other women who lived at the complex during that time later reported unsettling encounters and inappropriate comments from workers.
In the days after Jennifer disappeared, her brother attempted to speak with laborers at the site but found them uncooperative. Many workers left the area before police could interview them. Those who remained often faced language barriers, according to the family.
A private investigator working with the family believes Jennifer may have been attacked immediately after locking her door and dragged into a nearby vacant unit. However, searches using scent dogs reportedly produced no conclusive results.
Control of the Case Shifts
Over time, frustration grew over the lack of progress. In 2010, the lead detective was removed from the case. Authorities declined to label the investigation a cold case, stating it remained active.
In 2016, Jennifer Kesse was legally declared dead by the state of Florida.
Her parents later sued the local police department to obtain full access to the case files. Eventually, more than 16,000 pages of documents and dozens of hours of audio and video were turned over — at the family’s expense.
Upon reviewing the files, the family discovered gaps in investigative documentation spanning several years.
From that point forward, the investigation was largely driven by the family and their private investigator, though state authorities later agreed to assist by reexamining evidence and interviewing witnesses.
What Jennifer’s Family Believes Happened
Jennifer’s family has considered multiple possibilities, including the theory that she may have been targeted for human trafficking.
Over the years, they have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars pursuing leads, conducting searches, and retaining experts.
Despite the emotional and financial toll, they say they will not stop looking.
Turning to Artificial Intelligence
In recent years, the family has placed renewed hope in artificial intelligence technology. They are working with specialists to further enhance the surveillance image, focusing on unique identifiers such as the shape of the ear — a feature often considered as distinctive as fingerprints.
Jennifer’s father has said that if the image can be clarified enough to identify or definitively exclude certain individuals, the case could move quickly.
According to the family, the list of persons of interest has been narrowed significantly.
Nearly 20 Years Later
As the anniversary of Jennifer Kesse’s disappearance approaches, her family continues to publicly reaffirm their commitment to finding her.
They say the passage of time has not diminished their determination — only strengthened it.
“We will never stop looking for you,” they wrote in a message marking the anniversary of her disappearance. “You are loved, you are missed, and you have never been forgotten.”