Ep 24. What Happened To the Beauty Queen?
- September 27, 2019
On this episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, the team delves into the mysterious disappearance of a young beauty queen and the subsequent investigation that followed.
The episode begins by introducing us to Jennifer Kesse, a 24-year-old woman who had recently moved to Orlando, Florida to start her dream job as a financial analyst. Jennifer was described as smart, beautiful, and ambitious, with a bright future ahead of her.
However, on the morning of January 24th, 2006, Jennifer failed to show up for work. Concerned co-workers contacted her family, who quickly realized that something was wrong. Jennifer's car was found parked in her apartment complex, but there was no sign of her.
The Orlando police department immediately launched an investigation into Jennifer's disappearance. The Dateline team walks us through the various leads that authorities pursued, including interviewing Jennifer's ex-boyfriend and scouring security footage from her apartment complex.
As the days turned into weeks and months, the case grew colder. However, one tip changed everything. A security camera from a nearby business captured footage of a person driving Jennifer's car away from her apartment complex on the day she went missing. The video was grainy, but it gave authorities a new lead to follow.
The episode then takes us through the resulting investigation, which involved tracking down the owner of a potentially connected vehicle and speaking with numerous witnesses in the area. Despite these efforts, the case remained unsolved.
The Dateline team also speaks with Jennifer's parents, who recount the agony of not knowing what happened to their daughter. The family launched a massive campaign to raise awareness of Jennifer's case, including billboards and social media outreach.
The episode concludes with the latest developments in the case, including a new lead that yielded potentially significant evidence. While Jennifer's loved ones still wait for closure, the investigation remains ongoing.
Overall, What Happened To the Beauty Queen? offers a gripping look into a real-life mystery that has captivated both the Orlando community and the nation as a whole. With interviews from the investigators, Jennifer's family, and others involved in the case, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities that can arise in a missing person investigation.