Kessler charged with murder in Fla.
Kimberly Kessler, a former Butler County resident who has lived under 18 aliases since 1996, was charged in Florida with the murder of a woman she used to work with at a hair salon.
Kessler, 50, was reported missing since 2004 by her mother in Connoquenessing Township. She was indicted Friday by a grand jury for the murder of Jolene Rebecca Jensen Cummings, 34.
In jail since May when she was arrested for grand theft auto under the name Jennifer Marie Sybert of Fernandina Beach, Fla., Kessler has now been charged with first-degree premeditated murder by the Nassau County sheriff’s office.
Kessler, who worked with Cummings at Tangles Hair Salon in Fernandina Beach, was arrested May 16 after surveillance video allegedly showed her parking Cummings’ car in a Home Depot parking lot during early morning hours May 13. Kessler allegedly was the last person to see Cummings alive. Cummings was reported missing May 14.
At a news conference Friday, Sheriff Bill Leeper said Kessler was still being held in the Duval County Jail, but she will have no bail on the murder charge.
The arrest was made after a grand jury was convened Friday to hear information investigators gathered about Cummings’ disappearance, Leeper said Friday.
Investigators interviewed customers who went to Tangles on the last day Cummings was seen and interviewed witnesses who saw Kessler on that day and the several days after until she was located and arrested at the rest area in St. Johns County on May 16, he said. They also interviewed Kessler’s former boyfriends and family members to get a picture of who she is.
“As I have stated before, she had gone by several aliases, living in numerous different cities in 14 different states. I’m not sure what she was hiding from, but this time she came to the wrong county and she messed with the wrong people. And hopefully she will never have the opportunity to do anything like this again,” Leeper said.
He said he believes the investigation uncovered overwhelming evidence that will lead to Kessler’s conviction, but they still haven’t found Cummings’ body.
“Finding Joleen’s body would make it even more persuasive and also bring some sort of closure for her family,” Leeper said. “Kessler is the person who knows where Joleen is and unfortunately she has not provided that information, but we will continue our efforts to search for Joleen wherever we have credible evidence and our prayers are that she will be found.”
He said he wouldn’t comment on any of the evidence collected out of concern that doing so might compromise the integrity of the evidence and prejudice jurors if the case goes to trial.
“There is a lot of evidence we have collected that has not been made public yet, but will be eventually and when it is I believe people within our community will be shocked and surprised at what occurred,” Leeper said.
He thanked residents who supported Cummings’ family during the investigation.
“I want to thank our citizens who have shown their caring hearts and assisted Joleen’s family during this tragic and difficult time. It is especially heartbreaking to know Joleen’s children will grow up without their mother,” Leeper said.
He also commended the FBI, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida State Attorney’s office and investigators from his office for their work in the investigation.
