NE NE - Jason Jolkowski, 19, Omaha, 13 June 2001 - #2

[Nick_1]

Jason's mother and founder of 'Project Jason' (which is now defunct by the looks of it).

That’s what I thought. Thank you.

 

[Patrick Thomas]

<modsnip - quoted post and reference to it removed> When I think about Jasons disappearance through the context of his last speech, it seems like it's someone from his church. Almost as if Jason had a moment of precognition without realizing it. Real life foreshadowing

 

[MatthewTyler]

<modsnip - quoted post removed>

The church was only half a mile from their house, so I wouldn't be surprised if many of the neighbors attended that same church as them. Could have been someone eyeballing Jason while he was giving the readings. I don't know if I would call it precognition but definitely an eerie coincidence. Though a lot of Bible verses tend to be about suffering lol

 

[ekardh]

<modsnip - quoted post and response to it removed>
It's a shame that Kelly won't engage with us. It's been over 17 years without any movement on this case. What has she got to lose?

 

[Sillybilly]

Do NOT sleuth and post information about random individuals who are not the victim or an officially named POI/suspect.

Please read The Rules.

Excerpt from The Rules: Etiquette & Information

Make sure you "Click to Expand" on the following excerpt.

VICTIM FRIENDLY

Websleuths is a victim friendly forum. Attacking or bashing a victim is not allowed. Discussing victim behavior, good or bad is fine, but do so in a civil and constructive way, and only when such behavior is relevant to the case.

The "victim friendly" rule extends to the family members of victims and suspects. Sleuthing family members, friends, and others who have not been designated as suspects is not allowed. Don't make random accusations, suggest their involvement, nor bash and attack them. Posting their personal information, including names, addresses, and background data -- even if it is public -- is not allowed. That does not mean, however, that statements made by family members and other third parties cannot come into discussion as the facts of the case are reported in the media.

Thank you.

 

[BethAnn777]

Bumping up for Jason. I hope this mystery will be solved soon.

 

[Nick_1]

The residents of each neighboring home were thoroughly investigated. Many were interviewed again, a couple years later. From everything I can remember, the neighbors were examined numerous times. Just nothing there.

Bumping to keep this case active.

 

[MatthewTyler]

The residents of each neighboring home were thoroughly investigated. Many were interviewed again, a couple years later. From everything I can remember, the neighbors were examined numerous times. Just nothing there.

Bumping to keep this case active.

Possibly, yeah. But how many times has it happened during investigations where someone who was originally cleared later turned out to be guilty? The perp had about 10 days to hide everything and come up with a story. <modsnip - accusing non-POI>

 

[Vital Forces]

The residents of each neighboring home were thoroughly investigated. Many were interviewed again, a couple years later. From everything I can remember, the neighbors were examined numerous times. Just nothing there.

Have you been following the case since 2001, or did you come across it much later?

 

[ekardh]

Possibly, yeah. But how many times has it happened during investigations where someone who was originally cleared later turned out to be guilty? The perp had about 10 days to hide everything and come up with a story.

Too true. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

<modsnip - discussing PMs>

 

[Vital Forces]

This thread has taught me never to speak to the media in the event that any acquaintance or neighbor is ever a victim of a crime. <modsnip - discussing posts which should be reported>

 

[MatthewTyler]

This thread has taught me never to speak to the media in the event that any acquaintance or neighbor is ever a victim of a crime. <modsnip - discussing posts which should be reported>

In a case like this, with zero clues or even a real starting point, I don't think it's completely unreasonable to suspect someone in the immediate area or someone who knew his schedule and when he'd be walking. <modsnip - reference to snipped part of quoted post> Where else could people give ideas and theories if not here?

 

[Vital Forces]

In a case like this, with zero clues or even a real starting point, I don't think it's completely unreasonable to suspect someone in the immediate area or someone who knew his schedule and when he'd be walking. <modsnip - reference to snipped part of quoted post> Where else could people give ideas and theories if not here?

I am not an attorney, but a little bit about the criminal justice process.

"Ideas and theories" must be based on witness accounts, motives, physical evidence and other real connections between people and the crime. Otherwise, it's a baseless accusation.

If your neighbor disappeared and fifteen years later someone speculated online about your supposed involvement (including posting a great deal of your personal information) with no evidence or links, you'd be calling a lawyer and suing for that person for libel. You'd likely win the case, especially if you showed it caused you harm.

A prosecutor who says to the jury "she was a co-worker" or "he was a neighbor" as "evidence" of criminal conduct would not only fail to get a conviction but would be disbarred for unethical conduct and incompetence.

 

[Whiskers16]

Do NOT sleuth and post information about random individuals who are not the victim or an officially named POI/suspect.

Please read The Rules.

Excerpt from The Rules: Etiquette & Information

Make sure you "Click to Expand" on the following excerpt.

Thank you.

Bumping sillybilly's warning. Choosing not to comply with TOS may earn you a "timeout" from posting, at the discretion of the moderator. Thank you.

 

[studebkr]

A member of this forum found me on my youtube channel and had questions about a post I made a while back. I’m not sure if I made it here or on Reddit. It was explained that there were still many people interested in this case and looking for information about the neighborhood.


I lived at 3350 N 47th Ave, Omaha, NE 68104 from 1998 to 2004. I rented the house out for a couple years after that. I encourage you to look that up on google maps. The Jolkowski house was behind my house to the West. Enough distance, that I didn’t get to know them very well. My parents knew them better through Saint Vincent De Paul, each representing their own parish.


The Holy Name neighborhood is quite interesting and diverse. Some of it was built at the turn of the century. My house about 1911. Other frame houses were built later. The Holy Name parish bought many of these houses over the 1980’s and 90’s to renovate and sell back to young couples to try and keep the membership up in their church. The left what we called an “Oasis” of nice housing in an otherwise declining neighborhood. You only had to travel about 4 blocks to witness gang violence. Most of it, on the other side of Fontenelle Blvd to the East.


2001 was a year full of news as you all know. We had two bad hail storms that spring and I had to replace my Nissan, and Jason had to put his Honda in the shop which is why he needed a ride to work that day. (this was in the news) I know it was a Honda because it sadly sat in the driveway for quite a while after he disappeared. Oddly, I did not hear about his disappearance right away. My parents asked me about it. No investigator came to ask me or my son about it. I thought that odd living behind them, but Benson High School was the other direction and maybe they focused to the West.


I worked with Jason’s uncle Ken at a telemarketing company called SITEL. Jason had been accepted for a job there and was supposed to start when his two week notice was complete at Fazzoli’s. He has also secured a positon at Iowa Western’s radio station. I think as a DJ. Ken has a son who looks very much like Jason and it would cause “sightings” from time to time in Lincoln, NE where he was going to school.


Things I have heard. Consider them rumors.


Jason had a learning disability. I’m guessing an ADD or dyslexia sort of thing because he seemed OK otherwise.

He was tall. I still have a hard time picturing anyone forcing him into a car.

His parents, especially his father were very religious. If you have seen the website they put up, you would see this. I am Catholic, but they were very Catholic. There were rumors that his dad was encouraging him to join the seminary.

They were quiet neighbors, and nice people. I remember them running up the hill to push my car out of the snow earlier that winter.


My son, though 4 years younger walked the same route to school until he had a car. (which I got for him because of this) Until then, I had never worried. It’s hard to imagine something happening without witnesses. This was June. School was out, and the people in that neighborhood are outdoors.


This has always led me to wonder if Jason was a runaway. The news reported that there was no activity on his phone or bank account, if he did, I would think that he would leave a blip somewhere, but maybe he had help?

 

[studebkr]

Continued…

Other thoughts had come to me over the years. The house just across the street from me at 3345 N 47th Ave had a suicide the fall of 2001. I do not remember the man’s name. I do not know if they rented or had purchased. I believe they were renters. At the time of the suicide the man’s family had moved out, and he had been living there alone. He asphyxiated himself in the garage. This does not make the man a suspect, but if you are looking for mentally unstable people that lived close by, there was something a little off about this guy.

The other thing that bothered me was, at this time, the city had the entire neighborhood tore up for a sewer renovation project. Quite a few years back we had a missing persons case in Carter Lake, NE where the body of Mary Kay Harmer had been shoved down a manhole only to be found years later. They always had a suspect in this case, however. Still, I am haunted by the idea that someone could have used one of these open sewers to hide evidence, not to be found for years.

 

[dotr]

Continued…

Other thoughts had come to me over the years. The house just across the street from me at 3345 N 47th Ave had a suicide the fall of 2001. I do not remember the man’s name. I do not know if they rented or had purchased. I believe they were renters. At the time of the suicide the man’s family had moved out, and he had been living there alone. He asphyxiated himself in the garage. This does not make the man a suspect, but if you are looking for mentally unstable people that lived close by, there was something a little off about this guy.

The other thing that bothered me was, at this time, the city had the entire neighborhood tore up for a sewer renovation project. Quite a few years back we had a missing persons case in Carter Lake, NE where the body of Mary Kay Harmer had been shoved down a manhole only to be found years later. They always had a suspect in this case, however. Still, I am haunted by the idea that someone could have used one of these open sewers to hide evidence, not to be found for years.

Welcome to Ws studebkr, thanks for that awesome, interesting and informative post!
Wondering if you are familiar with the case of another young man missing from the area at approx the same time as Jason's disappearance, there is not much info. about him, not even a pic. ?
NE - NE - Samuel Sherman, 19, Omaha, 19 July 2001

 

[MatthewTyler]

A member of this forum found me on my youtube channel and had questions about a post I made a while back. I’m not sure if I made it here or on Reddit. It was explained that there were still many people interested in this case and looking for information about the neighborhood.


I lived at 3350 N 47th Ave, Omaha, NE 68104 from 1998 to 2004. I rented the house out for a couple years after that. I encourage you to look that up on google maps. The Jolkowski house was behind my house to the West. Enough distance, that I didn’t get to know them very well. My parents knew them better through Saint Vincent De Paul, each representing their own parish.


The Holy Name neighborhood is quite interesting and diverse. Some of it was built at the turn of the century. My house about 1911. Other frame houses were built later. The Holy Name parish bought many of these houses over the 1980’s and 90’s to renovate and sell back to young couples to try and keep the membership up in their church. The left what we called an “Oasis” of nice housing in an otherwise declining neighborhood. You only had to travel about 4 blocks to witness gang violence. Most of it, on the other side of Fontenelle Blvd to the East.


2001 was a year full of news as you all know. We had two bad hail storms that spring and I had to replace my Nissan, and Jason had to put his Honda in the shop which is why he needed a ride to work that day. (this was in the news) I know it was a Honda because it sadly sat in the driveway for quite a while after he disappeared. Oddly, I did not hear about his disappearance right away. My parents asked me about it. No investigator came to ask me or my son about it. I thought that odd living behind them, but Benson High School was the other direction and maybe they focused to the West.


I worked with Jason’s uncle Ken at a telemarketing company called SITEL. Jason had been accepted for a job there and was supposed to start when his two week notice was complete at Fazzoli’s. He has also secured a positon at Iowa Western’s radio station. I think as a DJ. Ken has a son who looks very much like Jason and it would cause “sightings” from time to time in Lincoln, NE where he was going to school.


Things I have heard. Consider them rumors.


Jason had a learning disability. I’m guessing an ADD or dyslexia sort of thing because he seemed OK otherwise.

He was tall. I still have a hard time picturing anyone forcing him into a car.

His parents, especially his father were very religious. If you have seen the website they put up, you would see this. I am Catholic, but they were very Catholic. There were rumors that his dad was encouraging him to join the seminary.

They were quiet neighbors, and nice people. I remember them running up the hill to push my car out of the snow earlier that winter.


My son, though 4 years younger walked the same route to school until he had a car. (which I got for him because of this) Until then, I had never worried. It’s hard to imagine something happening without witnesses. This was June. School was out, and the people in that neighborhood are outdoors.


This has always led me to wonder if Jason was a runaway. The news reported that there was no activity on his phone or bank account, if he did, I would think that he would leave a blip somewhere, but maybe he had help?

Thank you for all the insight! It's great hearing from someone who, admittedly, had been a suspect of mine (for no other reason than sheer proximity). Great respect for coming on and saying what you know. This case always goes frustratingly cold quickly because of so few things to go on. However, 4 new things you said really stuck out:
1) Jason was (rumored) to be pushed into the seminary. Gives some insight on why he may have wanted to get away. I don't, however, believe that's what happened but still very interesting.
2) The neighbor committing suicide. I did a quick search through property records online and actually found the man's name. However, he actually died in Fall 2002. Not a huge difference but if it had anything to do with guilt then he certainly let it eat at him for awhile. But like you said, that doesn't make him a suspect and it's not like he can go on trial now anyways.
3) The construction going on in the sewers. This opens up a question that has been asked numerous times on here: was there construction going on? This is important because it not only provides places for a perp to stow a body, but also could possibly open up theories of potential accidents if Jason were to misstep and get stuck in some crevice. We assume that just because it's a short suburban walk that he was not on course for any obstacles, but if the streets were truly torn up with construction then that changes that notion.
4) The police did not question you or anyone else on your side. This seems extremely strange to me. We already know, by Kelly's own words, that it took them 10 days to even begin investigating at all. I really am not sure how to feel about the Omaha PD. Just from what I've heard on how they handled this case, they really seemed to have incompetently dropped the ball.
We do know that a neighbor's house was searched, but I suppose then that it's not anyone near you. I'm curious as to why this one particular house got searched.

 

[studebkr]

Welcome to Ws studebkr, thanks for that awesome, interesting and informative post!
Wondering if you are familiar with the case of another young man missing from the area at approx the same time as Jason's disappearance, there is not much info. about him, not even a pic. ?
NE - NE - Samuel Sherman, 19, Omaha, 19 July 2001

I only know what I have read here about Samuel. Funny it did not have the same press that this case received. Then again, its usually the family that pushes for that.

 

[studebkr]

2) The neighbor committing suicide. I did a quick search through property records online and actually found the man's name. However, he actually died in Fall 2002. Not a huge difference but if it had anything to do with guilt then he certainly let it eat at him for awhile. But like you said, that doesn't make him a suspect and it's not like he can go on trial now anyways.

Sorry, I got my neighbor mixed up with another guy on that end of town that died the same way a month after 911. His name was Eric Barnes. I can't find his address any longer. He was in his 40's and lived with his mother.