FL FL - Nicole Ganguzza, 26, Orlando, 10 June 2008

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Deputies searching Blanchard Park for missing jogger

LINK HERE
A search is on for a woman reported missing after she went jogging in a park in east Orange County.

Sheriff's Office deputies said Nicole Ganguzza, 26, went jogging Tuesday evening at Blanchard Park -- off E. Colonial Drive and Dean Road.

Detectives said Ganguzza's black Mitsubishi Eclipse is still stationed at the park.

Her parents said she left for the park at 6 p.m., but they had not heard from her at 7 p.m. Her husband called the sheriff's office to initiate the search this morning.

Agency spokesman Jeff Williamson said the woman's parents told him that "she is a very well-organized person in a Master's program at UCF" and this incident is "very uncharacteristic of her."

More at link... Photo at link.

This is close to where I used to live :-(
 
Local Six News:
Ganguzza, who is married with no children, is currently working on completing her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling at UCF.
 
How close is this to where Jennifer Kesse went missing?
 
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-bk-missing-woman-061108,0,4514092.story

Detectives searching Blanchard Park for missing UCF student

Sarah Lundy | Sentinel Staff Writer
5:30 PM EDT, June 11, 2008
Orange County detectives have shut down all Blanchard Park jogging paths while homicide investigators search for a UCF student reported missing last night.

Investigators are expanding their search for 26-year-old Nicole Ganguzza into the neighborhoods surrounding the east Orange County park. Bloodhounds from the Lake County Sheriff's Office also are assisting in the search.

Shortly before 5 p.m., authorities hauled Ganguzza' Mitsubishi Eclipse from the park back to sheriff's office. A crime scene technician put a tennis shoe found next to her car into a brown bag.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Williamson said he would not comment on any evidence found at the park.


A press briefing is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. A separate hotline is being created to handle tips.

Sgt. Allen Lee of the Orange County Sheriff's Office said detectives "are treating this as a worst case scenario."

"Everything is in play," agency spokesman Jeff Williamson added.

"Deputies are searching four or five miles out, including businesses and surrounding neighborhoods and trails," Williamson said. Detectives are also reviewing surveillance videos from nearby convenience stores.

Investigators with the sheriff's office sex crime and K-9 units are at the scene and there are multiple deputies on bikes and horseback searching the trail.

Ganguzza went jogging at Blanchard Park on Tuesday sometime around 5:45 p.m., deputies said. Her parents had not heard from her at 7 p.m. and her husband called the sheriff's office at 9 p.m. to file a missing person's report. Deputies began their search for Ganguzza after 8:30 a.m. today.

The woman's parents told detectives that "she is a very well-organized person in a master's program at UCF" and this incident is "very uncharacteristic of her," Williamson said. Her parents also said Ganguzza is an avid runner and often jogs at Blanchard Park.

The park is located off Dean Road, just north of E. Colonial Drive. Blanchard Park is popular with families and community events. The Little Econ Greenway Trail runs through the park and is a favorite among joggers. A branch of the YMCA also is located at the park.

University of Central Florida spokesman Chad Binette said Ganguzza -- who is originally from Clifton, N.J. -- has been enrolled in the Marriage and Family Therapy master's program since Jan. 2006.

Check back for updates.

Walter Pacheco and Gabrielle Finley contributed to this report.
 
http://www.wftv.com/news/16572110/detail.html

26-Year-Old Woman Disappears While Jogging At Park


POSTED: 11:51 am EDT June 11, 2008
UPDATED: 5:29 pm EDT June 11, 2008


ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A young, newlywed woman disappeared Tuesday night while jogging along the Econ River. Deputies on horses, ATVs, airboats, and motorcycles scoured the woods Wednesday to try to find her.


Deputies want to know if the disappearance is connected to an east Orange County serial rapist who is suspected in at least two attacks in late 2006 and early 2007.

Nicole Ganguzza, 26, is an avid runner and she disappeared Tuesday night while jogging in Blanchard Park (see map). Deputies searched a large section of the trail Wednesday that runs along the Econ River.

Flyers are being handed out by sheriff's deputies who are canvassing east Orange County. They are also checking area convenience stores for surveillance video that may have captured images of Nicole. Late Wednesday afternoon, the sheriff's office brought in its mobile command unit, as they have a lot of ground to cover.


Nicole Ganguzza


Nicole disappeared after telling her family she was taking her usual jog around the park. When she didn't pick up her phone around 7:00pm Tuesday, her family became worried and called the sheriff's office.

Deputies found Nicole's car at the park near the jogging trail, but not the UCF grad student. The University of Central Florida told Eyewitness News Nicole is get her masters degree in marriage and family therapy.

"It's just out of character for her. We're treating this as the worst case scenario and hoping for the best," said Sgt. Allen Lee, Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Even as deputies searched, Nicole's family gathered at the search scene Wednesday afternoon.

So far, deputies say there are no obvious signs of fouls play, but late Wednesday afternoon a group of deputies just off the Econ River were filling evidence bags with what appeared to be clothing.

Deputies said their best clue in Nicole's disappearance is her black Mitsubishi Eclipse and anyone who may have seen her in it in the hours leading up to the disappearance.

Nicole was last seen wearing a white tank top, black shorts with a white strip and white running sneakers. She's 5-foot-4 and 130 pounds.

If you know the whereabouts of Nicole, please contact the Orange County Sheriff's Office at 407-836-HELP.


POSSIBLE LINK TO SERIAL RAPIST

Orange County detectives say Nicole's case may be linked to two other sexual assaults cases in 2006 and 2007. There are similarities in all three cases.

In October 2006, a man attacked a wife of a police officer during her morning jog. The 32-year-old was saved after a passerby saw what was happening and stepped in. Then, in January 2007, another woman was jogging on Dean Road near Rivers Trail. The suspected leaped out and tried to rape her, but she fought back, poked him in the eyes and got away.

Detectives even released a composite sketch hoping to find clues. They got a DNA sample, but they weren't able to name a suspect because there were no matches in the DNA database. The sex crime team is out checking every sex offender within a five mile radius and said they are trying to eliminate as many people as possible.
 
http://www.local6.com/news/16573208/detail.html

Missing UCF Student Prompts Search


POSTED: 1:08 pm EDT June 11, 2008
UPDATED: 5:42 pm EDT June 11, 2008


ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A search is under way for a missing 26-year-old University of Central Florida student who has not been seen since going jogging Tuesday night at an Orange County park, officials said.

Nicole Ganguzza was last seen before she went running near Blanchard Park, located off state Road 50 between Dean and Rouse roads in east Orange County, Tuesday night at about 6 p.m., Orange County sheriff’s deputies said.

"This is out of character for her, so obviously we're treating this as a worst-case scenario and hoping for the best," Orange County sheriff's Sgt. Allen Lee said.
Ganguzza was last seen wearing a white tank top and black shorts.

Deputies said Ganguzza's wallet and cell phone were located inside her car, a black Mitsubishi, which was found at the park.

Ganguzza, who is married with no children, is currently working on completing her Master's degree in marriage and family therapy and mental health counseling at UCF.

A helicopter, airboats, bloodhounds and deputies on horseback were being used in a search of the park and nearby areas.

Investigators found some clothing along the Little Econ River, but it is not known if the items are related to Ganguzza.

A rapist targeted women jogging in the same area a few years ago.

"We have our sex crimes unit out here that work those cases, they are on scene. We have all that information. Everything is being looked at at this point," Lee said.
 
http://www.wesh.com/news/16572593/detail.html

Missing Woman, 26, Sought Near Blanchard Park
Authorities Say Ganguzza Last Seen 6 p.m. Tuesday

POSTED: 12:30 pm EDT June 11, 2008
UPDATED: 5:34 pm EDT June 11, 2008


ORLANDO, Fla. -- Deputies are searching for a missing woman in Orange County Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said Nicole Ganguzza, 26, a University of Central Florida master's student in the program of Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, has been missing since 6 p.m. Tuesday. Her family said she makes routine visits to Blanchard Park near Colonial Drive and state Road 417 to jog.

Ganguzza is described as having brown eyes, brown hair, weighing 130 pounds. She is 5 feet 4 inches tall.

The last contact with Ganguzza with her family was Tuesday evening by phone and at 7 p.m. they became concerned. When she was last seen, she was wearing a white tank top, black shorts with a white stripe and running shoes.

Ganguzza's husband notified authorities and a search was launched at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

An airboat was used to search the water surrounding the park and bloodhounds were brought to help law enforcement agencies from two counties find Ganguzza. A detective and a crime scene technician also searched the townhome off Lee Vista Road near the intersection of state Road 417 where Ganguzza and her husband live, leaving with a brown paper bag. It is unknown if the bag contained evidence. A door-to-door search in the Blanchard area has also been launched. Authorities are going to convenience stores in the area to see if surveillance tape may show Ganguzza before her run.

Detectives have searched Ganguzza's black Mitsubishi convertible Eclipse that was found at the park.

About one year ago, a serial rapist was targeting white women who were jogging in this area. Authorities cannot confirm that the disappearance of Ganguzza is related, but they said the investigation is broad and all angles will be explored.

"We have notice some items that are concerning, but it's so hard to rule right now what is in play, what might not be into play," Sgt. Allen Lee of the Orange County Sheriff's Office said. "We have our sex crimes unit out here to work those cases. We do have all that information, and yes, anything and everything is being looked at this point."

Authorities said sex crimes investigators, homicide investigators and missing persons investigators are currently at the scene. Her family is also waiting along the banks of the Little Econ River.

Prior to attending UCF, Ganguzza received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Montclair State University. She has counseled individuals, couples and families in the Community Counseling Clinic at UCF. Ganguzza is also been trained in practical application of intimate relationship skills and is a marriage educator. She is from New Jersey.
 
Her body has been found, according to the above link (guess it was updated recently.)
 
englishleigh- this is on the east side of Orlando whereas Jenn was more Central Orlando. It is only about 2 or so miles from UCF. I'd say this is about a 20 minute or so drive from Jennifer Kesse's condo depending on traffic.
 
englishleigh- this is on the east side of Orlando whereas Jenn was more Central Orlando. It is only about 2 or so miles from UCF. I'd say this is about a 20 minute or so drive from Jennifer Kesse's condo depending on traffic.

Thanks.

This is so sad. Prayers to her family. I'm so angry that a young woman cannot even go running anymore in a family-oriented park!!! :furious:
 
I agree.... it is sad. I used to live literally around the corner from there. There are two enterances to the park- one is on Dean Road, the other on Rouse that I remember. I used to live in between Dean and Rouse on University.
 
This is horrible. It's not a bad area. I used to go through there to my dentist and whatnot (I lived on Alafaya trail during grad school- also UCF). It sounds from the article that this is not accidental, etc.

Here's the timeline (OCSO):
- Ganguzza went jogging at Blanchard Park on Tuesday sometime around 5:45 p.m.
-Her parents had not heard from her at 7 p.m.
-Her husband called the sheriff's office at 9 p.m. to file a missing person's report.
-Deputies began their search for Ganguzza after 8:30 a.m. today.
 
This sounds random but sure is pi$$ing off. I am tired of these innocent people being hurt by some perv. I will bet that this is another guy who had some other charges for deviant conduct and was slapped on the wrist and let go.
 
What a tragic ending...prayers for Nicole and her family.
 
Definitely in today's society, can't rule anything out, however, it does sound like this is just some SOB that took advantage of the situation of a young woman jogging alone.

Its so hard to fell any sort of safety these days.
 
It will be interesting to see what Willoughby Mariano of the Orlando Sentinel comes up with- she runs the Orlando Homicide Report Blog. Unfortunately, she's on vacation this week, but others are occasionally blogging for her.

She has blogged on the Keese case and others... she also works with the homicide map on the paper's website.

Here's a link to the blog if you want to add it to your google readers for the next month or so:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_homicide/
 

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