NE NE - Jason Jolkowski, 19, Omaha, 13 Jun 2001 - #3

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I know the neighbor theory is probably the simplest explanation, but I don't know. The more I think about it, the harder time I have wrapping my head around the idea of someone just making a split second decision of luring in a grown man and killing him. None of the neighbors knew Jason would be walking at that exact time, so to just randomly see him on the street and deciding then and there to abduct him with no forethought just seems odd. And then to be able to successfully pull it off and get rid of any evidence. Just can't help but think it still relates to his schedule change somehow. This was not a normal day even before his disappearance.
 
But that's my whole point...I doubt this was a split-second thought. The guy probably had been observing him for months [ if not years ]. He must've known all his routines. From observing J earlier he'd have noticed he was home without his car. Then when he saw J walking down the street he put 2 & 2 together [ apparently J was carrying his red work shirt or something, another clue to the perp that J was on his way to work ]. I don't think it required much planning, I doubt this guy was a rocket scientist, I think he probably just got his pistol out, climbed in his car & drove after Jason. If a friend or coworker was at his place earlier that day, I guess we'd have heard about it...so I don't think it was any of them. MT if u think it wasn't a neighbor then what sort of person do u think it was?
 
MT if u think it wasn't a neighbor then what sort of person do u think it was?
I still can't shake the idea that he was communicating with someone regularly, who he either knew from the neighborhood or that he met online. If Jason was socially awkward around people, maybe he sought friends online. Perhaps someone online lived nearby, they decided to meet that day, Jason has to cancel because work called, guy shows up anyway and offers him a lift. Or again, maybe it's someone Jason already knew and had no problem getting into a car with. Not a perfect theory, but nothing really is. I still stand by my thought that there was SOMETHING in his personal life that nobody knew about that contributed to this.
 
I think we can agree the person who took Jason either knew him or knew of him. But Jason was 19 not 12...I don't think he'd have made it a secret if he had special friends or whatever. Besides that was still morning, right, wouldnt a friend have rather wanted to see him in afternoon / evening after work. So imagine Jason texts him saying "can't see u this morning I've got to go to Fazolis". No big deal. They'd just have arranged another time. Why would this friend have demanded to see him at 10AM on a Wednesday?
 
I think we can agree the person who took Jason either knew him or knew of him. But Jason was 19 not 12...I don't think he'd have made it a secret if he had special friends or whatever. Besides that was still morning, right, wouldnt a friend have rather wanted to see him in afternoon / evening after work. So imagine Jason texts him saying "can't see u this morning I've got to go to Fazolis". No big deal. They'd just have arranged another time. Why would this friend have demanded to see him at 10AM on a Wednesday?
Well he may want to hide "special friends" if that friend was maybe a same sex lover. NOT saying this is necessarily true about him, but it's easy to see that he'd want to hide that from his religious family. Not only would his family not be happy, but as a tight knit church going community, if word got out about their son, then the whole family's reputation could be ruined. Jason went to church regularly, so he was known there and word WOULD get around. Maybe the perp was even someone else from the church who didn't want word to get around. As for why someone would want to see him on a Wednesday morning... possibly a discreet married man who could only meet when the wife is at work. Maybe it was just someone who worked later and that was the only time he could meet. Jason usually started work at 5:30, so maybe this guy was in a similar situation. Unfortunately we could only speculate, but in terms of piecing questions and answers together, this is just how I see some of them fitting. Totally possible that none of this is true or even remotely close to what happened.
 
Well he may want to hide "special friends" if that friend was maybe a same sex lover. NOT saying this is necessarily true about him, but it's easy to see that he'd want to hide that from his religious family. Not only would his family not be happy, but as a tight knit church going community, if word got out about their son, then the whole family's reputation could be ruined. Jason went to church regularly, so he was known there and word WOULD get around. Maybe the perp was even someone else from the church who didn't want word to get around. As for why someone would want to see him on a Wednesday morning... possibly a discreet married man who could only meet when the wife is at work. Maybe it was just someone who worked later and that was the only time he could meet. Jason usually started work at 5:30, so maybe this guy was in a similar situation. Unfortunately we could only speculate, but in terms of piecing questions and answers together, this is just how I see some of them fitting. Totally possible that none of this is true or even remotely close to what happened.
 
JJ was said to take long walks, so perhaps as you say he was visiting someone instead, but pure speculation of course. It just doesn't strike me that he was in the throes of a relationship as you say is a possibility, IMO due to his naivety and general persona. I do think he met with foul play though, but beyond that ...???
 

I used the WayBack Machine and found Jason's profile on the radio station website from back when he was on the air. The text is hidden in the white space, so in order to read his info you have to click and highlight in the white space. Nothing super significant, but it's just some fun facts about him. One thing of interest I did note was that in his "likes" section he put Email and Internet. I definitely think he had some sort of second life online. He also says he likes making people laugh and being honest. The last instance of JJ's profile being up was Feb 2001. On March 30, 2001 his profile is gone from their site, meaning sometime in Febuary or March is when he dropped out of the program.

ETA: the link I posted only brings you to the 89.7 homepage, so when you click the link, go to the left side of the page and click on "Who's on" and then scroll the people until you see "JJ".
Hello there. I know I am late to this thread, let alone this entire case. I just joined websleuths. I am from Omaha, so I am familiar with the area and am getting up to speed on the details. I vaguely remember hearing about the disappearance of Jason in 2001, but I was a bit younger. The Wayback Machine link you posted for JJ's profile mentions he went to the same high school as members of the band 311 (westside high school). However, reports say he attended Benson high school. There was an area difference at the time, and more socioeconomic status, the difference between the two schools. Not that the details lead to anything substantial, just unsure if he didn't attend Westside High School and why he felt the need to inform individuals on his profile he did. I just came across this case on here today, so I am sorry if I repeat any questions already asked or information already posted. Does anyone know any information on who the co-worker was that was supposed to pick him up or who was his boss at the time of his employment with Fazolis? Did OPD confirm that his place of employment actually called him into work on his day off? I am trying to think of what Fazoli's he could have been employed at, I believe the one on 80th-ish, and Cass in Omaha was around in 2001. I definitely believe there could be a connection to a second life on the internet, but I was trying to think of what video games/computer games were popular during that time. Legend of Zelda, Madden, SIMS? I know I am forgetting a ton, but I can't imagine those being the ones who communicate with the outside world, once again I could be wrong. I know Myspace was not out until 2003 and Facebook was not out until 2004, so maybe he used AOL, YAHOO, and MSN chatrooms. I noticed in his profile posted on The Wayback Machine the format he kind of laid out his information was in the A/S/L sequence. If you were in chatrooms in the 90s, that was a definite point brought up almost immediately when chatting with someone new online. I have read information saying he was born in Grand Island, but have not found anything that states when he and his family moved to Omaha, could there be a connection to Grand Island? (probably not just fishing here). The last thing I noticed when reading articles and details was his parents noticed, that "he had a mild learning disability related to speech and language." Otherwise, he was described as having above-average intelligence. I don't know if there is more to this or if it is just an inflection of his introverted-ness and shyness. Did his speech inhibit others to understand him at times? Or make it difficult to understand some speech, which may make it difficult for him at times to speak up if something was wrong? I am totally fetching here, but I am shocked by the fact there is nothing on Jason, especially as to where he was last spotted and the time frame.
 
JJ was said to take long walks, so perhaps as you say he was visiting someone instead, but pure speculation of course. It just doesn't strike me that he was in the throes of a relationship as you say is a possibility, IMO due to his naivety and general persona. I do think he met with foul play though, but beyond that ...???
I do think foul play is a component of this case as well, it is shocking how nothing has been found on him in over 20-years.
 
Hello there. I know I am late to this thread, let alone this entire case. I just joined websleuths. I am from Omaha, so I am familiar with the area and am getting up to speed on the details. I vaguely remember hearing about the disappearance of Jason in 2001, but I was a bit younger. The Wayback Machine link you posted for JJ's profile mentions he went to the same high school as members of the band 311 (westside high school). However, reports say he attended Benson high school. There was an area difference at the time, and more socioeconomic status, the difference between the two schools. Not that the details lead to anything substantial, just unsure if he didn't attend Westside High School and why he felt the need to inform individuals on his profile he did. I just came across this case on here today, so I am sorry if I repeat any questions already asked or information already posted. Does anyone know any information on who the co-worker was that was supposed to pick him up or who was his boss at the time of his employment with Fazolis? Did OPD confirm that his place of employment actually called him into work on his day off? I am trying to think of what Fazoli's he could have been employed at, I believe the one on 80th-ish, and Cass in Omaha was around in 2001. I definitely believe there could be a connection to a second life on the internet, but I was trying to think of what video games/computer games were popular during that time. Legend of Zelda, Madden, SIMS? I know I am forgetting a ton, but I can't imagine those being the ones who communicate with the outside world, once again I could be wrong. I know Myspace was not out until 2003 and Facebook was not out until 2004, so maybe he used AOL, YAHOO, and MSN chatrooms. I noticed in his profile posted on The Wayback Machine the format he kind of laid out his information was in the A/S/L sequence. If you were in chatrooms in the 90s, that was a definite point brought up almost immediately when chatting with someone new online. I have read information saying he was born in Grand Island, but have not found anything that states when he and his family moved to Omaha, could there be a connection to Grand Island? (probably not just fishing here). The last thing I noticed when reading articles and details was his parents noticed, that "he had a mild learning disability related to speech and language." Otherwise, he was described as having above-average intelligence. I don't know if there is more to this or if it is just an inflection of his introverted-ness and shyness. Did his speech inhibit others to understand him at times? Or make it difficult to understand some speech, which may make it difficult for him at times to speak up if something was wrong? I am totally fetching here, but I am shocked by the fact there is nothing on Jason, especially as to where he was last spotted and the time frame.
I'll try to break down some of your questions and answer them:

1) Jason attended Westside for Freshman and Sophomore year of HS, and transferred to Benson his Junior year due to bullying (his mother mentioned this in a podcast interview)

2) Everyone at Fazoli's was supposedly interviewed and it was confirmed by his boss that he was in fact due in at that time. It was the Fazoli's on 80th and Cass.

3)I definitely think chatrooms is where he would have spent his time

4) He moved away from Grand Island when he was like 8-10ish? not sure exactly but he was young.

5) Not sure of the extent of his disablity, but from what others who knew him have said, it seems more just to come across as shy and a little awkward. Even if he was "slower" thinking-wise, he was clearly still functioning.
 
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Jason probably was taken by a neighbor but maybe one further down the street [ this was always my initial feeling ]. If he was known to take long walks, this is new info to me and thickens the plot. So let's say someone further down the street saw him walking a few times or often. Then saw him again on the fateful Wednesday. Then invited him in with a ruse and a baseball bat. My guess is someone was probably really drunk, a morning liquor binge, saw this beautiful young man Jason walk past through their blurry drunkenness. And in that moment of poor judgment & lust they thought "Well I'm just gonna do this now". I think we should not immediately assume J was a homosexual man. We don't know any of that :) Besides if he had a gay male lover he didn't need to introduce him as "My Gay Male Lover". If he just said "my friend" people wouldve believed that I'm sure.
 
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Jason probably was taken by a neighbor but maybe one further down the street [ this was always my initial feeling ]. If he was known to take long walks, this is new info to me and thickens the plot. So let's say someone further down the street saw him walking a few times or often. Then saw him again on the fateful Wednesday. Then invited him in with a ruse and a baseball bat. My guess is someone was probably really drunk, a morning liquor binge, saw this beautiful young man Jason walk past through their blurry drunkenness. And in that moment of poor judgment & lust they thought "Well I'm just gonna do this now". I think we should not immediately assume J was a homosexual man. We don't know any of that :) Besides if he had a gay male lover he didn't need to introduce him as "My Gay Male Lover". If he just said "my friend" people wouldve believed that I'm sure.
Is there anything that would imply why someone would assume his sexuality? I am unsure if someone of his intelligence, per report, could be lured into tricking him? Maybe an unexpected attack? But, I would assume some sort of evidence could have been left. I often have wondered if this happened to be a crime of opportunity, but for what? Attempted to rob him? Or like you mentioned with a sexual motivation?
 
I'll try to break down some of your questions and answer them:

1) Jason attended Westside for Freshman and Sophomore year of HS, and transferred to Benson his Junior year due to bullying (his mother mentioned this in a podcast interview)

2) Everyone at Fazoli's was supposedly interviewed and it was confirmed by his boss that he was in fact due in at that time. It was the Fazoli's on 80th and Cass.

3)I definitely think chatrooms is where he would have spent his time

4) He moved away from Grand Island when he was like 8-10ish? not sure exactly but he was young.

5) Not sure of the extent of his disablity, but from what others who knew him have said, it seems more just to come across as shy and a little awkward. Even if he was "slower" thinking-wise, he was clearly still functioning.
Thank you for this. I appreciate you taking the time to clarify some things for me. That is disheartening to hear about the bullying that occurred at Westside, still makes me wonder why he would reference his high school experience there and not Benson. Did he live in the same area when he went to Westside? ( I guess I should try and find out ha) This case is disheartening, to say the least. The fact it was assumed a runaway is very puzzling, considering his age, he had a job, and a car, and had attended or was attending college. Do you know or know of any information on the co-workers at Fazoli's? Or was that not public information? I am not sure if Benson High would have had outdoor cameras at the time, I know I read something pertaining to the fact they had checked the cameras at the school he attended and never showed up. I am assuming that was IWCC at the time. I know it was 20 years ago, but I wonder if high schools started adding cameras at least outside cameras after the 1999 Columbine incident. If so, makes you wonder if there was how far it would pick up if he was headed in that direction.
 
He did go missing on the one day he walked. I mean that is kind of odd. Obviously it was a neighbor that watched him. I can't decide if the neighbor lured him into a house with a baseball bat, or drove after him when he saw him walking. As a 6'2 male he probably had no fear getting into the guy's car. Likely it was an older man too like a little grandpa & he thought "oh what could this dude really do to me." Possibly even he thought it was a really polite gesture and didnt want to seem rude by declining. Then the man likely made a detour claiming he needed to pick up his wife or something. I guess the guy had nothing to lose... offering a ride as a friendly old neighbor who was just on their way to the supermarket or something, really wouldn't have come off as that suspicious. If Jason declined the ride & walked on he would likely not have given it a second thought. He'd not have been thinking "oh that guy's probably a predator".
I agree his height would make it more likely that an abduction would be more difficult. I just find the intention behind his actions not likely. He is last seen taking out trash cans and headed in the direction of Benson High School. His intention walking towards Benson High School was to meet a co-worker, who was picking him up and giving him a ride to work. His boss knew he was coming into work on his day off and his intention as far as it seemed after dealing with the trashcans was to head towards Benson High School to get a ride to work. I find it odd that he would knowingly get into someone's car even without fear, knowing his co-worker may be waiting for him at Benson to go to work together? Even if it was a neighbor, based on the description of his behavior being extremely shy and introverted would lead me to believe he would be less than likely to oblige to getting into a vehicle without being forced. If his intention was to go to work, as he was carrying a work shirt with him, I can't imagine him voluntarily making plans to meet up with anyone beforehand in such a short time frame. I am just pondering here. I know in certain parts of Omaha there are less than desirable parts of town, at periods of time that area had been known for higher crime rates, even in 2001, so the opportunity of crime could have been a stranger's motive? I just think someone who knew him or knew his schedule for the day to some extent would not have chosen to hang out in such a short time frame. Do I think it could be someone he knew? Definitely a possibility for sure. A former classmate who bullied him at Westside? Someone he met online and discussed location and where he was headed? Maybe someone he previously had met online and did not want to continue engaging in any form of a relationship with online or in person could have been upset and potentially "stalking him"? I am just fetching here.
 
Hello there. I know I am late to this thread, let alone this entire case. I just joined websleuths. I am from Omaha, so I am familiar with the area and am getting up to speed on the details. I vaguely remember hearing about the disappearance of Jason in 2001, but I was a bit younger. The Wayback Machine link you posted for JJ's profile mentions he went to the same high school as members of the band 311 (westside high school). However, reports say he attended Benson high school. There was an area difference at the time, and more socioeconomic status, the difference between the two schools. Not that the details lead to anything substantial, just unsure if he didn't attend Westside High School and why he felt the need to inform individuals on his profile he did. I just came across this case on here today, so I am sorry if I repeat any questions already asked or information already posted. Does anyone know any information on who the co-worker was that was supposed to pick him up or who was his boss at the time of his employment with Fazolis? Did OPD confirm that his place of employment actually called him into work on his day off? I am trying to think of what Fazoli's he could have been employed at, I believe the one on 80th-ish, and Cass in Omaha was around in 2001. I definitely believe there could be a connection to a second life on the internet, but I was trying to think of what video games/computer games were popular during that time. Legend of Zelda, Madden, SIMS? I know I am forgetting a ton, but I can't imagine those being the ones who communicate with the outside world, once again I could be wrong. I know Myspace was not out until 2003 and Facebook was not out until 2004, so maybe he used AOL, YAHOO, and MSN chatrooms. I noticed in his profile posted on The Wayback Machine the format he kind of laid out his information was in the A/S/L sequence. If you were in chatrooms in the 90s, that was a definite point brought up almost immediately when chatting with someone new online. I have read information saying he was born in Grand Island, but have not found anything that states when he and his family moved to Omaha, could there be a connection to Grand Island? (probably not just fishing here). The last thing I noticed when reading articles and details was his parents noticed, that "he had a mild learning disability related to speech and language." Otherwise, he was described as having above-average intelligence. I don't know if there is more to this or if it is just an inflection of his introverted-ness and shyness. Did his speech inhibit others to understand him at times? Or make it difficult to understand some speech, which may make it difficult for him at times to speak up if something was wrong? I am totally fetching here, but I am shocked by the fact there is nothing on Jason, especially as to where he was last spotted and the time frame.
Thank you for joining us here. I am sure Matthew Tyler can answer all your questions, and I see he already has ;)
I am going to go ahead and look up the name of the Detective who has been having a 'second look' at his case and twittered about it and asking people for further info, if I can find it again. I want to write at least to see if there is anything at all he can tell us that is new and invite him here. I know it is a longshot that he will respond, and say anything at all here or to me. But just to let him know we are following this case here avidly. The 'new' Detective started looking at the case of JJ again in 2018. (I like to call him that as I can imagine him using that as his future radio persona :)
 
Thank you for joining us here. I am sure Matthew Tyler can answer all your questions, and I see he already has ;)
I am going to go ahead and look up the name of the Detective who has been having a 'second look' at his case and twittered about it and asking people for further info, if I can find it again. I want to write at least to see if there is anything at all he can tell us that is new and invite him here. I know it is a longshot that he will respond, and say anything at all here or to me. But just to let him know we are following this case here avidly. The 'new' Detective started looking at the case of JJ again in 2018. (I like to call him that as I can imagine him using that as his future radio persona :)
Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate the reply and the information. I am saddened I did not join the site sooner. Hopefully, there will be more information that surfaces with fresh sets of eyes and all of us who are internally nosey haha.
 
I am going to go ahead and look up the name of the Detective who has been having a 'second look' at his case and twittered about it and asking people for further info, if I can find it again.
Det. Dave Schneider. I didn't see his Twitter, but if you type in that name with "Omaha PD" his linkedin pops up.
 
Det. Dave Schneider. I didn't see his Twitter, but if you type in that name with "Omaha PD" his linkedin pops up.
thank you! I am wondering how many in here following Jason's disappearance are from the Omaha area as well? Or have lived in Nebraska? I know I was almost in high school when he went missing, but I just can't believe there is nothing found on him. Literally, poof. Disappeared. So disheartening.
 
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