Undetermined - Hope | 9

Episode Date: January 31, 2023

When the year 2021 rolled around, it had been more than 500 days since Jessica death. Her case remained unsolved, and her body remained at the morgue. But the next several months would leave Jessica��s family with more hope than ever before. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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horror story. I don't even know how to explain it. Hidden in the redwoods of the Pacific Northwest, Hupa Valley grapples with a crisis, a series of unsolved disappearances spanning decades. And we've been hearing about a lot of them. I've been following your new season about Ashley Lawrence. I'm sure you may have been contacted. We're talking about the name of Alia Heavy Runner. Many of the missing and murdered are indigenous persons. And we wondered what factors make this tribal land a place

where people just vanish. So we started looking into it. People seem to be very hesitant to come forward because they're scared for their own safety. You don't know if she was trafficked, you don't know if she is murdered. What's even more crazy is that person who ever did it is probably someone we all know here. From Tenderfoot TV, I'm Celicia Stanton, and this is the vanishing point, an up and vanish series. Available now, listen for free on Apple Podcasts.

Hey listeners, Jessica here. Be sure to check out new episodes of Undetermined, every Tuesday, for free, wherever you get your podcasts. For early and ad-free listening, check out Tenderfoot Plus on Apple Podcasts. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals interviewed and participating in the show and do not represent those of Tenderfoot TV and resonate recordings. All individuals described or mentioned in the podcast should be considered innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

This podcast contains subject matter, such as violence and graphic descriptions, which may not be suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised. Jessica Sister Audrey has never forgotten a sit-down she had with three NOPD detectives back in January 2020, a meeting that lit a fire in her which still burns to this day. So in this meeting, they told me and my dad that it was a cold case and that there was nothing that homicide could do about it. And I got really upset and I slammed my fist down on the table. I stood up and I said, how can it possibly be a cold case?

And then that was really just about all of it because by that time I was just like, I'm done. I'm fucking done. This means more. Growing up, Audrey was always the self-proclaimed rebel out of the three sisters, the one who spoke out, stood out, and stood up. And since Jessica's death in 2019, Audrey's been a rebel with a cause, because getting justice for her Jessica, no matter what it takes. It's just a fucked up situation. And it has me questioning life and just everything in general. We were always taught, you know, if you need help, then you ask the cops for help.

But this is just open my eyes and it's like they're not doing anything. Why would we... how can we even trust someone that's not even doing their job? Believe it or not, Audrey has actually been fighting two separate battles since losing Jessica. One, of course, with the NOPD over the lack of resolution in her sister's case, but another with the coroner's office over her sister's remains, which have been stuck there since her family discovered her body on August 22nd, 2018. But come early 2021, the family was finally given some hope. Though for Audrey, this still left one unnerving question. I felt like, oh my god, finally, they're releasing her to us. But then I was also upset because I was like, well,

why did they give him 530 days before they actually told us we could have her? Metrolinx and Crosslinx are reminding everyone to be careful as Eglinton Cross-Town LRT train testing is in progress. Please be alert, as trains can pass at any time on the tracks. Remember to follow all traffic signals. Be careful along our tracks and only make left turns where it's safe to do so. Be alert, be aware, and stay safe. sportsmarts to make PIX live on the players and teams you're watching. And qualified bets can use our early cash out feature, so you could take your winnings to play live Blackjack on the same points bet app.

The platform that gives you everything you need. You know what to do. Bet on it. Point Spets Sportsbook and Casino. Inside Jessica's mother's home, there's a memorial set up on a table. White angels perched on wooden pedestals, keep watch over a photo of Jessica that's placed inside a small Bible, propped open, along with a white tapered candle, standing tall and a gold holder. A silver and white pearl rosary is draped nearby.

All of it centered around a glass cross, which sits on top of Jessica's round marble urn, with stars and a large crescent moon etched on the top for her love of astrology and celestial beauty. It reads, Jessica Renee Easterly, Heaven's Melody, Starlit Cosmic Dancer Crossing the Universe, Born August 17, 1976, deceased August 22, 2019. Many loved ones have written their memories of Jessica in an online obituary, like her best friend Maria whom Jessica called Lowe, who wrote,

I don't know how to accept this theft of light from the world. I miss you like crazy. I hear the music you send me. I love you always and forever." And our mother Donna, who wrote, "...You are worth every day, every prayer, every fear and every tear I shed, those four months in bed waiting for you to grow to term. I love you Jessica Easterly."

Audrey thinks about her younger sister, Jessica, every single day. Inside her home hangs a beautiful silver wind chime that Jessica had given to her. It reminds Audrey of her sister each time a gentle breeze passes through. The top is a full sun linked to a series of metal chimes holding all the pieces together. Dengling by thin wire just below the chimes is a moon holding a star. Audrey remembers the day Jessica bought it and she told Audrey that it reminded her of the bond they shared, the two even had matching astrology theme tattoos. Audrey with a son and Jessica with the moon and a star. It's the wind chime blowing softly in the southern breeze,

each time Audrey opens the door that reminds her family with every twist and turn throughout Jessica's story there's a reason, a purpose. Take Jessica's ear, there was a reason, a purpose. Take Jessica's urn, for example, the one in the middle of that elaborate memorial back to her mother's house, a symbol of closure. But for this family, so much more than that.

Jessica may be at rest and at home now, where she should be, but she didn't get there through normal circumstances, Not even close. I'll explain. From August, 2019 to February, 2021, Jessica's body sat in the morgue, unclaimed. Throughout that time, Audrey remained persistent with the coroner's office, but ultimately, it was out of her control. The family was stuck, hopeless. Not only was Jessica's case in Limbo, Jessica herself was also in Limbo. That was until January of 2021, when out of the blue, Audrey received a call she'd been waiting on

for a long time. So January 5th, the corner called me and asked me if my name was Audra Schmidt and I said yes. And I said, can we have Jessica? He said, well, he goes, I'm going to have to make it legal and send Justin legal notices. I was like, okay, I was like, well, can you give me a timeline? He said, I cannot give you a timeline. Fortunately for Audrey, it didn't take long to hear something more definitive. She remembers the wave of emotions, excitement, of course,

but she felt conflicted. I felt like, oh my God, finally, they're releasing her to us. But then I was also upset because I was like, well, Hackemit took 530 days. Why did they give him 530 days before they actually told us we could have her. Audrey immediately reached out to her cousin Doug, who, if you remember, works in the funeral home industry. It took about what a year and five months before the chain of custody moved to the next link. And that was a bittersweet moment

because right of custody and right of disposition are two different things. And it was both frustrating and in a relief at the same time because it's still left open for one important variable because naturally the next of Ken would still be Justin, he's the spouse. But we had to try to make attempts to contact him throughout a 10-day period in order to see if there's any objection on his part before the next next akin which is Jessica's mom can take the right of disposition and that was a hard 10 days because you just don't know. We didn't know

if he was going to object and he did not. 10 days passed, on the 11th day, we made arrangements for Louisiana funeral home to drive, to pick her up. After 530 days at the coroner's office, Jessica was finally coming home. As Audrey made arrangements to pick up Jessica's body from the coroner's office, she had just one important request. When she told me that, hey, you know, I have custody and I want to get a second autopsy, I immediately asked one of my bomber co-workers and friends.

I said, Hey, man, they said that there's not much left to do an autopsy. You know, she's been in a cooler. She wasn't involved for a year and five months, he said, and he was able to paint a picture for me of what to expect at that level of decom. The picture he described to Doug was disturbing to say the least, but it at least left room for optimism when it came to the possibility of a second autopsy. But when they finally received her remains. It was a little box of bones

and they looked like they were perfectly cleaned, organized in a box. Complete opposite of what I was expecting from these guys who have been doing this upwards of 20 years, they couldn't explain why it was a box of bones. They say, so did y'all want this thing like cleaned and organized or something?

We didn't give them any instruction to do any of that. We didn't even know that was an option. And that is one question, the biggest question I have, just because of my profession, what did y'all do to these remains to reduce it to this? Because from what I understand, this is not a normal thing. It blew my mind because I'm like, I work here. I've personally gone and picked up people who have been sitting in and corners off as medical examers or his crime labs in Jackson,

that have been there for a long time, and they're still intact. But decombs obviously still happens. Never seeing it like that, absolutely not. Business notifications out of hand, Thrive Command Center keeps your customer emails, texts, and social messages all in one place so you never miss a message. Small business runs better on Thrive. Get it free today at thrivethrivy.ca. Terms and conditions apply.

Free plans have limited functionality. I didn't understand that people go missing this way. It's a very odd thing. You have no idea what it's like to lose a human being on your watch. Gary DeVore was an A-list screenwriter who disappeared without a trace in 1997. I had the biggest action stars in Hollywood searching for my husband. But nobody really knows what happened. We try to find out on witness Vade to Black, available now wherever you get your podcasts.

Bones. That's all that was left of Jessica. To make matters worse, no further medical examinations can ever be performed on her body. No more answers when it comes to her death, at least not from a medical perspective. The unfortunate news was like a punch in the gut for Audrey, who was really hinging on the idea of a second autopsy. But she did her best to remain strong

and focused on the positive. At this point, she was ready to bring her sister home. In a February 2, 2021, she and Doug made the drive to New Orleans to do just that. That was the first victory in all of this. The first of this whole chain of events, this whole discovery, this whole thing. That was the one thing, only because it relied on him being the exact person that he is, to not be smart enough to say, I can object and then they can't do anything. Well, that's exactly what we were hoping, what happened,

because it was a very real possibility. He had a very important card that he didn't play. We're thankful he didn't do it. This was the family's first real triumph. They had Jessica. It felt amazing. It felt like a win, like, of nothing but losses. And this whole entire thing. It was totally awesome. of nothing but losses and this whole entire thing.

It was totally awesome. With only a box of her bones, Jessica's family has her cremated. And shortly after Valentine's Day, Audrey, Amanda and their parents gathered in Mississippi to say their goodbyes to Jessica. With Jessica at home and at rest, there was now just one thing to focus on, finding out what really happened to Jessica. So Audrey, more energized than ever before, got to work. She went on the internet and made a website,

Justisforgestica.org, dedicated to her sister's case and also created a Twitter page to share related information. And then in April 2021, she drafted an online petition on change.org designed to nab the attention of newly elected New Orleans district attorney Jason Williams whose Twitter handle is the People's DA. The petition, which included a timeline Audrey created, started with a very straightforward ask at the top. Requesting DA Jason R. Williams to investigate the death of Jessica Easterly Durning.

It goes on to read in part. We fully believe that this case has not been taken seriously by local authorities from the beginning. And this impression is based on the following elements of Jessica's story and the collective solid information that we have obtained over the course of its investigation. It is our firm belief that once you examine the information we have gathered, you will agree that the evidence pointing to Jessica's murder is palpable, and the fact that it has been blatantly ignored by the law is nothing short of derelict to their duties to protect

and seek justice for all members of their community. We love and miss Jessica more than we can put into words. She was a human being who did not deserve to die so young, much less by the hands of another person. Jessica was a living, breathing light, and she had dreams, a favorite food, a favorite song. A favorite food, a favorite song. She was smart and funny, and she loved with all of her heart, sometimes to a fault. We implore you, the people's DA, Jason R. Williams, to please commence your own investigation of the death of Jessica Easterly-Durning, and bring charges and retrobusions to the individuals responsible.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to working with you to finally resolve my sister's case. The virtual signatures steadily grew by the hundreds, and then the thousands. Eventually, the petition garnered the attention of true crime YouTuber, Kindle Ray. Because they deserve answers, Jessica deserves justice. This case just tore my heart apart. So again, I'll put all that information below. You can follow justice for Jessica. You can find the petition.

And you can make a short phone call and an email. It's going to make a huge difference. So I reach out to Kindle to talk about how an internet community helps stretch Jessica's village by the hundreds of thousands. In fact, it was on Twitter where she first learned about Jessica's case with a tweet by you guessed it, Audrey. I had seen tweets from Audrey about the case and I reached out to her and then she followed me and we connected via DM and then I kind out to her and then she followed me and we connected

via DM and then I kind of got her email from there. And when I really started to dive into the case and go over all the information that was available, I was just blown away that there wasn't any movement in the case and there was very minimal coverage from what I was seeing. So I just wanted to be of help in some way and get some traction going and hopefully work towards justice. I mean, I was just blown away by the strength of their family and after all the trauma that they had been through for them to still be fighting and doing everything they can with minimal help and resources, I just really wanted to be part of that. This wasn't the first time Kendall has used her social media prowess for good.

She's well aware of the impact the public can make in a case like Jessica's. We have done several petitions over the years. And sometimes we have luck with them. Sometimes we don't normally when we pair it with a calling and emailing campaign, that really gets things going. But the petition was basically an easy way for anyone to participate if they didn't want to take the extra step to email and call. We just kind of came up with the idea to really go after Jason Williams and, you know, get him to step up to the plate and be the people's DA that he

claimed to be and investigate the case and basically get any movement going. Basically, I've realized that the power of the masses is real, and that we can really make a change if enough people demand it. It just really takes enough people demanding justice, demanding action to actually get people to do things sometimes. There's been so many cases that I've worked on where we have sent people to call an email and sign petitions and it really just works wonders because when they start feeling the pressure, then action is actually taken.

Once Kindle Rays video hit the internet, the signature skyrocketed to over 100,000. Between the now largely supported petition and all the retweets tagging the DA with the hashtag Justice for Jessica, less than a month later on May 4, 2021, District Attorney Jason Williams made a public announcement on his Twitter page using the same hashtag, Justice for Jessica. District Attorney Williams is absolutely willing to meet with the family of Jessica Easterly-Durning to discuss this horrible matter. He is also committed to re-examining this matter with fresh eyes and revisiting all facts and

evidence involved. With this case and any other in New Orleans, DA Williams is dedicated to seeking justice. And the DA followed through on his promise. In May of 2021, less than a month after Audrey created the petition, DA Jason Williams sat down with the family to talk about Jessica's case. Audrey shared the update on the Change.org page on May 16th, 2021.

We have met with the people's DA, Jason Williams. At this time, we are unable to comment regarding this meeting. The world is watching, and I hope this injustice is taken seriously and accountability and justice will be served. Thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in getting Jessica that justice she deserves. It takes a village and I'm so thankful that you are part of Jessica's village demanding answers and accountability.

Today I leave you with one thought, said by Dr. Martin Luther King. In justice, anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Audrey shared a glimpse of their three-hour meeting when we spoke over the phone. It was me, my sister Amanda, Maria, my dad. We all went down there and we met with them and it was the DA. It was Allison Morgato. The head of homicide was in there. He sounded very interested. He said that he was sorry for what has happened and how NOPD have a handle this. And we just talked to him about everything that we had.

And then he was telling me that, you know, basically they're going to look into it. And then, I don't know, probably like, I want to say maybe a week or two later, we heard from Allison Morkado, and she said that investigator Joe Lorenzo was going to be handling the case. Detective Joe Lorenzo is an investigator with the DA's office. I sent him over everything. I mean, he does keep in contact with me if I have a question, he'll answer it. The case is now in the DA's office's hands.

Audrey admits that after their initial meeting, she felt optimistic for what seemed like the first time. I felt very hopeful, like he actually cared, like he is fixing to solve this case. We're going to find out exactly what happened to my sister Jessica. And just as momentum started to swing in the family's favor, Audrey's hope was further manifested, an announcement from the DA himself. He was planning to hold a press conference about Jessica's case. So on August 25, 2021, I hopped on a flight and headed back to New Orleans.

The press conference is scheduled for 4 o'clock in the Lakeview neighborhood near the area where Jessica's body was found. There's a podium set up on top of the hill next to the train tracks. The air is thick and the heat is almost unbearable. Moisture balls up and slowly drips from my nose onto the blank pages of my notebook. Local media starts shuffling in, setting up their tripods and cameras as reporters hold their recorders and notebooks. Everyone has their phone out, ready to snap photos.

Jessica's mom, Donna Schmidt, stands just to the side of the podium, along with her father, who's holding a white homemade sign with Jessica's photo and the hashtag, Justice for Jessica. The sign reads, we are not going to rest, we are not going to give up on this,

we are not going to wash our hands of this, or back down at all until justice is served in this case. Behind them, more family members hold neon pink signs in support of Jessica. Her sister Audrey is wearing a purple t-shirt and her fingernails peeking around the corner of a sign she's holding are also purple. Jessica's favorite color. Audrey holds steady, a face of grit and determination as the clock ticks past four. Then a hush comes over the small crowd as a suited man walks to the microphone, puts on a pair of tortoise-shall glasses and clears his throat. District attorney

Jason Williams of Orleans Parish kicks off the press conference by welcoming the family to the site where they found Jessica's body just two years earlier. First of all, let me just say to the family of Jessica, I want to thank them for being at this place, at this site. I know it is not easy. I know every time they come anywhere close to this area, they are reliving the worst moment of their lives. As you know, two years ago, we unfortunately lost Jessica after going missing, Jessica's sisters found her deceased just steps away from where we're standing right now. And since that day, this family has had absolutely no closure in this case. They've got no answers in this case. Each of these strong family members behind

me is a constant reminder of the work that this office has to do. Frankly, the entire criminal legal system at large must do to solve cases like this one and many other cases across the city that remain unsolved. After two years unsolved, a case is considered cold. And we all know that for far too many decades, too many murder cases in the parish of Orleans have gone unsolved. And every single day that goes on. The DA announces he's starting a co-case unit using Jessica's case as a segue to discuss the bigger picture.

Since 1964, approximately 5,432 murder cases have gone unsolved in our city. And when you add the numbers of those lost lives to the family and friends impacted by these unsolved murders, you can easily understand the cycle of trauma and violence in our community. Solving cold cases is a hard job. cold cases is a hard job. It is difficult. It is an uphill battle. But I ran for DA so that this office could lead and be a partner with the rest of the criminal legal system doing the hardest things, doing the difficult task. This cold case unit will specifically and strategically target and review cases that have not been resolved.

This unit is going to revisit past data and put fresh eyes on the evidence, put fresh eyes on the people and persons of interest that first piqued law enforcement's curiosity, so that we can do everything within our power, everything within our discretion and authority to bring closure and resolution to these families. The DA's newly created code case unit will tackle thousands of cases that have remained unsolved in the city for far too long, Williams admits. A tall task for a single unit, so Williams makes a plea to the city and more directly to the Lakeview neighborhood.

The purpose of today's press conference on these railroad tracks, however, is to make it very clear and a very direct public appeal to this community. Because we cannot do this work alone. We need you, the members of the public. We need you to help us. We need you to speak up because in order to solve cold cases and unsolved murders, all of the law enforcement community needs your help. This city, the 5,000 plus unsolved cases needs your help. This family needs your help. I need your help. If you have any information whatsoever about Jessica's last moments, about Jessica's last moments about Jessica's last day about Jessica's death? I'm begging you to come forward. I am pleading with you to provide any information no matter how small you might think it is.

Today I have with me. Williams wraps his speech by introducing the chief of victim witnesses services wraps his speech by introducing the chief of victim witnesses services, Alison Legato, from his office. She leads what he calls an integral team of 16. Since recently taking office, he says, he's doubled the size of her team because there wasn't enough time and attention given to witnesses, victims, and survivors, providing them not only with mental health support, but also safety as he takes cases to trial. In closing, Williams makes one final plea to the public.

And I want to say to this family just like I said to Jessica's mother, you have our thoughts and prayers and you know that, but this family needs more than that. This family needs us to work and work together, this family needs us to be a team. This family needs closure and deserves justice. And the way that we can achieve that is for private citizens to get involved in this fight.

To not sit down and take information to bet with you at night or take it to your grave, but to speak out and tell us what you know. Tell us what you saw no matter how insignificant you might think it was. If you think you saw someone who matches, yes, his description on this faithful night, give us that information on the day before, get us that information. This is how we solve co-cases. This is what we need to move this investigation forward.

So at this time, I would please like to welcome... Darleen Constanza, the president and CEO of Crime Stoppers in New Orleans has led the anonymous tip-line efforts in Jessica's case. From day one, we got calls and requests for help in Jessica's case and they wouldn't give up. They knew that there was something that more that could be discovered. There was more to the story. And for Crime Stoppers, we have to take our leave from law enforcement and wear a case with stand. So I can just say that we're here, Crime Stoppers doesn't go away.

But all we do is step up in front of the victim's families and say, let us be your voice. Let us be that anonymous way for people in the community who may be fearful to get involved. Yes, there's a reward. Yes, we do that. It's 2500. But more importantly, it's time now to say enough is enough. I'm not going to let another family go through this. I would not want my family to go through it. And I can tell you, whatever information you have, don't think it's too small. Thank you. Don't think it's too small. Thank you.

As Darlene leaves the podium, I notice a petite woman start to wade through the large chunks of gravel towards the top of the hill, overlooking the Lakeview neighborhood. It's Jessica's mother Donna. She's about to speak publicly for the very first time. Donna, she's about to speak publicly for the very first time. Donna is wearing a charcoal gray sleeveless romper with a sheer black veil softly draped over her silver hair. A small pair of round black sunglasses shade her from the sun and conceal her eyes, already welling up with sadness and anger.

She cautiously approaches the podium with numerous microphones pointed at her in anticipation. The silence is palpable. She removes her sunglasses and hangs them gently from her scarf as she begins to speak, her voice quivers. She is my only biological daughter. I have vivid memories from the day that she was born

and she was a very vibrant, talented, loving woman. I do not believe, and I will never believe, my daughter died at the scene. My daughter was dumped. This investigation was handled poorly. All efforts within the department was shut down. She was a co-case, her death, undetermined. My daughter was dumped two blocks from her resident in a wooded area. Fractures of the neck and cervical spine and ribs occurred after she died. I believe justice will be served. Justice is always served. It may not be served in this world, but it will be served in the next.

And her predator will receive that justice. But it is not until people come forth and tell their stories and have the courage to at least say something. People are so fearful that you have to put yourself into situations that families have put in when unsolved murders occur When that precious daughter that you held in your arms that you Nurtured all those years that you have vivid memories of that night and night out that she is in a more She is in a morgue for almost two years two years Please come forward

Please have that courage to do what is necessary to solve this case. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will remember each and every face here today for your support. Thank you. Donna stepped somberly away from the microphone and back out of the spotlight as DA Williams approaches the podium once more, making one final appeal following Donna's cry for help. No mother wants to take this podium and be in these shoes. No father ever wants to be in these shoes. I am pleading with the members of this community. No matter how small or slight you believe your information might be, no matter how scared

or nervous you might be for coming for you. We have systems in place to protect your identity. We have systems in place to protect your identity. We have systems in place to help and protect you. I'm asking that if you know anything about Jessica's disappearance, her death, or her final days, please get that information to crime stoppers, or give that information to the DA's office at 8222.

After wrapping up, William starts taking questions from reporters. And I jump at the chance. I've been eager to ask a very specific question ever since he made the announcement that he'd be looking into Jessica's case. So with the cold case unit, you spoke a lot about homicide victims and the many cases that are here in the city. The corner has ruled her cause and manner of death as undetermined.

Is your investigator looking at this case as a homicide? How are you investigating her death? You never put the cart before the horse and say what you're going to find. But when you have a suspicious death, I think you investigated my office is investigating any death like this as a homicide looking for any answers, looking for any evidence, and today we're begging

with the public to come forward with more information, more witness testimony, and more evidence. This is the first time anyone in any investigative official capacity has ever said that Jessica Easterly Durning's case was going to be investigated as a homicide. While the corner has deemed Jessica's cause and manner of death as undetermined, William says the corner's office doesn't have all the information. Each case is different. Each case has a unique set of circumstances.

And frankly, you know what, how a coroner classifies a death is based upon a very limited set of facts. Corners aren't looking at all of the interviews. Corners aren't looking at all the police reports. Corners don't get all the interviews. Corners aren't looking at all the police supports. Corners don't get all the evidence. They are really faced with a limited set of facts that's before them and that should not and cannot be the end of the termination. I just had one more. Are you looking at any one particular person of interest at this time? I certainly can't answer that question. He assures the public that at this point in his office's investigation, nothing is off the table. I haven't taken anything off the books and I cannot.

I cannot take anything off the books. We have to investigate any and every lead that comes to us. That is what an investigation is. If you have predetermined something, then you are not doing a thorough investigation so we're looking at every single lead. All right, thanks guys. Thank you. Following the press conference,

we move into Audrey's cousin, Stephanie's air-conditioned car to cool off and talk about how they felt everything went, and where they go from here. He said the words today that his office is investigating this as a homicide. That makes me happy. That makes me real happy. Considering it's classified as unclassified within OPD, classified as undetermined with the coroner's office to have someone in a high power investigating

her case as a homicide. Correct. Yes. Yeah. That makes me happy that he's now considering it as a homicide. Do you have something that you haven't had in the last two years? Hope. And faith that this will be resolved. Hopefully soon.

I ask Audrey how she felt listening to her mom speak publicly for the first time. I think it's great that she spoke that. And I don't know if you know, but my mother has a medical background. So all those injuries that my sister suffered, she has seen that before. So she knows what she's talking about. I mean, I'm glad she said it, but I feel sad because my mother shouldn't have to do that. No mother should ever have to do that. And ask for the public's help in a cold case. Do you think that the DA's words, crime stoppers words,

your mom's words resonated today with someone? I hope so. I'm praying. And that they'll call crime stoppers and give us that one little piece of the puzzle that we need. You said you had faith and you have hope. I always have faith in hope. No matter what, I always have faith in hope." Audrey tells me the family had finally laid Jessica to rest with a funeral just a few weeks ago.

The pandemic had sort of put that on hold. She thinks the timing of that with today's press conference is what finally propelled Jessica's mother to speak out for the first time. I think maybe after Jessica's funeral on Saturday, I think she feels like she needs to say something now. Can you tell me a little bit about it was August 21st? Was that when you had the funeral? Yes, it was August 21st. It was in Alabama. It was that St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church. And it was a beautiful, beautiful church. It's the church that my parents go to. But we had a service there for Jessica. It definitely made me realize that my sister's no longer here.

Like I knew that she wasn't here before, but I think that that just, like I finally realized that my sister really is gone. And I know I'm gonna say closure because I hate that word, but it made me accept that Jessica really is gone. Stephanie explains what the journey and the struggle have been like for Audrey, a two-year battle and counting. It's been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, hope given, hope taken away, over and over again, which is why this new investigation means so much to her.

She needed to believe in the DA and what the DA was saying and that it wasn't the same song and dance that NOPD had sold. And once she can believe that they are doing what they're saying they're doing and put the faith in them, then she will be able to back off of it a little bit because she understands they have their role to do and that she can't know everything they're doing. Because you've talked about this. Yeah, it's just hard for me to trust because for a year and a half I have heard, oh yeah, we're gonna do this, so yeah, we're gonna do that and nothing was ever done. So, in that regard, yes, I do have faith because I do know that some things have been, you know, been done.

Do you think the DA's office is going to be the ones who solve her case? Yes. I do. What does solving her case? What does justice for Jessica look like for you? What does that day look like for you? The day that the judge says guilty, What does that day look like for you? The day the judge says guilty, that would be justice for Jessica. And then that person or person will be in prison. That would be justice.

That has to happen. It just has to happen. It just has to happen. One thing is for certain, if justice is ever going to happen, someone must investigate her case. And while there's a renewed sense of interest and urgency by the DA, it's still hard for the family and at this point for us to sit back and trust that everyone

is doing what needs to be done. So Todd and I make a call. We believe we have some important information, a recommendation we want to share regarding those text messages from a concerned neighbor which we covered in our last episode. And what could be a vital piece of evidence in this case. But it has an expiration date, and right now, the clock is ticking. So there was a neighbor of Justin Dernie's, he went by J. Royce. He had communicated with a phone over the next door app

and he says during the text thread, it was an accident and he said she slipped and fell in the bathroom. Just so you know, location information for that phone service provider are purged in two years. So unless someone sends in a preservation request to the service provider, if you don't get them by October of 2022, they will be purged forever. on Undetermined is a production of Resonate Recordings and Tenderfoot TV in conjunction with Caden's

13, written and hosted by me, Jessica Nol, and produced by Dennis Cooper and Todd McComas, with additional production by Whitney Bosarth. Executive producers are Dennis Cooper, Mark Minnery, Jacob Bosarth, Donald Albright, and Payne Lindsay. Our senior producer is John Street. Editing, mixing, mastering, and sound design by Caleb Melcher, Dayton Cole, and Pat Kicklider of the Resonate Recordings team. If you have a podcast or are looking to start one, check us out at ResonateRecordings.com. Our theme song and original score is by Dirt Poor Robbins with additional scoring by Dayton Cole.

Our cover art is by Station 16, Roy Sacting by Tinais, and Al Peterson. Thank you to Kindle Ray and myelhire studios for your contributions to Jessica's case and to this podcast. You can follow undetermined podcast on Facebook and on Twitter at undetermined pod. Show notes as well as bonus content can be found on our website undeterminedpod.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please take time to subscribe, rate, and review. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

And finally, if you have any information about this case, call Crime Stoppers at 1-877-903-7867. You can't imagine what it's like until you're actually there. My heart weight went from zero to 100. You heard the automatic weapons fire outside. A adrenaline rushes through your body and you do what you've been trained to do. He gets maybe 40 feet and he collapses. You better have that pit near stomach. Once you commit, it's game on. We started going down the road and then I hear this.

Bravery, valor, determination. These are the stories of our heroes, like you've never heard them before. It felt like somebody had hit me with a baseball bat and a lower back. I opened up my eyes and I looked at him and he was like, I thought you were dead son. And I was like, I did too. The new podcast from Tenderfoot TV and Telegraph Creative, I'm Remy Lekke, former Navy SEAL. And this is DownRange. DownRange is available now. Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.