Undetermined - Jessica | 1

Episode Date: December 6, 2022

All Jessica Easterly Durning ever wanted was her happily ever after. She finally met and married her Prince Charming and became a mother. But when Jessica goes missing, the fairytale she once dreamt of, quickly fades to black. 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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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 Loach Brown. I'm sure you may have been contacted

regarding 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, she was trafficked, you don't know,

she is murdered. What's even more crazy is that person whoever 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-vanished 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 podcast. 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. 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 many of you probably do know, two years ago, we unfortunately lost Jessica

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. They've got no answers in this case. This is from a press conference I attended back on August 8, 2021. The man speaking is New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams. The woman he just mentioned, is Jessica Easterly-Durning, the person at the center of this story. Jessica wasn't a New Orleans native, but it's where she spent a good chunk of her life, right here in the neighborhood of Lakeview, where this press conference was held. By appearance alone, nothing bad could ever happen in this charming Mayberry-esque setting. But on August 22nd, 2019, this is where Jessica was found, just a stone's throw from her own home. And who made that gruesome discovery, not trained investigators, nor innocent bystanders,

but her own family? 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. If 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. And I want to say to this family, just like I said, to Jessica's mother. This is important for the folks behind me, but this is important to every single family that has lost a loved one and has not had the closure of having that case solved. 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. Some people in this neighborhood didn't even know this case existed.

Didn't even know the Jessica went missing or that she was found dead. So it all comes back to did the police do the footwork to ask people around here. Hey, did you see anything? You know, did you see this girl and if they did, how far did they can this? My name is also Jessica. Jessica Noel. I'm an investigative journalist and I've been covering this story for some time now, But I didn't go it alone. With me is my partner and good friend, Todd McComas, a retired detective who brings his own set of skills, ones that can hopefully help make a difference in this case. The case that sits in limbo with the New Orleans Police Department,

growing colder with each passing day. If I'm one of the detectives called out here, I'm immediately going to just say out loud, what a weird place to dump a body. Why do weird place to find a body? Just because I literally can go 40 yards over here and have a tree line that's very still Overgrown that I could tuck anything in there and No one probably find it for a very long time. So it's just weird to me. I don't the location of where she was found Is this it's troublesome. It's troublesome unless it was by design trouble some, unless it was by design.

When we first visited the site where Jessica was found, admittedly, we knew very little about her story. Our questions were simple and straightforward about what you would expect given the circumstances. I just keep going back to what are the odds? What are you doing back here? Why is your life in? Why does your walk in? If no one brought you here, why this spot? Why this side of this neighborhood? And that's the undetermined question. Jessica's case, it's not just a question of who's responsible for her death.

Not just a question of who's responsible for her death. It's also a question of how she died. Questions that emerge when the corner listed both her cause and manner of death as undetermined. A catch-all when there's insufficient evidence to say it's homicide, suicide, accidental, or natural. The word undetermined has loomed over this case, sparking outrage in Jessica's loved ones, leaving investigators stumped. It's why we are here searching for answers. Answers about Jessica's life. I think it's part of what held her in place. After she was ready to leave,

is she had this dirty secret? I just wish I would have known, then better, before we really got involved with their lives. And about her death. Her C4 vertebrae, as well as her rib, were broken,

and those are closed. I might have some information that y'all would find helpful. From Resonate Recording and Tenderfoot TV, I'm your host, Jessica Nol. This is Undetermined. From time to time, Jessica's family travels from Mississippi to the New Orleans neighborhood of Lakeview, where Jessica lived, and where she died, or at least where her body was found. With a freshly printed stack of flyers, they move from street signs to telephone poles, hanging them one at a time in Jessica's name, making sure that people here don't forget about her.

The flyers read, what happened to Jessica Easterly? Jessica's family has always been of the belief that someone in this neighborhood has information that could help solve her mysterious death. Since day one, the family has done everything in their power to keep this case alive. They're a dedicated group, and it's their dedication that brought me to Bolognium and Mississippi, where Jessica was born, and where our story begins. To understand more about Jessica and her life, I started with those who knew her best. Jessica's sisters, Amanda and Audrey. I'm Amanda Barnes. I am Jessica's little sister. I'm Audrey and I'm Jessica's older sister. Audrey and I are half sisters.

Our father, Mary, Jessica's mother, Jessica's our step sister. But in our family, we don't say half sisters. That's not our thing. Mom and I got married in April of 89. Just before I turned 10. They were only together for about a year before they got married. So we'll just say I was 16, so that would have made Jessica 11 or 12 at the time. A photo of the three sisters together

depicts this day of celebration. They're all smiles, and we're matching formal lay stresses with poofy sleeves. While becoming a blended family is etched into their memories, the first time the sisters met he is a little bit hazy. But one thing Audrey, also known as Audra, does recall, is Jessica couldn't take her eyes off her. I used to wear black lipstick, holy jeans, and my hair stuck up way high. All she ever did was stare at me. I think she might have said hi, but she just stared like, oh God, what is that?

Growing up, Andre was admittedly a rare sighting at the house. I didn't really stay home. I was always out and about, I was a teenager, I was gone. I just want to get the hell out of the house and go be with my friends. Amanda and Jessica were only a couple years apart and had a closer relationship at the time. She was my older sister in high school whenever I was just getting into high school. Didn't have a lot of the same friends because of the age difference, but if she had someone over,

I was welcome to go hang out with them. You know, as you get older and you're not that pesky little sister anymore and said you're someone that she could show me how to do my makeup, because God knows that I had no idea how to do any of that. You know, getting dressed for like homecoming or something, she would help pick out that type of stuff. She was a typical older sister. Eventually, they meshed, as blended families often do, but it was deeper than that. It was love. There was love there, like you could tell. You know, I'm saying, I mean, no family is perfect. I'm not trying to say that we're the white picket fence to story house kind of people, but it was pretty typical childhood. After graduation, Jessica started her journey into adulthood. In the summer of 1994, she left home to attend the University of South Alabama for speech pathology and audiology.

And that's when Maria, her friend of 25 years, came into the picture. My name is Maria Creole, and I was Jessica's best friend. We met when Jessica was in college. She was dating the boy that lived across the street from me, whose younger sister I was best friends with at the time. You could not hit it off with Jessica. a street for me whose younger sister I was best friends with at the time. You could not hit it off with Jessica.

She was just such a quick wit. Like she always had something funny to say, like just off the cuff. Like quick, quick, quick. Like if you had something to say, she had a funny response. And you couldn't just not enjoy being around her. She was four or five years older than me, so maybe not so much in common, but maybe I was just like the annoying little kid.

Well, we first met, you know, she was in college and I was like 15 or 16, so she tolerated me. And she was like the cool, you know, college chick that I was just like, you know, I just wanted to be like her. She was funny. She could just be so polished, just like in an instant. Like pretty updo and pearls, just so quick.

She could turn around and Audrey Hepburn looks so fast. She was always down for like a little adventure. She was quick to, you know, grab a bottle of franzia or a box. That was a running joke. Hey, I got a box of wine with your name on it. Jessica was already in college and living with her boyfriend when she took in the then rebellious teenager, low, as Jessica lovingly nicknamed her. Maria lived with Jessica for about six months before making a college cheer squad and moving into the dorms. After a year and a half in

Alabama, Jessica, now 23 years old and single, moved back to Mississippi. She began working at the nearby casinos as a server, bringing her and her younger sister Amanda closer together. And shortly after, the two sisters moved in together in New Orleans. Jessica found work on casino boats along the coast and did well with her outgoing personality. And it wasn't long before she locked eyes with a man named Justin Durning. At the time they met, Justin was married to Jessica's friend, Lauren. She was talking about Justin and her friend about them having problems whenever I was still living with her. Part of our problem was piecing together

Jessica's timeline about exactly when and how Justin and her were together. She kept a lot of things secret for a very long time. She painted things in positive ways that as we learned things from her, either we thought this doesn't sound like it quite adds up all the way over to, oh, this is bullshit. Chrysistar says something in Jessica changed after she met Justin, but what that was, they couldn't quite put their finger on. One thing was for sure, they had some pretty serious

reservations about Jessica being with Justin from the beginning. The beginning of their relationship was shrouded in mystery for a long time, and a lot of things we did not know the truth of until after she died. Whenever I first met him, shook his hand, he seemed okay. Within about 30 minutes of us sitting in there

is when I started getting the, this isn't right. There's something I don't know what it is, but my hackles are up, I don't know why. But you know what they say, love is blind. Jessica had found her prince charming. She was ready to settle down. She wanted a family. On July 15th, 2011, Jessica announced on Facebook

that she and Justin had moved in together. She joined the home he shared with his elderly father, Justin Sr., and teenage daughter, Grace. Jessica posted a photo of the two of them with the caption, It was love at first sight. We met on a boat and have been together ever since. I think that Jessica hit a point in her life where she went in to believe in love, that she fell in love.

Love conquers all and everyone's gay and she'd be the stay at home mom, bringing her kids up and the husband, hi honey, how was your day? The beaver cleaver type thing. Yeah, that's what she wanted in life. On February 25th, 2015, at sunset, Justin and Jessica tied the knot at the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel in Casino in her hometown of Baloxi. Wearing a halter top, white satin dress,

adorned with a silver jewel embellishment, it was the day Jessica had dreamed of. The day she became a wife and a stepmom. Jessica's friends in Shroudhood, Erica Bedard Russell, was one of the few invited to the intimate nuptials and described the tone of that day. It was very small, not planned. The only thing planned is they rented a room. It wasn't even

like a ballroom or anything. It was like a suite with a little living room and a kitchen. She wasn't even ready for it. They had a preacher. I helped her make her bouquet when I got to the room before the ceremony even started, I believe it was her only friend there. It was a weird day. I think I got married on the little balcony, and then that was it. I don't even remember an official ceremony. I don't remember a wedding cake.

It may have been, but I don't remember it. I just remember feeling uncomfortable. Erica remembers that Justin seemed nervous and didn't seem to share the same enthusiasm as Jessica, which makes sense for Jessica it was her first marriage. Justin on the other hand had been married twice before, but all of that was easily overshadowed by Jessica's sheer joy. She was giddy. She was absolutely giddy. Her mom was quiet. She was like, I can't believe I'm going to marry the love of my life. I'm so lucky.

And just like that, Jessica had her own little family. Just like that, Jessica had her own little family. Whole Trenfrew is sharing joy for the holidays with gifts for everyone on your list, and maybe even a special treat for yourself, too. Discover the new collection for Burberry by Daniel Lee. Add some ambiance with Louis V. Home. Give Gorpkora try and Solomon's sneakers and so much more. Whatever presidency pick, we know they're going to love them. Visit a store today or shop at HoltRenfrew.com.

Enjoy the classic taste of the holidays at Tim's with the new non-alcoholic Bailey's flavored holiday menu. Whether you're hanging holiday lights or driving up to your folks, you can enjoy your In the days following the wedding, Erica got to know Justin a little better. It was just, I mean, the way he acted, the way he tried to control everything, the way he would talk down about her family to make her hate them more. I feel like he was the reason why her mother became a little bit distant. I mean, he would tell her things that would make her so angry. A lot of times, he would answer her phone and start talking on like, well, where's Jessica? Well, she just ran out to go get Gracey. She ran out to do this. She ran out to do that. Oh, okay. I don't know why he had her phone. He wouldn't necessarily call me.

We would end up talking because I would be calling for Jessica or I would be talking to Jessica and he'd take the phone. Towards the end, this is how Erika remembers many of their calls going and made her miss the way it used to be. I loved her little talks. She always would tell me she loved me. She'd just say, love me my Erica. I would tell her, love me to my chest.

I wish I could go back. I wish I could relive. I know those moments. Let me just come up again. I know those moments, I mean, some of the good times again. And as the years passed, friends and family felt more and more distant from Jessica, their concerns about her mounted. And it would all come to a head in August of 2019. From here, everything would start to unravel. She contacted me on the 12th, the 13th came and went without contact.

So then on the 14th, she didn't call me and I didn't hear from her. My phone dinged. It's Justin but it's from Jessica's account and he's saying he doesn't know where she is. And like my whole body just went cold. I don't know how to describe it other than that. But I just felt a chill all over. And so I texted him back and I was like, okay, well, what about her phone?

And he was like, no, phone, ID, everything. It's here with me. I was like, okay, well, I'm calling the police. He was like, well, you're just gonna freak grace out. I was like, you just said she was already worried. Like, what is her to freak her out about? What do you mean? Her mom is missing. She's already freaked out. And I said, if John a thing came home and my cell phone ID vehicle was here and I was missing and the kids were here by themselves, he would already be talking to the police.

Like right now I'd be standing in the yard talking to the police. Like, I shouldn't have to send them to your house. So I called the police and the dispatcher that answered, I was trying to explain to her. I was like, look, I need y'all to go over there and figure out what's going on. And then I got like a message from him came down. I was like, he just told me that he called y'all, but I'm on the phone with you. He just said he called y'all and you said you had to wait to file a missing person.

I was like, but I'm not saying file a missing person. She was like, oh, hang on, because we wouldn't tell him that. She suddenly was here in me loud and clear. And so she was like, okay, we're on the way. It's hockey season and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. Well, almost almost anything. So no, you can't get a nice drink on Uber Eats. But iced tea, ice cream, aren't just plain all ice? Yes, we deliver those. Gold tenders no, but chicken tenders yes, because those are groceries, and we deliver those

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Metrolinks and cross links are reminding everyone to be careful as Eglinton Cross-Town LRT train testing is in progress. Please be alert, this 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. It's Wednesday, August 14, 2019, just after 10 p.m.

Two officers pull up to the Durning's home. This is audio from the NRPD Body Camp footage. We obtained from Jessica's family. As the officer approaches the one-story brick house, he shines a flashlight ahead of him to light his way. He cautiously approaches and illuminates the front-storene door, but an interior door blocks any view inside. Shifting to the left, he sheds light onto the brick, revealing the address placard, verifying he's in the right place. But before he can knock or ring the doorbell, a man walks over from the side of the house to greet the officers, along with his least German shepherd. Oh, did you live here? Yeah, we're told, is there someone ill here?

Sorry. Is there someone sick here? No, nobody's sick here, my friend. He'll be right there. No, not at all. We got a call though. Yeah, I know. It's one of my mic's rounds.

Justin's dog is inconsolable, the moment he sets eyes on them. Don't just say hi, so he's not barking at you guys. You don't see a high-pitched. It's all right. It's just exciting. Hey, baby. Here's the sea. Yeah, he's traveling.

He's gone through a bunch of training right now. Yeah. There's no service to him. Anyway, yeah. Oh, man. Oh, man. Is it okay? So, yeah, so what's going on?

My wife, about 12 o'clock I came home and we sat and talked and I laid down so we're going to have, and the car's here, the whole wall is here, everything's here. And I'm not trying to freak my daughter out because she's 15 just started. Anyway, I'm freaking because this is not indicative of my wife. So I call everybody I know. And I know it's calling for the well-check, a friend of hers in Alabama. And I mean, you guys are welcome to come in. If you want to take a look. So you call?

No, they call. I got it. Because she's what, uh, missing? Show your wife? Yeah. Is she going? Her car's going? No.

Her car's here. How long has she been going? Like 12, 30, 12, 15. Today? I fell asleep, so I don't know. Today? Yes, sir. Initially, Justin described the situation as unusual, not indicative of his wife.

But as their conversation continues, he starts to switch gears a bit. She's depressed by polar, but she's on meds and stuff and it's long. I mean, she handles it. She's 5'6", 5'7", 115 pounds, dark brown hair. Handle six five six five seven hundred fifteen pounds dark brown hair Pretty I bought this out of it. She's taking Maddox. Yeah, she's on medicine But I mean it's not even it's it's not like I mean we've been through to ring with the sex stuff with her and she's a psychologist by trade so

Hey, yeah, she left before like this to the length of time. No, never never that's what's got me concerned But I mean since 1230 days she just apparently warned it off and we just now getting the call I mean, well, no what happened was I woke up about four. Oh, okay, I'm from school. I woke up Okay, yeah, he was made and a piece of his Okay, and she's gone and right and car is here the keys are here first is here You know, she doesn't go wandering off she's not from here She's lived here seven years six six years So you know, I was kind of giving it and you know another hour or two before I called you guys because

The same for your wonder back. I mean she's never done that before No, no, no. And that's my concern. We've been a little bit, this has been a little bit to have for a couple of reasons because like a 15 year old is inside. And she got overwhelmed right before going to high school for the first time.

Well, you checked all some good places that you need to check hospitals in the jail Whenever I make anything like a jail, you know, but at this point I think it's gonna be required of course It's only 24 hours. Well, the circumstances though. It's 24 hours and then it's coming to play She just she disappeared. I mean right you could have done this for four dollars ago I mean it's just it's due to her medication and all that other stuff, I would think. And she's been she's making flying I mean, I checked. Right, right. What is reason for alarm. Yeah, but you you know, made those Checks that that's good though. That's that's pretty much. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the phone

Basically, I started to GPS, you know, to see if I could find a tablet, the phone, the purse, everything. She made a pizza. Oh, she left phone, everything. Yeah, nothing to trace her. Well, what happened was my phone blew off my motorcycle. Yeah, that was great. $15 bucks. Why not to handle bars with my phone?

Anyway, so we're kind of sharing a phone. But usually if she goes somewhere, she'll take the phone because I have the iPad at home. As officers are wrapping up their wellness check, the conversation turns a little more casual. And your thing is, if you wonder about in Lakeview, Lakeview people are going to call. Oh, no doubt. That's in 1984. Yeah, oh, oh, oh, well, I got to have the house deal fashion with. Oh, yeah. My mother passed away. Oh I know. Yeah I've seen this house for years.

I've got my dad, my dad's 8 or 6. Yeah I've been 79. I've been 12th job. That's it. I've been 79. How old are you when I jump? So how old? Oh 44.

44. Wow. I thought you were going to see me 44, I'm 47. I'm pretty good right. I'm looking at JPSO right now. I've got to get a house. Yeah, that's a good place to work. That's a good place to work.

It is. You're home? I'm just up 46. I'll be 46. You mean, first time law enforcement? First time law enforcement, yeah. Just before leaving, the other officer trains in and lets Justin know that another in-opd unit will be coming out soon.

And they'll call ahead of time so we can put his dog away before they arrive. My name is Justin, but I'm a big family today. I'm a junior. Okay. Yeah, I'm a junior. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.

Yeah, thank you, brother. I'm a head smite commander. All right, your name? Jay. Jay Dernie. It's important to know that no police report is created from this wellness check per our public records request. But as promised, approximately two hours later, another unit from the NOPD's third district

would return to the home, this time to open an official missing persons investigation. And let's just say this visit would be quite different from the first. Hey we're on this 21m. It's actually my neighbor. They live three houses away from me. Yeah he's a strange individual too, the husband. I've lived here for three years now and I see him outside all the time, but I've never, I have never seen this woman, ever. I've always wondered where his wife is, because I knew that he was married, but I've never seen her.

To me, it's just like... something right here. Undetermined is a production of Resonate Recordings and Tenderfoot TV in conjunction with Cadence 13 written and hosted by me Jessica Nol and produced by Dennis Cooper and Todd McCommas with additional production by Whitney Bozar. Executive producers are Dennis Cooper, Mark Minnery, Jacob Bozar, Donald Olbright, 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 Recording's team. If you have a podcast or are looking to start one, check us out at ResonateRecording's.com. Our theme song and original score is by Dirtcore Robbins with additional scoring by Dayton Cole. Additional score for this episode by Interstates and Andy Walker.

Our cover art is by Station 16. You can follow Undetermined Podcast on Facebook and on Twitter at UndeterminedPod. 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're here to do 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. A new podcast from Tenderfoot TV and Telegraph Creative. I'm Remy Adelike, former Navy SEAL. And this is DownRange. DownRange is available now. Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.