Stolen Beauty

A Young Teacher And A Financial Analyst Vanish. Are Their Cases Linked?

(CBS)  This story was originally broadcast on July 1, 2008.


Tara Grinstead, an 11th-grade history teacher in Ocilla, Ga., disappeared without a trace in October 2005. Three months later, another young woman, Jennifer Kesse, also vanished in Orlando, Fla.

There were some similarities in the cases, leading investigators to wonder: are these disappearances somehow linked?

---

Student Dana Wilder remembers feeling a sense of dread when she heard an announcement in school that teacher Tara Grinstead should report to the office.

Dana was sitting in class at Irwin County High School on that Monday, Oct. 24, 2005. "I knew something was up then. I knew Tara would just not come to school. I think it got all the student's minds worried," Dana remembers.

Besides being a beloved teacher, 30-year-old Tara was also a mentor and friend to Dana, especially when it came to Tara's passion for beauty pageants.

Just two days earlier, Dana had been at Tara's house with some other girls to get ready for a big local event in this small town, the "Miss Georgia Sweet Potato" pageant. "She was in a great mood. Which of course, whenever she did hair and makeup for any pageant girls she was in a great mood," Dana remembers.

Tara's stepmother, Connie, and father, Billy, say Tara fell in love with pageants as a teenager. Besides winning crowns, the pageant victories also fulfilled another goal for Tara: money for school.

But none of her successes meant more to Tara than winning the title of Miss Tifton in 1999. Best friend Maria Hulett says the title meant Tara could now fulfill her lifelong dream of competing in the Miss Georgia pageant. "It was, for her, more than a dream come true. It was the chance for her to be really proud of herself," Maria remembers.

Tara didn't place in the competition, but was thrilled when her friend Osjha Anderson won. Her friends say after the Miss Georgia pageant, Tara refocused on her career in education. "She wanted to be a principal. She was well on her way," Osjha says.

By the fall of 2005, she was teaching by day and taking classes by night; she applied for a doctoral program. Tara was even filling in as an assistant principal from time to time.

Everything seemed to be going so well, until that October morning.

By the time Police Chief Billy Hancock arrived at Tara's house, nobody had seen or heard from Tara for 34 hours. "When I arrived the car was parked in the carport. You could actually see it as you were pulling up," he remembers.

Hancock says the fact she had gone missing but her car was still there was "certainly a red flag."

But maybe most disturbing was a latex glove, found laying in the front yard.

Hancock noticed that inside the house everything appeared to be normal. "I walked through the house. No apparent sign of struggle, no forced entry," he remembers. "Her cell phone was in the charger by the nightstand. Her pocketbook and keys were missing."

Asked what his gut feeling was as he walked through that house, Hancock tells Van Sant, "I did have kind of a gut feeling that something was wrong."

At 11 a.m., Chief Hancock called Gary Rothwell, a special agent at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Rothwell's initial impression? "It appeared that Tara may have left on her own. However, we had a glove, a latex glove that we couldn't explain. That glove indicates foul play to us."

He was also intrigued by something else found at Tara's house: a business card found wedged in the front door of Tara's home.

Investigators sealed the house, and took Tara’s car and the glove in for processing. Then they started reconstructing her last known movements.

[carneyrick]

Has anybody thought that it could be someone posing as a police officer or someone in uniform?

[carolcape]

These two cases are very troubling. Tara was out for the evening and not far from home, was she walking. It did not say if she used her vehicle. I believe she went with someone she knew, because she lived in a house and nobody heard anything. It was obvious she knew the person. There could have been more then one person and this is how they kept her quiet. Someone could have posed as a police officer, seeing that she was seeing officers. This glove that was found could also be a red herring. Someone could have planted it, taken it from a hospital garbage can, we wish not and hope that it is a definite piece of evidence. I feel so sorry for her parents and her friends to not know what has happened to her, just to vanish like that. I believe in my heart she knew the persons that took her away. The ex seems like a cold hearted person, seeing that he thinks he is such a heartbreaker, I think he is a jerk of the biggest kind. He sure wasn''t very broke up about her gone missing. More is being done, I know and I do hope that persons come forward with information.

[suszyq1]

Has Tara''s brother in-law been finger printed?

[carolcape]

Jennifer, I do believe was abducted in her own building after seeing the information. Every person that was working in that building at the time on construction or maintenance should have been questioned as to their whereabouts that morning. Every complex should have been entered one by one at some point, I know that is a lot to ask, but it should have been done. I believe she went missing right in front of everyone in that building. If she was so afraid why didn''t she stay with her friend until all the repairs and maintenance was done in that building. If I was afraid, I definitely would not remain in my surroundings. She had a gut feeling and if she had have followed that feeling she would be there now. She did not follow her intuition, which one should always do, but it is too late for that now, you have to do the best to find her. I think the crime lab should have some way that they can tell more about this person that is on that tape. I do believe he has a painters uniform on. He is wearing a hat and seems like a short individual. The fact that there were so many places not rented is scary. She could be kept a prisoner in one of those apartments, but the police feel she was taken right outside the morning she left for work. Keep on it and keep on the reward, someone knows and will come forward I am sure to get the reward.

[sshannon01]

They never said if that boy''s cell phone was still in Jennifer''s condo. They stated that she may have went to go mail it. Was it gone from her house and if so, have they questioned him or any of her brother''s friends that he had in her condo while she was out of town. I think some sick people are kidnapping pretty young girls and housing them in some man-made basement and using them for ***. It''s not like it has not happened in this country before. I seriously think that are still alive and together, deep in some man-made place that they are trying to escape from but have not had the opportunity. No one is putting the connection together of all the young pretty girls who have gone missing over the years without so much of a trace as to where they are. Some is stalking these young ladies. I guarantee that we will hear about this discovery in years to come.

[mlorinczi]

I just saw the tape of the person walking between the gates and wonder if you could see that huge black shoe and a cap and white clothing and maybe find out what kind it was by zooming in.???

[ralexanderbo]

Given that the guy in Jesse''s case, who is "of Interest," was between 5''3" and 5''5" and there were numerous undocumented day laborers, code for Mexicans or other illegal aliens from countries south of the border, perhaps a DNA check should be run on by USCIS on detained illegals or deported illegals. Illegals are off the grid and off the database, so it is the one consistancy between the disappearance of Tara, with DNA evidence off the grid and Jesse, whose sole person of interest is the height of an illegal alien, and not a normal American.

[mlorinczi]

I just saw the tape of the person walking between the gates and wonder if you could see that huge black shoe and a cap and white clothing and maybe find out what kind it was by zooming in.???

[suszyq1]

I feel like the person responsible for her disapearance planted the glove to throw themselves off. The glove could just be a through off.

[catduke]

Is there a chance that relatives or friends of other pageant contestants could be involved?

[sadlyhere]

i called to tipsters and told them why did they not zoom on the car when it pulls up and back there is a clear view of the driver side as it pulls up and in this day of technology zoom in and you can hopefully see this person also when the person gets out of the car again zoom in... frame by frame and if fussy so what you can clean the image enough to see some features and catch this character. No one should have to go missing without an answer...I pray they solve this case...for the family and friends...

[teager2]

Looking at the person walking past the fence it struck me that the person had a very slight build. They stated that the person was about 5ft3. So why could''nt this have been the missing woman,I don''t remember them mentioning her height. Also it looked like the hair was pushed under the back of the cap the way a woman does. Jack

[jpool3]

These disappearances seem eerily similar to a third disappearance which appeared on 48 hours within the last couple of months. A young mother disappeared from her home near Lakeland, FL, with her two very small children asleep in the house at the time. The man convicted of this crime is Mike King, and at the time this abduction and murder occurred, there was construction occurring in the young family''s neighborhood. The young mother was the daughter of a Sheriff and she knew to leave clues and make as much noise as possible as she fought for her life. Sadly, her story ended in tragedy. Could these two additional cases possibly be related? The time period fits.

[tednoreen]

check to see if there was a gypsy constrution crew working in taras town even small jobs , roofing,siding,painting that might have traveled to jennifers apartment complex.see what date the workers started there check there dna.check to see where there vehicles are registered.

[butchgt]

I was curious if the authorities are able to check the mileage and compute the mileage from her condo to and from where it was driven that night. By going back to when it was last serviced, the mileage recorded, and then the mileage Jennifer actually put on the car including the drive to Ft. Lauderdale the day before. It sounds far-fetched, but in this day of high-tech crime solving, it seems like they might be able to do this, and be able to determine a circumference of the area to where the suspect may have driven her.I''m sure they probably went over the entire inside of the car, but there has to be a possibility of a shoe print, clothing fibers are some trace of evidence. I pray they come up with something soon.

[madiline01]

From the video my intuition tells me the individual is a man, possibly oriental or mexican. The hair style appears to be styled rather than tucked under a hat. It is possible the individual is a a hairdresser, metrosexual, or even gay. I am not sure if it is a common hairstyle for oriental or mexican men but it is possible.
The individual has a slim structure common in oriental men as they believe in small portion size and have you ever noticed they are usually very slim. I believe the individual is taller than 5''3 and more like 5''7. It is possible the individual is a waiter. My best advice would be for the families and or investigators to visit George Anderson in long Island. George deals in connecting loved ones in the afterlife with loved ones here on earth. I guarantee if those women are deceased, they will come through to their families through George Anderson possibly with information. I am not crazy... my family has Visited Mr. Anderson. He is no phoney. He has a waiting list so if any family of these girls is reading this... do not wait.
You can thank me later. When a loved one passes on in a situation like this, they are very anxious to come through and communicate.
One thing that struck me as odd in Tara''s case was the police officer that left the business card... and the several phone calls he left on her answer machine. Whose to say he did not leave those calls purposely? It just seemed like a red flag to me... or perhaps I am over analyzing.

[cold777]

These disappearances seem eerily similar to a third disappearance which appeared on 48 hours within the last couple of months. A young mother disappeared from her home near Lakeland, FL, with her two very small children asleep in the house at the time. The man convicted of this crime is Mike King, and at the time this abduction and murder occurred, there was construction occurring in the young family''''s neighborhood. The young mother was the daughter of a Sheriff and she knew to leave clues and make as much noise as possible as she fought for her life. Sadly, her story ended in tragedy. Could these two additional cases possibly be related? The time period fits.


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Posted by jpool3
================================================
The Lakeland, FL case appeared on Dateline NBC.

[gibby4h]

Please, if you don''t have any information don''t give your best CSI impressions. Let the authorities do their jobs.

[impythegreat]

Many ppl who have left comments have had some pretty good ideas. I believe the story is leading us to believe things. Like that one of the painters killed Jenifer, or that Tara''s x killed her. There is just too much information left out to make a legitamate conclusion. I have noticed some things though.

Jennifers case:
In the tape of the man leaving Jennifers car, when he is walking past those pillars, the window in the car behind him does something odd. When they first show it, the window is dark, but in the next frame it is light. Why did it do that? Possibly somebody in the car who could have seen the "ghostly figure"? IDK.
Also, no fingerprints, blood or signs of struggle were found in her car. The person on the tape did not appear to be wearing gloves. Odd.
my conclusion: She left willingly


Tara''s Case:
Tara''s X-bf''s alibi was a policeman. The buisness card was left by a policeman. Were they the same guy? And was the DNA tested against both/him. Its not uncommon that policemen stick together in crimes.
I have seen that on the news. I also dont like how Marcus (her x-bf) had been at a bar with the alibi, then went "driving around town". Gas is expensive.
my conclusion: marcus and alibi


Though the crimes are similar, i dont believe they are related. I also believe the cases will be left unsolved...

[mpdockery]

I got an eerie feeling when I was watching the program. I believe that Jennifer is still alive an being held captive. She was abducted and taken in another vehicle. That''s why not prints were found. She has been sold to an underground organization/groups that buy women. The coincidence of both women are that they are attractive and single. No man in there lives living with them. They were watched closely by the abductors. I feel confident Jennifer is alive. You are looking at the wrong people. Someone you have interviewed is involved with the kidnapping.

[mpdockery]

I got an eerie feeling when I was watching the program. I believe that Jennifer is still alive an being held captive. She was abducted and taken in another vehicle. That''s why not prints were found. She has been sold to an underground organization/groups that buy women. The coincidence of both women are that they are attractive and single. No man in there lives living with them. They were watched closely by the abductors. I feel confident Jennifer is alive. You are looking at the wrong people. Someone you have interviewed is involved with the kidnapping.

[maryk30]

Did they look at the odometer reading?

[maryk30]

Did they look at the odometer reading?

[carolyncosta]

If a latex glove was found, can the GBI not get a finger print from inside the latex glove? I really believe Sylvia Brown should be contacted. She could put some closure to this mystery.

[rdaugh]

I watched the 48 Hours segment on Jennifer Kesse tonight. It was as disappointing as anything I''ve ever seen.

The audience was specificallly told that the person can''t be determined if male or female, is 5''3" to 5''5" tall, and is wearing white clothes that look like a painter and is probably a construction worker. There was also an emphasis on construction workers working at her condo complex undergoing renovations and staying in empty apartments, and that Jennifer voiced concerns about them being around and staring at her.

There is not one person who saw it who wouldn''t come away with the belief that the Orlando Police believe a construction worker, probably highly transient if not an illegal, abducted Jennifer at her car in her parking lot that morning and then parked her car a mile away at another apartment complex and walked away.

This is exactly the same information reported in the first few days after Jennifer disappeared, and after two and a half years and all the work I''ve done to show otherwise, CBS repeats it, and everyone is just as misinformed as they were from the beginning.

First and most importantly, I have identified the person as wearing the uniform and equipment of an armed bike patrol security guard. The pictures are at:

Blowup of Jennifer Kesse person of interest / suspect
http://www.justiceforchandra.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3033

Ralph Daugherty
www.justiceforchandra.com
ralph @ ee.net

[rdaugh]

Also, the clothes are not white. The Orlando police discovered that their blue uniforms showed up light in their tests in this night vision surveillance camera, they were quoted as saying so in the press, but still reporters are clueless when they report on this, and report the clothes as white like painters pants and a tshirt. Absolutely clueless.

I have offered to purchase the same model camera and conduct tests in Orlando to determine how color of clothes and other factors of the images are rendered if I could get the camera make and model and settings the apartment complex was using at the time, but there has not been enough interest to even get that bit of information.

Lastly, I have found the person''s face in the third surveillance picture, the one conveniently not mentioned by CBS 48 Hours, as he looks back across the pool at Jennifer''s car he just parked and walked away from. Showing his face to the public however would require doing something beyond parroting the standard line from the Orlando Police in the first few days of her disappearance and unchanging since.

I understand people being clueless in the beginning, but after I show them what they didn''t see in the pictures, they no longer have an excuse.

Jennifer and missing women deserve better than that.

Ralph Daugherty
www.justiceforchandra.com

[westcoastgir]

Regarding the case of Jennifer Kesse, wouldn''t it be safe to assume that the construction workers would have master keys? How else would they be able to access so many condo''s, as well as stay on site? Perhaps, someone watched her leave with her suitcase and accessed her apartment and was then lying in wait for her return? She could have quite possibly been overwhelmed by a)shock and surprise and b)someone with a knife, gun or other threatening weapons. She was forced into her car and we can only speculate what occured thereafter. I am terribly sorry for the anguish that her friends and family continue to endure on a daily basis. Please do not ever give up on Jennifer, she is out there somewhere.

[westcoastgir]

Regarding the case of Jennifer Kesse, wouldn''t it be safe to assume that the construction workers would have master keys? How else would they be able to access so many condo''s, as well as stay on site? Perhaps, someone watched her leave with her suitcase and accessed her apartment and was then lying in wait for her return? She could have quite possibly been overwhelmed by a)shock and surprise and b)someone with a knife, gun or other threatening weapons. She was forced into her car and we can only speculate what occured thereafter. I am terribly sorry for the anguish that her friends and family continue to endure on a daily basis. Please do not ever give up on Jennifer, she is out there somewhere.

[westcoastgir]

Regarding the case of Jennifer Kesse, wouldn''t it be safe to assume that the construction workers would have master keys? How else would they be able to access so many condo''s, as well as stay on site? Perhaps, someone watched her leave with her suitcase and accessed her apartment and was then lying in wait for her return? She could have quite possibly been overwhelmed by a)shock and surprise and b)someone with a knife, gun or other threatening weapons. She was forced into her car and we can only speculate what occured thereafter. I am terribly sorry for the anguish that her friends and family continue to endure on a daily basis. Please do not ever give up on Jennifer, she is out there somewhere.

[piercharlie]

Second story. Grainy image is a woman. Check with salons who might''ve done the haircut.

(CBS. Your servers should be able to handle the traffic.)

[burke1242]

I noticed in one of the car shots of the interior, a red spoon used to melt cocaine?
Maybe she was in to drugs and didn''t pay for her drug''s and the dealer killed her. The evidence and motive are right there in her
car.

[burke1242]

Check for fingerprints on dupe spoon and DVR. The drug dealer was probably shooting up with her and forgot his DVD player. Did you check for fingerprints? Da.

[amandakatg]

This 3rd photo that everyone speaks of on the surveillance camera that shows the individuals face,I can''t find anywhere.I''m assuming they are determining the height of the person with the height & distance the person is walking from the fence,if that is the case,they should also determine shoe size.The probability that a woman who is small with large feet is less likely than a man.Another blogger mentioned that it might be bike patrol & "he" is possibly wearing a helmet.From close ups it appears someones hair is in a bun or they have a prominent bump on the back of their head.Another thing I noticed that seemed random & odd to me was the VCR in the back of her car.How did it get there?Was it Jennifers?Could it be the item that belonged to someone posing as a cable company worker.She prob shares her cable company with the rest of the complex.Therefore someone could very easily impersonate a member of the company.What was not clear to me was why someone who took so many measures to insure her safety vanish.Which direction did the person who drove the car walk?Did any other cameras in the area pick anything up or notice cars for a few days?Did they review the parking lot where the car was left over a period of time?Was the radio station in the car set to different music then Jenn usually liked? Where was the seat?Pulled up?Pushed back?Tilted even?How was the mirror adjusted?Down to watch someone in the back seat?

[amandakatg]

This 3rd photo that everyone speaks of on the surveillance camera that shows the individuals face,I can''t find anywhere.I''m assuming they are determining the height of the person with the height & distance the person is walking from the fence,if that is the case,they should also determine shoe size.The probability that a woman who is small with large feet is less likely than a man.Another blogger mentioned that it might be bike patrol & "he" is possibly wearing a helmet.From close ups it appears someones hair is in a bun or they have a prominent bump on the back of their head.Another thing I noticed that seemed random & odd to me was the VCR in the back of her car.How did it get there?Was it Jennifers?Could it be the item that belonged to someone posing as a cable company worker.She prob shares her cable company with the rest of the complex.Therefore someone could very easily impersonate a member of the company.What was not clear to me was why someone who took so many measures to insure her safety vanish.Which direction did the person who drove the car walk?Did any other cameras in the area pick anything up or notice cars for a few days?Did they review the parking lot where the car was left over a period of time?Was the radio station in the car set to different music then Jenn usually liked? Where was the seat?Pulled up?Pushed back?Tilted even?How was the mirror adjusted?Down to watch someone in the back seat?

[jigman61]

The image in the grainy video looks like he''s dressed up as a Guardian Angel(street patrol) type of person from what I can see. Just an observation. Patrick

[jigman61]

The image in the grainy video looks like he''s dressed up as a Guardian Angel(street patrol) type of person from what I can see. Just an observation. Patrick

[burke1242]

Also, did they trace the serial number for the DVD player, back to the owner? Maybe he registered it in his name? Or it was stolen? Da.

[jigman61]

The image in the grainy video looks like he''s dressed up as a Guardian Angel(street patrol) type of person from what I can see. Just an observation. Patrick

[jigman61]

The image in the grainy video looks like he''s dressed up as a Guardian Angel(street patrol) type of person from what I can see. Just an observation. Patrick

[amandakatg]

in conclusion to my statement (since I''m limited to 1500 characters) the little things are what they I hope are looking for. In regards to the surveillance camera and watching it over a period of time. I mean, previous to the drop off of the car. I hope that they figure out both cases and someone(s) are brought to justice.

[ded332211]

Is it possible that the construction workers in the Florida Apt. complex are mixed up with a traveling worker that might have been working in Georgia when Tara disappeared.

[cc9006]

If only they could find a DNA match! I can''t imagine how frustrating it must be for Tara''s family how close they are, but can''t find the person. And for Jennifer''s family how if only the person had been a second or two earlier or later or if they''d walked faster or slower. I can''t even begin to imagine. I hope they''ll someday find them. These cases are so sad!

[tr4685105]

It is good o know that the GBI in Tara''s case has released the information on the DNA and the glove. I am from Ocilla and it the entire community will never rest until this is resolved. We have all gone througn the process of dealing with the various rumors within the community and really need to find some closure to this tragedy. Someone knows and hopefully they will now come forward.

[crisblvd1]

the glove is a decoy. im not afraid to look closer at the cop that did it. but the cops that are afraid to look closer at the cop wont.this case has been solved by a blessed friend of god chris

[crisblvd1]

the glove is a decoy. im not afraid to look closer at the cop that did it. but the cops that are afraid to look closer at the cop wont.this case has been solved by a blessed friend of god chris

[crisblvd1]

the glove is a decoy. im not afraid to look closer at the cop that did it. but the cops that are afraid to look closer at the cop wont.this case has been solved by a blessed friend of god chris

[mythoughtsr]

So, if the women would have had "mediocre" looks, then what would you have titled the article? Pitiful, sexist article. All people are beautiful in their own way. I guess here we go again with the missing stories of the good looking white women. Unreal.

[jjw824]

when i lived in orlando, my apartment gave workers master keys (BAD IDEA!)i think you need to find out what company was hired to do work and then go through all their employees. can you also go undercover in these "*** rings" that many women are forced into and try and find information just in case? God Bless Jennifer''s family.

[blogs1-2009]

I think this article is sexist too.

[ringette6]

The figure in the video looks to me like he is wearing a porkpie hat, tipped forward. Has anyone looked into her brother''s friends? Didn''t the story say they stayed in her apartment while she was away?