Jessica | 1

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

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 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 gotten no answers in this case.

This is from a press conference I attended that on August eighth, twenty twenty one. The man speaking is New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams. The woman he just mentioned is Jessica Easterly Darning, 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

Of today's press conference on these railroad tracks, however, is to make a very clear and a very direct.

Public appeal to this community.

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 five thousand 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 just 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 that Jessica went missing or that she was found dad. 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 hard did they canvas. My name is also Jessica, Jessica Nole. I'm an investigative journalist and I've been covering this story for some time now,

If I'm one of the detectives called out here, I'm immediately gonna just say out loud, what a weird place to dump a body?

What a weird place to find a body?

Just because I literally can go forty yards over here, and I 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 know. The location of where she was found is just it's troublesome. It's troublesome 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. How about what you would expect given the circumstances.

I just keep going back to, what are the odds?

What do you? 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. It's also a question of how she died, questions that emerged 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 and Jessica's loved

But 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 C four vertebrae as well as her grip was broken, and there's a post motive.

I might have some information that y'all would find helpful.

From resonate recordings and Tenderfoot TV. I'm your host, Jessica Nole. 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

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 married Jessica's mother. Jessica's our stepsister.

But in our family, if we don't say half sisters. That's not our thing, Mamma day.

I got married in April of eighty nine, just before I turned ten. They were only together for about a year before they got married.

So we'll just say I was sixteen, so that would have made Jessica eleven or twelve at the time. A photo of the three sisters together depicts this day of celebration. They're all smiles and we're matching formal lace dresses 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 Audre, does recall is Jessica couldn't take her eyes off her I used.

To wear black lipstick, holy jeans, and my hair stick up away 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, Audrey 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 off 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

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 what 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 nineteen ninety four, she left home to attend the university of South Alabama for speech pathology and audiology, and that's when Maria, her friend of twenty five years, came into the picture.

My name is Maria Kreole, 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 couldn't 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's funny.

She could just be so polished, just like in an instant, like pretty updoo and pearls, just so quick. She could turn around on Audrey Hepburn looks so fast. She was always down for like a little adventure. She was quick to, you know, grab a bottle of Frensia 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 twenty three years old and single, moved back to Mississippi.

She was talking about Justin and her friend about them having problems whenever I was still living with her. Part of our problem with 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 learn things from her, either we thought this doesn't sound like it quite adds up all the way over to oh, this is bullshit.

Her sister 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 thirty 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 and had found her prince charming. She was ready to settle down. She wanted a family. On July fifteenth, twenty eleven, Jessica announced on Facebook that she and Justin had moved in together. She joined the home he shared with his elderly father, Justin Senior, 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 wanted to believe in love.

Does she feend love Love conquers all and everyone's yay?

And she'd be the stay at home mom bringing her kids up and the husband high honey, how was your day?

The beaver cleaver type thing.

Yeah, that's what she wanted in life.

On February twenty fifth, twenty fifteen, at sunset, Justin and Jessica tied the knot at the hard Rock Cafe Hotel and Casino in her hometown of Biloxi, 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 friend since childhood. Erica Badard Russell, was one of the few invited to the intimate nuptials and described the tone of that day.

It was very small, not plan. The only thing plan 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 that was her only friend there. It was a weird day. How they got married on the little balcony and then that was it. I don't even remember

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 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. 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 different. 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. I'm like, well, where's Jessica. Well, she just ran out to go get Gracie. She ran out to do this. She ran out to do that. Okay, I don't know

Towards the end. This is how Erica remembers many of their calls going. It made her miss the way it used to be.

I loved our little talks. She always would tell me love me. She'd just say love you, my Erica. I would tell her love you to my chest.

I wish I could go back.

I wish I wish I could relive one of 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 twenty nineteen. From here everything would start to unravel.

She contacted me on the twelfth, The thirteenth came and went without contact. So then on the fourteenth 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

It's Wednesday, August fourteenth, twenty nineteen, just after ten pm. Two officers pull up to the Derneys home. This is audio from the ENERPD body cam 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 storm door, but an interior door blocks any view inside. Shifting to the left, he sheds light onto the brick, revealing the address placard,

Oh did you live here? We're told? Is no one ill here? Someone sick here? He'll we got a call though, Yeah, I know my.

Wife, Justin's dog is inconsolable the moment he sets eyes on them.

Let him just say hi. So he's not far to these you guys.

You go see how over?

Okay, So all right, we're just exciting.

Hey baby, Yeah, he's rambling.

He's going through a bunch of training right now. Yeah, basically service anyway.

Yeah, so, yes, So what's going on with my wife?

About twelve o'clock I came home and we sat and talked and I lay down to good nap.

And the car's here, her wallet's here, everything's here. And I'm not trying to freak my daughter out because.

She's fifteen, just started anyway, I'm freaking because this is not indicative of my wife. So I called everybody I know, and I know I know called for the well check a friend of hers in Alabama.

And I mean, you guys are well, come in if you want to take a look.

At Sure you called? No, they call because she's what are missy? I'm sure your wife she's gone, her car's going.

Now, cars here, a wall, it's here. How long ago?

How long she's been going?

Like twelve thirty, twelve, fifteen, day thirty. I fell asleep, So I don't today. Yes.

Initially, Justin describes a situation as unusual, not indicative of his wife, but as their conversation continues, he starts to switch gears a bit.

She's depressed, bipolar, but she saw meds and stuff and it's it's normal.

I mean, she she handles it. She's five five six five seven, one hundred and fifteen pounds, dark brown hair, preddy. Her birthday Saturday.

She's taking medics.

Yeah, she's on medicine.

But I mean it's not even it's not like I mean, we've been through the ring with the sex stuff with her, and she's a psychologist by trade, so not to show.

Yeah, she says she left before like this is the length of time.

Never, never, and that's what's got me concerned.

But I mean since twelve thirty dight.

She just apparently warned it off and we're just now getting a call.

I mean, well, no, what happened was is I woke up about four oh, I came home from school.

I woke up round.

Okay, piece was made and a piece of was made, okay, and she's gone right.

And the car is here, the keys are here versus here, so you know, and 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 yeah, before I called you guys, because let's.

See if she wondered back. I mean, she's never done that anymore.

No, no, no, no, and that's that's my concern. And you know, we've we've been a little bit.

This has been real resposed out for a couple of reasons because like a fifteen year old since uh and she got overwhelmed right before going to high school for the first time.

Man, okay, well you you you checked off some good places that that you need to check, the hospitals in the jail.

I would never put anything like it in the.

Jail, you know, but at this point, I think of could people were required?

Of course they told me twenty four hours.

Now, well the circumstances though, twenty four hours another coming to play. She just she disappeared. I mean, right, you could have done this for four dollars ago. I mean it's it's suspicious due to her medication and all that other stuff.

I would think she's been she's made complain I mean I checked it.

Right, right, Well, there's reason for alarm, yeah it is. But you you you know made those checks. That that's good. That's that's pretty fanty.

What else to do?

I mean I left the phone best because I started to do GPS, you know, to see if I can find out the tablet, the phone, the first everything she.

Made a pizza.

Oh, she left phone, everything, the nothing to trace her.

Well, what happened was my phone blew off my motorcycle.

Yeah that was great.

Fifteen hourd bucks fly off the handle bars for my fault anyway.

So we're kind of sharing a phone, but usually if she.

Goes somewhere, she'll take the phone because I had the iPad at home.

As officers are wrapping up their wellness check, the conversation turns a little more casual.

The thing is, if she wondered about in Lakeview, Lakeview, people are.

Going to call that and that's just eighty four. Yeah, so yeah, oh, oh my goodness. Yeah, I got the house the old fashioned way. Oh yeah, my mother passed away.

Oh I know. Yeah, I've seen this house for years.

My dad. My dad's eighty six.

I've been seventy nine.

I've been seventy nine. John, oh, forty four, forty forty Wow, before I thought you about to see your forty four, I'm I'm forty seven. No freaking way, I'm looking at Jpso right now I gotta get out of the house.

Yeah. Yeah, that's a good work, that's a good quace to work. It is.

I'm just forty six. I'll be four six, your first time law enforcement, the first time law enforcing.

Yeah, just before leaving, the other officer times in and let's justin know that another n 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's j Justin, brother by Valery Jay, I'm a junior. Okay, yeah, I mean time.

Yeah, here, thank you, brother Michael on all right, your name Jay Darny.

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 n OPDS Third District would return to the home, this time to open an official missing person's investigation. And let's just say this visit would be quite different from the first.

Hey, we're on this twenty one m it's actually my neighbor. They live three houses away from me. Yeah, he's a strange individual to the husband. I've lived here for three years now and I see him outside all the time, but 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 him to me, It's just like someone's.

Not ready here.

Undetermined is a production of Resonate Recordings and tender Foot TV in conjunction with Cadence thirteen. Written and hosted by me Jessica Nole and produced by Dennis Cooper and Todd Mahomas, with additional production by Whitney Bozart. Executive producers are Dennis Cooper, Mark Minnery, Jacob Bozart, Donald Albright, and Payne Lindsay. Our senior producer is John Street. Editing, mixing, mastering and sound design by Caleb Melcher, Dayton Cole and Pat kick Glider