And by the time nine days had gone byany clues were long gone. I would not rule out a pedophile-like assailant completely--or more specifically, one who liked young males, not children. Kelly was later awarded a Volunteer for Victims award from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, as well as Nebraska Governor's Points of Light Award. There is no history of problems with him outside of some school bullying. My general impression from reading of this case is that Jason was perceived as a little younger than is actual age of nineteen (almost 20), despite his 6-foot frame at 165lbs. I have absolutely nothing to support this belief. On Sunday afternoon, friends, family and neighbors gathered to share memories, paint and hide rocks with #FindJasonJ on them. The other missing teen in the area makes me wonder if there is someone nearby who likes teen boys. Maybe he was seen as an easy target due to his shy nature as well. Jolkowski was born in Grand Island, Nebraska. If it was arranged by someone else than maybe she wasnt there to begin with and he was intercepted by the person last to see him. This is one of the most baffling missing persons cases Ive looked into so far, for a few reasons. I guess its possible a hit-and-run could have still happened, but it just seems weird that no trace of it was left behind and that no one in the neighborhood heard any kind of commotion. A neighbor saw him carry the cans into the garage at his house in the area of 48th and Bedford Streets. At the same time, I dont think he would have been able to make it far from any accident scene without being seen and recognized, let alone not being recognized for so many years after. Jolkowskis mother has described him as shy, quiet boy with only a small handful of friends. "Jason Jolkowski," Disappeared, November 19, 2021, "Disappearance of Jason Jolkowski", Wikipedia, "There's no leads, nobody saw anything," Emily Tencer, KETV 7, June 13, 2021, "Family still searching for missing son", Marion Rhodes, Omaha World-Herald, January 5, 2004, "Month Passes Without Clue of Disappearance of Son," Kamahria Hopkins, Omaha World-Herald, July 13, 2001, "MISSING: 20 year anniversary of Jason Jolkowskis disappearance," WOWT News, June 12th, 2021. On June 13, 2001, Jason Jolkowskis manager called him into work earlier than expected. Last updated January 11, 2019; picture added, age-progression updated. Which makes me think---did Sherman and Jason ever know each other? And he was never seen from or heard from again.". Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find. He initially planned to walk to his job, which was located over 4mi (6.4km) away, due to his car being at an auto repair shop, but eventually made arrangements for a co-worker to give him a ride. It was a seemingly normal day in June of 2001. I suspect foul play as well. [2], At 10:45a.m., Jolkowski was last seen by a neighbor, who witnessed him helping his younger brother pull trash cans from the curb back to the house. Might be interesting to look up if any other crimes were reported in the area that same day. Perhaps some former classmates decided to prank him by lightly brushing him with a car (some sheriff insists that this is the solution to the Tara Calico mystery, but who knows) or threw a bottle at him and the unthinkable happened. Updated: 10:19 PM CDT Jun 13, 2021 Infinite Scroll Enabled Emily Tencer Reporter Sorry,. His family insists he would not have run away and he had no known enemies or reasons why someone would want to kidnap or harm him in any way. Not even a stream, or a drainage culvert. Not that it matters much since he apparently didn't make it to the school anyway. So he called a co-worker and arranged to meet her at nearby Benson High School, roughly half a mile away from his home, and from there she was supposed to drive him to Fazolis. ), and the perpetrators decided to get rid of him my bet is that he was offered a ride though. But every explanation I can think of here is just weird. it's important to note this, it was reported that jason had a mild learning disability with his speech and language but according to his parents he hwd above average intelligence. (WOWT) - Twenty years ago on June 13, 2001, Jason Jolkowski went missing without a trace. Security cam footage from Benson High School confirmed that Jason never arrived that day. As of 2022[update], Jolkowski's whereabouts remain unknown. Jolkowski's mother described him as "shy", "a quiet boy" with only "a small handful of friends. He believes he could be one of the last people to see him that day. Or Jason suffered a head injury that resulted in amnesia, which led him away from his life. There are sketchy areas, but not really where he went missing (source: literally grew up a block away). At 10:45, Jason was seen bringing garbage cans in from the curb. Missing From: OMAHA, NE. Its believed that Jason had only his cellphone and no more than $60 on him that day. Very, very sad case. On June 13, 2001, Jolkowski was called into work early. In 2001, Jason Jolkowski was a hardworking 19-year old, living in Omaha, Nebraska. Next year will mark 20 years since Jason's disappearance and we're still left with many more questions than answers. He was a part-time student in the radio broadcasting program at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa[3] and worked at a local Fazoli's restaurant. Agree look to the people who knew and/or planned for his trip to work. He stood at around 61 tall and weighed around 165 lbs. No answers, no clues, just the reminder that it's officially been 20 years and no one knows what happened to Jason Jolkowski. He has not cashed any of his paychecks, used his cellular phone or ATM card, or picked up his car from the auto repair shop since his disappearance. Jim and Kelly Jolkowski with a framed photo of their missing son. MISSING: Jason Jolkowski, 20 Yrs., Omaha, NE, 06/13/01 Jason was last seen leaving his house to get a ride to work from a co-worker. His car was in the shop for repairs and he initially said he would walk there, but then called back and made arrangements for a coworker to pick him up at Jolkowski's old school, Benson High School, eight blocks from his home. -, Press J to jump to the feed. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The driver then hid Jason somewhere yet unfound. On the way out the door of his family's residence, he decided to help his younger brother take trash cans into the garage. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. jason struggled with giving directions so he planned on meeting his co-worker at benson high school (which they both previously attended and graduated from). I tend to believe he somehow met up with foul play, but it also seems so unlikely to me? at the time of his disappearance he was a part time student in a community college in iowa, and he worked at a restaurant. (Im typing on my phone so I apologize if the formatting is off. What happened to Jason Jolkowski? 19-year-old Jason Jolkowski was last seen in Omaha, Nebraska on June 13, 2001. No trace of him was ever found, or any useful leads. But his family and friends were certain that he wouldnt have run away, explaining that his family meant everything to him and that things were going well in his life. The fact that the investigation was so delayed likely led to the loss of any clues that might have been found. Despite circumstantial evidence pointing to his stepmother, the case remains unsolved. The fact that Jason disappeared in a fifteen-minute window in the light of day with no clues seems unfathomable. His vehicle was found locked and abandoned the next day and eventually his laptop and the computer's hard drive were recovered from the nearby Susquehanna River. There's a plaque and a tree at Roberts Park planted off the Keystone Trail in honor of Jolkowski. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. This case does get a lot of publicity because Jason Jolkowski was not the typical victim. and our Probably not connected, but another 19 year old white male went missing while living on the same street, about a mile away, about a month later. He had a passion for broadcasting and the Chicago Cubs. I agree that suicide would be next to impossible for several different reasons, including nowhere to hide on the route. He was last seen by a neighbor, who said he was taking out the trash at his home, presumably before walking to the school. According to Jasons friend, Amanda Goodman: He loves his parents and his brother more than anything in the world. Jolkowski also had learning disabilities which caused him to have trouble with speech and language. "Someone does know something and we need someone to come forward and help alleviate all our pain," said Jim Jolkowski, Jolkowski's father.At the event Sunday, Jolkowski's father also asked the crowd to pray for the family of Ryan Larsen, saying he understands what they are going through right now. One thing I learned in my college anatomy course is that the human body is terrifying frail. He was walking towards his old high school to meet a coworker for a ride. On June 13, 2001, Jason Jolkowski was last seen walking to meet up with a coworker to get a ride to work. "There's no leads, nobody saw anything, and detectives just didn't find anything," said Donita Say. The first theory is that Jason was the victim of a hit and run accident that left him either dead or with life-threatening injuries. For those who are unfamiliar with the disappearance of Jason Jolkowski, I will elaborate. he had plans for the future and he wanted to work at a radio broadcasting program after graduating. Wild guess, but I think that Jason was the victim of some random, horrible accident. He is described as a shy person who was not involved with drugs or alcohol and was close to his family at the time of his disappearance. He had a younger brother named Michael. Jason Anthony Jolkowski (June 24, 1981 disappeared June 13, 2001) is an American man from Omaha, Nebraska who went missing while walking towards his former high school to meet a co-worker for a ride to work. He has not cashed any of his paychecks, used his cellular phone or ATM card, or picked up his car from the auto repair shop since his disappearance. The eight blocks between the Jolkowski home and Benson High School were made up of quiet residential streets with little traffic. For those who are unfamiliar with the disappearance of Jason Jolkowski, I will elaborate. Jason never reached the rendezvous location and he was never seen again. Unfortunately, I can not find anything that tells us what Jason did in the previous days he did not have his car---did he actually go to work? Chester Link said he's that neighbor who saw Jolkowski walking toward the high school. They think, well, you should be over that by now, you should be back to normal. The then 19-year-old was walking seven blocks from his . But the main theory, which his family also believes to be true, is that Jason was lured into a vehicle by someone that day and then murdered. That's a long time," said Link. kind of thing I wonder if anybody would have even noticed. When trying to determine what happened in any given case, I tend to go by Occams razor - the simplest explanation or the explanation that makes the fewest assumptions is likely the correct explanation. This is easily the most baffling missing person's case I've ever come across mostly because of the tight timeframe and area constraints. Lets explore. at the time of his disappearance he was a part time student in a community college in iowa, and he worked at a restaurant. On December 23, 1974, Rachel Trlica, Renee Wilson, and Julie Ann Moseley went Christmas shopping. At around 11:15, Jasons coworker called his house to ask where he was, as he was late in meeting her. Maybe Jason was intentionally struck by a car or picked up in a case of mistaken identity. Jason was supposed to meet his female coworker at the high school around 11 AM, and was last seen by a neighbor returning trash cans into his house. Dec 31, 2022 On June 13, 2001 in Omaha, Nebraska, is where 19-year-old Jason Jolkowski was last seen by anyone. Jolkowski has not been seen or heard from since then. Some people try to take hope away from you. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. We have no evidence that anyone wanted to harm Jason, but the motive could have been something impersonal like robbery. Much healing to the family. He disappeared while walking from his family home towards his former high school to meet his ride for work. He was studying part-time on a radio broadcasting programme in Iowa, as well as. He had a passion for broadcasting and the Chicago Cubs. He left his bank account of over $600 USD untouched since that day, his cell phone never showed subsequent activity, never picked up his paycheck or enquired about his auto which was in the shop having repair work done. His mother described him as being quite shy, preferring to keep a small group of friends. Jason was described by his parents as considerate and generous, the kind of person who would go out of his way to help others. In the early morning hours of December 25, 1945, the Sodder family's home burned down. . However, nothing I have ever read has actually stated where the co-worker intended to meet Jason. Jason Jolkowski's case is so baffling because there is no real fathomable reason to most of us as to why somebody would abduct him or harm him. His photo is shown age progressed to 36 years. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children created an age-progression photo that shows what Jolkowski would look like now at the age of 39. The police interviewed friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, but were at a loss to explain what had happened to Jason. since jason went missing, there has been no activity on his bank account and cell phone. -, Press J to jump to the feed. "There's no leads, nobody saw anything, and detectives just didn't find anything," said Donita Say. No history of drugs, no history of being involved with anyone unsavory. What happened to Jason Jolkowski? Foul play is suspected in his case. [6] Under an hour later, between 11:15 and 11:30a.m., his co-worker called his house stating that he had failed to turn up at Benson High for the ride to work. Despite the enduring pain of their loss, Jason's family still remains hopeful that one day theyll have closure and definitive answers about what happened to their son. When you look up images of Lake James Park on Google, the only images available come from an article about gang violence in Omaha which just strikes me as odd (http://netnebraska.org/article/news/956652/chaplain-former-gang-member-and-businesswoman-discuss-gang-violence-omaha). For a downloadable poster, click here. Vanished Into Thin Air: The Disappearance of Jason Jolkowski | by Jenn Baxter | Medium 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Jason was not known to be street smart and was generally trusting..and it could had even been someone he knew. Jason agreed to meet this coworker at the local high school, as it was easier than giving directions over the phone. jason was last seen at 10:45 a.m. by a neighbor. I do think Jason got at least as far as crossing Bedford Ave. On the other hand, we have a large park, Gallagher Park across from the front of the high school on N 52nd street and there is, at the immediate south-west of the high school very easy access to the NW Radial Highway (Rt 64) which leads out to I-680, 480 and Interstate 80 within ten minutes. OMAHA, Neb. Jason Jolkowski was born on June 24, 1981, in Grand Island, Nebraska, to parents Jim and Kelly. Okay now this I find interesting. Jason's Background The two most plausible outcomes in my mind are that he ran into foul play at the hands of someone he knew (even if in passing or neighbors/acquaintances), maybe even someone close enough to him to know where he worked, what his routine was like, etc. SO THERES NO WAY OF KNOWING THATS DONNIE TO SAY SHE WAS 16 WINTER 19 YEAR OLD COUSIN DISAPPEADRE JUNE 13TH MARKS 20 YEARS SINCE STROKOWSKI WAS UNEXPECTEDLY CALLED INTO WORK AND AGREED TO MEET HIS COWORKER AT BENSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR A RIDE AND SO HE SWA LAST SCENE TAKING THE TSHRA CANS INTO HIS HOUSE AND A NEIGHBOR SAW HIM DO THAT AND THEN HIS BROER ATHLSO LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAWIM H WALKING IN THE DIRECTION TOWARDS BENSONND A HE WAS NEVER SEEN OR HEARD FROM AGAIN. Jason was described as shy, intelligent, and kind by those who knew him. "I don't understand how someone could just vanish with no trace, no foul play, nothing like that. The then 19-year-old was walking seven blocks from his home to Benson High School in order. At around 10:45 AM he helped his brother pull some trash bins from the curb into the garage and then set off on the eight-block trek from his home to the high school where a coworker had arranged to pick him. I think someone drove by in a car and grabbed him. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. This was a relatively straightforward walk in a pretty residential area, although there is a park on the way to the school (I will get into the relevancy of the park soon). He lived close to Jason and the high school, was the same age. "Someone does know something and we need someone to come forward and help alleviate all our pain," said Jim Jolkowski, Jolkowski's father. Everyone deserves hope.". I want to say the simplest thing that happened here was some kind of hit-and-run - Maybe Jason was struck by a car while walking to the school, and the driver panicked, took his body and disposed of it somewhere its never been found. NEIGHBOR SAYS HE WAS ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE TO SEE HIM THAT DAY WALKING TOWASRD THE SCHOOL. on june 13th, he was called into work early and he planned on walking there, but he ended up making arrangements for a ride from his co-worker. Age progression photo courtesy of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. I went down a rabbit hole but could only find pictures of the pedestrian tunnel under Dodge. I'm not quite sure who arranged what, but it was agreed upon that Jason would make around a 15 minute walk from his home on N 48th St to a nearby high school called Benson High Magnet School. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. There's no indication that the coworker had anything to do with it. Missing Date: Wed, Jun 13 2001. A second theory that often pops up on message boards in particular is that Jason was offered a ride from someone with ill intent. Where was the tunnel located? Is anyone familiar with the area or does anyone know what the park looked like at the time of his disappearance? Maybe Jason was intentionally struck by a car or picked up in a case of mistaken identity.