I think someone drove by in a car and grabbed him. "Someone does know something and we need someone to come forward and help alleviate all our pain," said Jim Jolkowski, Jolkowski's father. The then 19-year-old was walking seven blocks from his . 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. "I remembered one time we had this idea to do a popsicle race at which color would melt the fastest and I know red one," recounted Michael Jolkowski, Jolkowski's younger brother. Maybe he was seen as an easy target due to his shy nature as well. He falls into the category of missing for no comprehensible reason, along with Brian Shaffer, James Tedford, and Trevaline Evans. in 2003 his parents started a non profit called project jason but for unknown reasons the project went offline fairly recently. So what happened to him? Wild guess, but I think that Jason was the victim of some random, horrible accident. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. At one point Jason apparently planned to walk the 4.5 miles to the Fizoli's where he worked, but then asked a co-worker for a ride for 10:45am (which they agreed to meet in the high school parking lot). Boom, dead, end of story. 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. One thing I learned in my college anatomy course is that the human body is terrifying frail. This is easily the most baffling missing person's case I've ever come across mostly because of the tight timeframe and area constraints. We knew he had a tendency to start giggling.. "Family still searching for missing son", "Month Passes Without Clue of Disappearance of Son,", "MISSING: 20 year anniversary of Jason Jolkowskis disappearance,". The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. his car was still at the auto repair shop and his last paycheck was not picked up. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. "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. According to Jasons friend, Amanda Goodman: He loves his parents and his brother more than anything in the world. Im actually a day late on this, so I apologize. -, Press J to jump to the feed. A random thrill kill is statistically unlikely. Though they were spotted that day in the mall, they have not been seen since and the vehicle they arrived in was left behind. He reportedly had learning disabilities speech and language disabilities (I was mistaken when I originally said learning disabilities; apparently his speech disabilities made him seem like he had a mental handicap when he didn't) and was described as gullible at times. Jason Anthony "JJ" Jolkowski disappeared on June 13, 2001. It probably means nothing, there was a pedestrian tunnel in that area that was closed a decade ago or so. On June 13, 2001, Jason Jolkowskis manager called him into work earlier than expected. People from west O tend to think of north O as scary and dangerous. Somewhere along that short, half-mile walk, that young man vanished. Sherman was born in 1982, so likely was class of 2000 or maybe 2001, but he probably went to another high school. Jolkowski has never been heard from again. Though he did experience some communication difficulties throughout his childhood particularly when it came to speech and language expression- Jason is a highly intelligent person. And then nothing. As much as I want to believe that Jason is alive out there somewhere, I dont think he would have left his family in the dark for this long if he knew who he was. As of 2022[update], Jolkowski's whereabouts remain unknown. 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. There had been no additional sightings of him and there was no forensic evidence or even circumstantial evidence to work with in this case. On the morning of June 13, 2001, his car was in the shop, so he began his ten minute walk to meet a co-worker who would give him a ride to work. 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. 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. He lived close to Jason and the high school, was the same age. NEIGHBOR SAYS HE WAS ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE TO SEE HIM THAT DAY WALKING TOWASRD THE SCHOOL. When the perpetrator realized Jason wasnt who they thought he was, they killed and obscured his remains to hide their crime. Jason was described as shy, intelligent, and kind by those who knew him. Every time this case is shared on here there is always at least one local who comments and says the area isn't as safe as everyone thinks, so that's why I have always leaned towards foul play. Since then, and despite me avoiding superlatives in most forms, I have called Jason's case the most mysterious Unfound has featured. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I agree. 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. He did his household chores as usual up until the time he disappeared. Jolkowski's loved ones suspect foul play may have been involved in his disappearance. "His brother also looked out the window and saw him walking in the direction toward Benson. Jason was described by his parents as considerate and generous, the kind of person who would go out of his way to help others. The driver then hid Jason somewhere yet unfound. "I didn't realize it's been 20 years. No answers, no clues, just the reminder that it's officially been 20 years and no one knows what happened to Jason Jolkowski. Jason never reached the rendezvous location and he was never seen again. He was a quiet, shy guy, just a year out of high school. He didnt have any enemies and people described him as friendly. He worked at a Fazoli's restaurant on 80th and Cass Streets in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. (WOWT) - Twenty years ago on June 13, 2001, Jason Jolkowski went missing without a trace. At the time of his disappearance in 2001, Jason was 19-years-old and working at an Italian-American restaurant chain . Jason had to walk about eight blocks, in a zig-zag like pattern from his house at North 48th street and Pinkney Street to Benson High school, which would had involved walking along Bedford Ave for at least one to five blocks, depending on the exact route he took. Did they die in the fire? There is a website and foundation started by Jason's mother in 2003: http://www.projectjason.org/about/about-jason.html It gives details on Jason and the case of his mysterious disappearance near his family home in Omaha, Nebraska. 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). Security cameras at the school do not show Jason ever arriving to campus. Between 11:15 and 11:30 a.m., Jolkowski's coworker called the house to find out why he hadn't met her at the high school. Assume a link would have been made if there was a serial killer in the area. For more information, please see our Chester Link said he's that neighbor who saw Jolkowski walking toward the high school. For a downloadable poster, click here. He was almost 20, but he was 19. He believes he could be one of the last people to see him that day. He has no known enemies. I tend to believe he was met with foul play as well. This was 2001 it wouldn't have been as simple as shooting the girl a text saying "I got a ride already on my way". On the morning of June 13, 2001, his car was in the shop, so he began his ten minute walk to meet a co-worker who would give him a ride to work. No suspects have ever been identified in this case. In order for this theory to make sense, the driver of the offending car would have had to remove Jason from the scene and hide him somewhere to avoid prosecution. At the time of his disappearance, he was attending community college part-time and had gotten into the radio broadcasting program. Murphy recalled a memory from those lost years: We really didnt have a name for it, but it was kind of a who laughs first game. I don't think he was forcefully abducted (large adult male); I think it more likely that someone he knew saw him walking and offered to give him a ride the rest of the way to the school. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, http://netnebraska.org/article/news/956652/chaplain-former-gang-member-and-businesswoman-discuss-gang-violence-omaha. Privacy Policy. Jim and Kelly Jolkowski with a framed photo of their missing son. Jolkowski has never been heard from again. 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. That poor family. He lived on the 3600 block of Bedford Ave, close to Jason's family. 19-year old Jason Jolkowski was called into work early on June 13, 2001. On June 13, 2001, Jason Jolkowski was last seen walking to meet up with a coworker to get a ride to work. Beyond that Too old for the typical paedophile. 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. Jason Jolkowski was born on June 24, 1981, in Grand Island, Nebraska, to parents Jim and Kelly. He was la. I think he was walking toward the high school as he planned to and was intercepted by someone. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. There are sketchy areas, but not really where he went missing (source: literally grew up a block away). Did he walk or was he given a ride? He disappeared while walking from his family home towards his former high school to meet his ride for work. "There's no leads, nobody saw anything, and detectives just didn't find anything," said Donita Say. He never arrived at the school and has not been heard from since. The third theory is a bit of an amalgamation of the two previously discussed. That, or he was forced into a car. The details of this case provide a very tight timeframe and swath of area for whatever happened. JUST THE REMINDER THAT ITS BNEE 20 YEARS AND NO ONE KWSNO WHAT HAPPENED TO JASON JOCHOWSKI. He turned twenty June 24, 2001. 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. Maybe Jason was intentionally struck by a car or picked up in a case of mistaken identity. Or someone who seemed helpless and actually wasn't. The fourteenth anniversary of the disappearance of Jason Jolkowski recently passed us (he disapeared June 13, 2001). Possibly saw something he wasnt supposed to (car being stolen, drug deal, burglary? 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. Jolkowski's loved ones suspect foul play may have been involved in his disappearance. the school's security cameras were checked but none of them showed jason arriving at school or being anywhere even near it. 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. The other missing teen in the area makes me wonder if there is someone nearby who likes teen boys. And by the time nine days had gone byany clues were long gone. I feel like he was maybe picked up by a neighbor who he had agreed to do something for like maybe help them take their trash cans back inside or help them lift/move something, something with their car, and then as a return favor they offered to give him a ride to the high school to meet his work colleague who was coming to get him. Though it seems unlikely due to the time and place, but really, what else could've happened? As of 2023[update], Jolkowski's whereabouts remain unknown. Some people try to take hope away from you. At the time of his disappearance . This was a suburban neighborhood. They think, well, you should be over that by now, you should be back to normal. On the morning of June 13, 2001, his car was in the shop, so he began his ten minute walk to meet a co-worker who would give him a ride to work. Saatva Mattress Review: Our Pick for the Best Overall Bed of 2023, We Found 12 Cute Planters and Flower Pots That Cost Less Than $25, Here's Where to Watch and Stream Marvel's 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' Online. He showered and dressed, and was last seen by his little brother bringing in the trash cans, as the trash pickup had taken place that morning. For those who are unfamiliar with the disappearance of Jason Jolkowski, I will elaborate. N 50th Ave leads right into the high school grounds, and it too is somewhat secluded/not very traveledso, Jason could had taken any of these routes to the high school, if he got that far. Jasons family reported him missing after waiting for 24-hours (which was a common waiting period put in place by many police departments back in the day Im unsure if they were told directly by police to wait). Honestly, I dont know how families do it. From what we know about Jason he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would want to inconvenience people or let people down so it's possible the neighbor had offered a ride all the way to work but he's knows he's made arrangements to be collected from the high school so he says down the block to the high school is fine so as to not put out the girl who was already on her way to get him. The hit and run thing is possible but this was a young tall guy over 6 foot tall, not an infant. On Sunday afternoon, friends, family and neighbors gathered to share memories, paint and hide rocks with #FindJasonJ on them. [2][11] Kelly Jolkowski, Jason's mother, later received a Volunteer for Victims award from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in 2010 and the Nebraska Governor's Points of Light Award in 2014 in recognition of her work to support families of missing people.[12]. 10/13/2022By edwarddentzel Benson High is bounded by Bedford, North 50th, Maple and North 52nd streets with 50th street being the least traveled/queitest residential street and would had made the quickest route from Jason's house to the high school.if you look at Google Maps you will also see a Spencer street and Wirt Street off N50th, which are dead ends by the high school fieldsI wonder if Jason ever used these as a short cut? Privacy Policy. He vanished without a trace. At around 11:15, Jasons coworker called his house to ask where he was, as he was late in meeting her. [9], Jolkowski's mother and father created Project Jason in his honor to help families through a loved one's disappearance. There's no indication that the coworker had anything to do with it. No answers, no clues, just the reminder that it's officially been 20 years and no one knows what happened to Jason Jolkowski. Project Jason: https://projectjason.org Jason's Link at Project . I imagine that if Jason was hit, someone would at least hear the impact or screeching tires. Jason's Background They also lobbied for Jasons Law, which was passed by the Nebraska Legislature in 2005 and resulted in the creation of a statewide database for missing persons. Although suicide is an option, it would be a very short timeframe for him to take his own life, not taking into consideration how he had arranged to be picked up already. 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. According to the blog Disappeared, the authorities initially assumed that Jason was just another teenage runaway and did not begin to investigate his disappearance until 10 days after he went missing. On June 13, 2001, Jolkowski was called into work early. I was looking at the park (Lake James Park) on Google Maps, and it seems like there is a lot of construction underway at the park, with various pits and large holes. For more information, please see our #LostIsNotAlone FOUND SAFE: Kelsie Sinnett, 25, Katy, Texas . Jason Anthony Jolkowski 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 agreed, the driver made their demands, and things went wrong. He had a passion for broadcasting and the Chicago Cubs. A second theory that often pops up on message boards in particular is that Jason was offered a ride from someone with ill intent. Its impossible to have even an inkling towards what theory is right here. And the coworker is the only one who can claim Jason never showed up at the highschool. Under an hour later, between 11:15 and 11:30 a.m., Jolkowski's co-worker had called his home stating that Jolkowski had failed to be at the high school for a ride to work. Or Jason suffered a head injury that resulted in amnesia, which led him away from his life. Unfortunately, with this mark, I will have not had him more years than I had him in my life since he disappeared at the age 19. Age progression photo courtesy of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. You would just see who would start laughing. Always seemed really out of place, tons of graffiti constantly. Some theorize that Jolkowski was murdered by a neighbor, others believe he was a victim of a hit-and-run and was disposed of by the perpetrators, and there are some who think he may have even been mugged. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. This was the last definitive sighting of Jason Jolkowski. All we really have at this point is speculation. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find. Jason Jolkowski has been missing since 2001. 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. He left $650 behind in his bank account, which has not been touched since his disappearance. His family founded Project Jason, a non-profit assisting families of missing people, in 2003. THATS A THAT' A LONG TIME CHESTER LINK FORMER. 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. ), and the perpetrators decided to get rid of him my bet is that he was offered a ride though. The fact that Jason disappeared in a fifteen-minute window in the light of day with no clues seems unfathomable. You would say one word, and it was usually something silly. As the days passed with no word, Jolkowski had trouble finding a source of advice or comfort -- partly because Jason's age meant he was classified as a missing adult rather than a missing child. [8] As of 2022, the Omaha Police Department continues to investigate the case. Say was 16 when her 19-year-old cousin disappeared. He was to meet the co-worker at Benson High School, 8 blocks away. Someone in Omaha saw something that day, or knows someone who let something slip. They say he is too responsible to have left without warning, and he was not having any problems at the time of his disappearance. I don't think he was an easy target regardless of how shy he was. What is more is Sherman had a job interview that day (which he went to) but never returned home. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Jason never reached the rendezvous location and he was never seen again. If not, I think gang violence could be a possibility but I honestly doubt that no one would've noticed given how residential the area is. "[4], On Wednesday, June 13, 2001, Jolkowski was called into work early. At 10:45, Jason was seen bringing garbage cans in from the curb. Jason was also said to have no interest in partying and no known involvement with alcohol or drugs at any point in his life. He was not seen ANYWHERE after the sighting outside his house with the trash cans. Cookie Notice If he started his walk surely he would have been spotted by other neighbors or people out for a stroll, walking their dogs, etc. Jason Jolkowski was a 19 year old from Omaha, Nebraska. He didn't appear to have underworld connections like Jimmy Hoffa, Judge Crater, or Adolphus Von Gontard. Vanished Into Thin Air: The Disappearance of Jason Jolkowski | by Jenn Baxter | Medium 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. This was the last definitive sighting of Jason Jolkowski. 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. I would not rule out a pedophile-like assailant completely--or more specifically, one who liked young males, not children. I would think someone familiar, local to the neighborhood some how was responsible of at least Jason's disappearance. links: https://disappearedblog.com/jason-jolkowski/ https://medium.com/@wherearetheypodcast/the-bizarre-disappearance-of-jason-jolkowski-d5c27016cc1f?source=post_internal_links---------1------------------------------- https://charleyproject.org/case/jason-anthony-jolkowski, https://disappearedblog.com/jason-jolkowski/, https://medium.com/@wherearetheypodcast/the-bizarre-disappearance-of-jason-jolkowski-d5c27016cc1f?source=post_internal_links---------1-------------------------------, https://charleyproject.org/case/jason-anthony-jolkowski. Since Jolkowski had trouble giving directions, he arranged for them to meet at Benson High School, which he and his co-worker had previously attended. Jason was described as a 'homebody' by his mom, and was generally well liked by friends although he was noted to be pretty shy and reserved. As I understand, the co-worker who was giving him the ride was questioned extensively--more than anyone else in fact.