The FBI is zeroing in on an area in a Folkston, Georgia, landfill the could potentially contain evidence leading up to what happened to missing Florida hairstylist, Jolene Cummings, who disappeared May 13 from a San Fernandina hair salon.
“We are in the right vicinity of where we need to be, based on some the surrounding trash we are finding that relates to the area of interest and the date of interest,” FBI Special Agent Charles P. Spencer said. “We’re getting to where we think we need to be based on those materials we’re finding, whether that be an address on an envelope or potentially a newspaper and a date on those times, that helps us zone in on the area of the trash that needs to be picked up.”
Spencer indicated that authorities are looking for anything and everything related to the disappearance of Jolene and have not “eliminated anything at this point.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Kimberly Kessler, 50, a woman with a reported 18 different aliases, was caught on surveillance camera throwing away what looked to be a white trash bag and the emptying the contents of a trash can into a dumpster in Florida. The trash from the dumpster was transferred to a landfill in Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston, Georgia, where agents have begun searching.
Kessler, currently behind bars, was reportedly the last person to see Cummings after the pair worked at the Tangles Hair Salon in Fernandina Beach on May 12.
When Cummings failed to pick up her three kids from her former husband the following day, her family reported her missing. On May 14, authorities went to the salon to interview Kessler but she left before they could talk to her. Another co-worker told police that Kessler pulled into the parking to report for work, but when she learned police wanted to speak with her, she left.
On May 15, authorities found Cummings’ SUV abandoned close to a local Home Deport store. Surveillance camera reportedly captured Kessler parking Cummings’ vehicle a little after 1 a.m. on Sunday. Kessler got out of the driver’s side of the SUV but Cummings never emerged. According to an affidavit, Kessler then walked to the nearby Gates gas station, where she got into a taxi cab.
On May 16, police located Kessler sleeping inside a black Kia Soul at a rest area off of Interstate 95 in St. John’s County. She was arrested and charged with grand theft auto, based on the footage of her driving the victim’s car. Police also noted she had scratches on one hand and one eye.
Last month, Kessler went on a “hunger strike” in jail after authorities determined her other alleged identities. Kessler reportedly claimed she thought her food was being poisoned. She has since started eating again.
Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact the contact the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office at 904-548-4005 or First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
[Feature Photo: Jolene Cummings/Handout]
