Naman Shrestha
When the news of the disappearance of a 33-year-old hairstylist named Joleen Cummings broke out in May 2018, the entire community of Yulee, Florida, went into a state of shock. Her loved ones’ worst nightmare turned into reality when she was pronounced dead, as the disappearance case became a homicide case. All the intricate details of the case and the complicated investigation that ensued are covered in the episode titled ‘The Final Cut’ of ABC’s ’20/20,’ which also features insightful interviews with the deceased’s loved ones and the officials linked to the investigation.
Joleen Cummings Was Last Seen Alive Leaving the Salon She Worked At
The beloved daughter of Anne Johnson, Joleen Rebecca Jensen Cummings, entered this world on May 13, 1984. Affectionately called JoJo by her people, she was raised in Nassau County, Florida, surrounded by the love and care of her mother, sibling/s, and stepfather, with whom she shared a great bond. She had a free-spirited and warm-hearted personality, along with a zest for life. Joleen was always down to have fun and create amazing memories with her loved ones. Following her high school graduation, she relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, for a while to pursue cosmetology. Joleen was a determined individual with a strong drive to fulfill her innate desire to set up her own salon someday. Sometime in her 20s, she welcomed a daughter with her then-partner and embraced motherhood.
However, the two ultimately parted ways. Regardless, Joleen kept her heart open and found love with Jason Cummings, whom she married in 2013. Over the years, the pair welcomed a son into their lives, reportedly in the same year, followed by another one in 2015. Sadly, as time passed, cracks began to develop in Joleen and Jason’s relationship, leading to their split in 2017. While they were no longer together, the two prioritized the upbringing of their kids and remained cordial for their sake. On the professional front, Joleen served as a hairstylist at Tangles Hair Salon in Fernandina Beach, Nassau County. Owing to her solid expertise and interpersonal skills, her clients developed a sense of trust in her abilities. By 2018, word of mouth, both online and offline, had earned her a dedicated customer base.
Unfortunately, everything came to a standstill on May 12, 2018. While Joleen left the salon as usual on that fateful day, no one from her family or friends saw her alive after that. For a week, the kids were staying at Jason’s. The mother of three was a doting parent and was supposed to pick them up on May 13 and celebrate Mother’s Day with her babies. However, the 33-year-old didn’t turn up that evening. As time passed with no update on her whereabouts, Joleen’s mother got worried and filed a missing persons report on May 14. Even after the police spent years investigating her disappearance and pulled out all stops to locate the Nassau County resident, they couldn’t find anything that could lead them to her. Therefore, Joleen was ultimately presumed dead, but her remains remain missing to this day.
Joleen Cummings’ Killer Had Been Using an Alias For Years
Initially, the police believed that Joleen Cummings could be a victim of domestic violence. However, when that theory was ruled out, they interviewed the owner of Tangles Hair Salon, where she used to work. The owner claimed that Joleen had closed the shop, where she had been working alongside another employee, Jennifer Sybert, on the evening of May 12, 2018. When the authorities tried getting in touch with Jennifer, she claimed that she didn’t have a clue about Joleen’s disappearance and refused to answer more questions. A few days later, on May 15, the detectives found the missing woman’s vehicle abandoned in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Yulee, Florida. Upon reviewing the store’s surveillance footage from May 13, they spotted Jennifer exiting Joleen’s car and purchasing a bottle of water from a nearby gas station.
The investigators then inspected the hair salon with the help of Luminol, only to find blood belonging to Joleen on the walls, cabinets, chairs, and sink of the business. Since Jennifer was the last person to see her alive, the authorities launched a search for her and found her sleeping in her car at a rest area on Interstate 95 in northern St. Johns County. While taking her into custody for grand theft auto of Joleen’s vehicle, they noticed that she had multiple physical injuries on her face, which appeared to be the result of a struggle. As her possessions were investigated, the detectives found Joleen’s DNA on the boots, scissors, and socks found in Jennifer’s car.
They also learned that Jennifer Sybert was an alias that she used to buy an electric carving knife, zip ties, and garbage bags in order to clean the crime scene and dispose of the remains. During her interrogation, she revealed, “When you run my fingerprints through, they come up as Kimberly Lee Kessler…I am 50 years old and I’ve been running from the FBI for over 25 years.” The surveillance footage of Tangles Hair Salon also showed her disposing of multiple large garbage bags into a dumpster behind the business. With enough incriminating evidence against her, the police arrested Kimberly and charged her with first-degree murder.
Kimberly Kessler, AKA Jennifer Sybert, is Currently Incarcerated at a Florida Prison Facility
After her arrest, Kimberly Kessler’s mental competence became a persistent issue, delaying her trial. At first, she was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. However, despite the judge reversing the decision, she refused to go to trial and tried to disrupt the process. She reportedly stripped while in custody and spread feces on the windows of her observation cell, for which she was charged with two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer. Ultimately, she did not physically attend her trial but watched the proceedings from a video link.
During the trial, the defense argued that the defendant and Joleen got into a physical altercation, and the blood found at the crime scene was due to Kimberly defending herself. Ultimately, the jury deliberated for approximately an hour before reaching a verdict. In December 2021, Kimberly Kessler was found guilty of killing her coworker, Joleen Cummings, and grand theft auto. In late January 2022, she was sentenced to life in prison. Over the years, the convicted killer filed multiple appeals to have her conviction reversed, but without any success. As of today, Kimberly is serving her sentence at Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida.
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