“Even if you think it’s the smallest thing, call us,” Southeast Kansas authorities emphasize they never quit looking into Judd murder
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Kan. — In part one of our special report, you got to know Jennifer Judd – a Picher, Oklahoma native who was brutally murdered in her Baxter Springs apartment 32 years ago. Now, we take a look at the day Jennifer died – and the frustration surrounding this decades-old investigation.
PART ONE: 32-year-old cold case gets a new look in a southeast Kansas homicide
“Anything that might have been overlooked, or just putting a fresh set of eyes onto the case.”
Baxter Springs Police Chief Brian Henderson said with a case like the murder of Jennifer Judd, it could be anything that leads to a break.
“We are looking into it still, and we are going to do everything that we can with all the agencies available and the new technology that’s available to do everything that we can to solve this case,” said Chief Henderson.
Recently, a non-profit agency, comprised of criminal justice experts in forensics and DNA evidence, reached out to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, offering their services.
“We’ve been able to dig deep and see things that may have been overlooked, and so, and we have definitely found some things that we’re excited to look at and to take to the next level,” said Nate Jones, Chief Deputy, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The call came as convicted killer Jeremy Jones sits on death row in Alabama, with his appeals nearly exhausted and an execution date looming. At one point, Jones confessed to Jennifer’s murder, along with several other crimes.
Jones was ruled out as a suspect by Kansas investigators, but Alabama authorities say they want Kansas to take another look. And while that prompted a new look at the case, Henderson says Kansas officials have never stopped looking for Jennifer’s killer.
“Whether it’s the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, or us, or any other agency we’ve worked with, nobody’s looking for the credit, nobody’s looking to the person that says, ‘oh, I made the arrest.’ we are all in this for one reason, and that is to bring justice to Jennifer,” said Chief Henderson.
Chief Deputy Jones believes that, even though investigators have conducted interviews and examined evidence multiple times over the years, there may still be something you know that could solve the case.
“Even if you think it’s the smallest thing, call us and let us know and we’ll get with you. It could be what we need.”
Amanda Davis, Jennifer’s sister says the person or persons who killed Jennifer need to know one thing: they’ll never stop looking. She’s kept a journal of things people have told her, and leads the family has been given.
“I got a call probably about a year ago and it was from somebody that grew up in this area, and you know, we connected them with the KBI at that point, and I don’t know that anything came from it, but you just never know,” said Davis.
She said in the beginning she wanted the case closed because of the impact it was having on her family.
“Early on I kept thinking, you know, my mom needs closure, my mom needs closure.”
As the years have passed, though, things have changed.
“I just came to the conclusion one day that I just said, you know, god, if you want us to know, you’re going to open that door, and I had peace with it and I accepted that.”
Davis said there are a lot of little things in life that remind her of her sister.
“There’s a picture, and I have it, and it’s of her, she always had her hands on her hips, and it didn’t matter where she was, where she was standing, she always had her hands on her hips, and my son, he does the same thing.”
And help keep her memory alive.
“There’s sometimes that, you know, I look at him, and I think, there she is, with her hands on her hips.”
In a 2011 interview, Chuck Sharp, who was Cherokee County Sheriff at the time of Jennifer’s murder, told us in his mind, there was only one suspect. While he never elaborated on that person’s identity, he did say he never believed Jeremy Jones was connected.
Over the years, others have pointed the finger at specific individuals. One of those who says they think they know the identity of the killer, Jennifer’s husband, Justin.
Our investigative reporter, Sheila Stogsdill takes a deeper look at the evidence, and more, here.
