Jennifer Odom case rekindled Tuesday, February 21, 2006 Before there was Jessica Lunsford, Sarah Lunde or Carlie Brucia, there was Jennifer Odom. Odom was a 12-year old girl who disappeared from Pasco County in February of 1993 and was later found murdered in a Hernando County orange grove. Despite the passing of more than 13 years, Hernando County Sheriff's Office investigators kept the unsolved case open. During a press conference Tuesday, Odom's mother, Renee Converse, explained her zombie-like existence since her daughter was taken from her. "You just get up, put your feet on the floor and try to make it through the day," Converse said. Odom disappeared after getting off a school bus near her home. About a week later her body was found in an orange grove in Hernando County. "There are a lot of things that bring it up front, like following a school bus down the road," Converse said. "She used to sit in the back seat and wave as I followed out to work and things like that." Hernando County Sheriff's recently teamed up with the FBI's Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime. With its help and the aid of other agencies, a smaller list of suspects has been formed. "We were able to really streamline this investigation and focus on a smaller group of individuals that we feel are of interest for us," Captain Michael Maurer of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office said. Maurer said investigators also feel there are a number of people with crucial information that haven't come forward, and there are a number of items that belonged to Odom that investigators want to find -- items that Maurer said could lead investigators to the killer. Sheriff's officials said they have also resubmitted some physical evidence found at the crime scene that will be re-analyzed using more advanced equipment than the equipment that existed 13 years ago. If you or anyone you know has information about this case, please call investigators at (888) 785-8308. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2006/2/21/145154.html

Cold case assignment: Jennifer Renee Odom By CHRISTI STEVENS cstevens@hernandotoday.com Published: Feb 21, 2006 BROOKSVILLE — Who knows what Jennifer Odom would be like today. She would be 25 years old now and might have a family of her own. Maybe she would have graduated from college and started an exciting career. Perhaps she would be traveling the world. Thirteen years ago her future seemed as bright as the sun. That was until someone snuffed out that light and left her Pasco County family with more grief than time can heal. But on Tuesday, they publicly shared their pain when they spoke to the media about Jennifer’s murder and what life has been like knowing her killer was still out there somewhere. The family’s statements were part of a media blitz organized by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office with the hope of stirring new leads in the cold case. Sunday was the 13-year anniversary of Jennifer’s death. In that time, a task force organized to find her killer has checked out more than 6,000 leads, but none led to the killer. Jennifer was 12 when she disappeared Feb. 19, 1993, after getting off her school bus just 200 yards from her family’s home in St. Joseph near Dade City. Then on Feb. 25, 2003, her body was found by a couple strolling by a pine forest along Powell Road in Hernando County. Almost immediately, authorities were searching for a blue pickup truck that children on the school bus saw in the area of Jennifer’s disappearance, but even those accounts were conflicting. So was every other lead. Detectives never revealed the cause of Jennifer’s death. Sheriff Richard Nugent started off Tuesday’s news conference and said, “Recent events have placed this investigation as a top priority for law enforcement.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently joined the task force and sent people from its Behavior Analysis Unit to put some fresh eyes on an old case. Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Maurer, who is in charge of the major crimes unit, did most of the talking at Tuesday’s news conference. He showed a short video full of photos from Jennifer’s short life. He said the task force has a renewed intensity thanks to the FBI, which helped local authorities narrow down a list of suspects and come up with a profile for the killer. “We have focused our investigation on a smaller group of persons of interest,” Maurer said. Physical evidence collected in the case has been sent to the FBI to be tested again because of all the recent advancements in forensic science. Maurer said the task force is hoping someone with information about Jennifer’s killer will come forward, particularly now that so much time has passed. “She was a young girl that was tragically murdered and she shouldn’t have been a victim at all,” he said. “And somebody knows something.” Dressed in a smart business suit, Jennifer’s mother, Reneé Converse, walked to the podium at the sheriff’s office Tuesday and took a deep breath. As soon as she began to speak, her voice cracked and she started to fight back tears. “Nothing will bring her back, but anything we can do to bring us closer to a resolution would be wonderful,” she said. Clark Converse, Jennifer’s stepfather, joined his wife and made a public plea for anyone with information in the case to contact the task force. Maurer said the task force has a new hotline and there’s a new Web site on the case at www.hernandosheriff.org/jennifer. He said investigators are hoping that someone will know about some items last seen with Jennifer, but were not found with her body. Those items include a white, hooded Hooters sweatshirt, a brown and yellow purse and black boots. “There are still pieces of the puzzle that are missing,” Maurer said. Mr. Converse said finding Jennifer’s killer will bring the family a little peace and ensure there are no more press conferences in the future. “If we don’t have to go through this part of it for the rest of our lives, it will be a blessing,” he said. His wife added, “Maybe we’ll save another child.” Michelle Sample, Jennifer’s friend and the last person to see her alive when she got off the bus that day, was there Tuesday and recalled the sadness she has felt ever since. She never imagined she was waving goodbye to her friend for the last time, she said. Now she holds her own son a little tighter. She said she still thinks of Jennifer every day. “I have a child now and I think about him a lot, about everything that happened and keeping him safe,” she said. “It’s scary to think that this person is still out there.” Reporter Christi Stevens can be contacted at (352) 544-5271. http://www.hernandotoday.com/news/MGB8K7D1ZJE.html

Jennifer Renee Odom We, Jennifer’s family and friends, would like to thank the Pasco-Hernando County community and others throughout the United States, for your continuing support over the past 13 years to help the Task Force investigators. If you have any information, no matter how small, or trivial, we ask that you contact the Task Force investigators at the toll-free telephone number or send an email via Jennifer’s website. Your phone call or message may be the one piece of information the investigators need that would make all of the difference for us and our daughter, Jennifer. This poem was received in Jennifer’s honor during our time of grief, and is very special to our family, and we wanted to share it on Jennifer’s behalf: A Child’s Smile I once met a very special child. I met a child, a child that could steal your heart with just a smile. This was a child that could and did walk on water I think God was a little selfish this time but, I understand why. Heaven has to be a much happier place, A much brighter place, With our Jen’s smile. Oh yes, I knew a very special child To submit a tip via e-mail mnelson@hernandosheriff.org?subject=Odom Tip or call toll free 888-785-8308 http://www.hernandosheriff.org/Jennifer/Default.htm

FBI now on Jennifer Odom case Hernando County, Florida - The peace and quiet of Hernando County is what brings people here, but peace is something that Jennifer Odom's family doesn't have and hasn't had for 13 years. Renee Converse, Jennifer's mom: "Nothing will ever bring her back, but what ever we can do to bring us closer to a resolution will be wonderful." Jennifer Odom was kidnapped from her bus stop and murdered in February 1993. It was considered a cold case in Hernando County, until FBI behavioral sciences investigators showed up to look at the case file. Sgt. Mike Maurer, Hernando County Sheriffs Office: "Through their efforts and the investigators on this task force, we have been able to focus on a smaller group of persons of interest or suspects." The Jennifer Odom task force has followed up on 6,000 leads in 13 years, but none have panned out. It has been frustrating for everyone involved. Local investigators are now resubmitting all of the physical evidence to the FBI lab for re-examination of things like DNA. Bill McGinty, Pasco County: "Jennifer's body was found in an orange grove in southern Hernando County, but some of her personal items were missing, so once again, investigators are asking for your help in locating those items." Voice of Sgt. Maurer: "These are items of Jennifer's we have not yet recovered and these might have physical evidence on them that might solve this case." And so once again, Jennifer's parents stand before the media with tears in their eyes, asking, begging for your help in finding the person that killed their little girl. Renee Converse, Jennifer's mom: "We know someone knows something so we are asking you to do the right thing, and call so we have a resolution. We know it won't bring her back, but....(gets emotional)." If you have information, call the Jennifer Odom task force toll free at 1-888-785-8308. Or you can go to www.hernandosheriff.org/jennifer http://www.tampabays10.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=26017