Posted on 04/30/2005 6:35:35 AM PDT by kellynla
Duluth bride-to-be who vanished just days before her wedding turned up in New Mexico and fabricated a tale of abduction before admitting Saturday that she had gotten cold feet and "needed some time alone," police said.
Jennifer Wilbanks, 32, was in police custody more than 1,420 miles from her home on what was supposed to be her wedding day.
"It turns out that Miss Wilbanks basically felt the pressure of this large wedding and could not handle it," said Duluth Police Chief Randy Belcher. He said there would be no criminal charges.
Wilbanks, whose disappearance set off a nationwide hunt, called her fiance, John Mason, from a pay phone early Saturday and told him that she had been kidnapped while jogging three days before, authorities said. Her family rejoiced that she was safe, telling reporters that the media coverage apparently got to the kidnappers.
But Wilbanks soon recanted, according to police.
Ray Schultz, chief of police in Albuquerque, said Wilbanks "had become scared and concerned about her impending marriage and decided she needed some time alone." He said she traveled to Las Vegas by bus before going to Albuquerque.
"She's obviously very concerned about the stress that she's been through, the stress that's been placed on her family," he said. "She is very upset."
The scene at the house Wilbanks shared with Mason went from jubilant, with Mason hopping from one TV interview to the next and joking about meeting Sean Hannity, to more subdued.
Everyone but immediate family was told to leave the house, and the blinds were drawn and the front door closed. Police put up crime scene tape to keep people away.
"Having cold feet is a joy compared to what the alternative might have been," friend Melinda Larson, who had planned to attend the wedding...
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
Why should this incident cause you the slightest bit of heartburn? Has your concern with this shortened your life by one second? Please. The direction of this country is being obstructed by a minority of socialist thugs. Unborn children are still being slaughtered wholesale. The NEA continues to rob from our funds, hijack our public school system, and- on our dime- teach our children to believe that they are worthless, purposeless accidental blobs and should never aspire to greatness, because failure is more secure.
And you allow yourself to be distracted by THIS!?! Gawd, you need help.
I can't resist: Which witch?
No, that just shows he has a basic understanding the how our criminal justice system works. Ms. Wilbanks wasn't "found" by the FBI or any other law enforcement agency, she turned herself in. Whether he was innocent or guilty John Mason was the main suspect from the moment she was reported missing, and nothing he could do would change that. It would have been more far more irresponsible of him to meet with the authorities without an attorney. One misspoken word or "indeterminate" polygraph result would have put the press into a frenzy that would have effectively ended the search for Ms. Wilbanks.
No one has ever been "cleared" from suspicion by a polygraph test or by being interrogated without an attorney present. Remember this is someone close to you ever goes missing.
I can't resist: Which witch?
You miss the point. She runs off because of the revolting thought of actually going through with marrying him...
Bravo!
I think clearing himself from some suspicion was a good idea--that way the folks doing the investigating could focus on what really happened to her. He didn't do anything wrong other than have a dingbat for a fiancee.
Yeah. I used it once to report a parking lot accident. First words out my mouth were, "This is not an emergency - just don't have a PD number handy." I wasn't chastized for calling 911. The prosecutable ones would be making a false report, e.g., FIRE at such and so address, when there isn't.
There was a big write up recently about a woman who took off with her kid to Australia. Over and over the media called jer a "kidnapper".
Sorry. I don't buy that the actual mother of a child can ever be a "kidnapper".
That's just another example of lazy semantics on the part of the media. Labels are used to create certain impressions, and to derail or avoid substantive discussion. See for example, "filibuster" and "conservative."
You're right. In all seriousness, I apologize. I let the previous posts tick me off.
Sorry about the duplicate post.
My point is I feel like I was duped. Hell I prayed that whoever took her would let her go. But I suffered no heartburn. I have no problem with her running away, she should have just told 1 person before she did it.
Hopefully after it all settles the man will see more clearly. Right now he's probably just relieved she's been found.
Agreed. I couldn't take them when she was missing and I can't take them now, so I'll be off.
Now I am praying that the guy doesn't marry her:)
Calm down and take a chill pill Gunner.
Can the immature brat even hold down a job? LOL
She's a NURSE!!!!! Man, I'm glad she's not in any medical facility anywhere near me or my family......!!!!!
Not only that, but a true sociopath can often ace a polygraph, while someone who's not guilty, just nervous and scared, can fail them. I think he had good advice, probably from his father, an ex-judge. After Scott Peterson and Mark Hacking, I don't blame anyone for suspecting him--and I don't blame him for protecting himself. That ditzy would-be bride of his might have just left him to twist in the wind.
I'll take that bet!
2-1 okay...cause I don't want to "steal" your money. ;^)
There are two ding bats, and maybe the deserved each other, but one came to her senses first.
How does a woman call off a 600 person extravagansa wedding put on by control freak prominent families? Id run away toooo!
Cold Feet Attack
Hey! Another phobia for the psychiatrists in Boca Roton (can't even spell it). Maybe she can join all the Democrats who are on the couch..... just to-o-o-o much stress D-A-D-D-Y !!!!
She's 32 for heavens sake! What a moron.
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