Bride-to-be Jennifer Wilbanks Found Alive(Latest as of 09:30AM ET on the Bimbo Alert)

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution ^ | 04/30/05 | Staff and wire reports

[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...

[djf]

"OF COURSE the police launched a search..."


But this is exactly the reason they make you wait. I'm not sure how long, in some places it seems to be 24 hours, in others 72.

Can't call out the posse every time somebodies late for dinner.

[MizSterious]

Try this: "Honey, I think we should call it off. I need to get away for awhile, and I'll call you from Albuquerque." The way to call off a 600 guest wedding is not to invoke a few thousand-strong searchers and soak up all the police resources in the state--and country for that matter.

[Flyer]

Can you tell me what my little diagram means?

Yeah, and I'm not sure if you are allowed to say that on FR!

(okay, I give up)

[DCPatriot]

#255...you both serious?

Just because she has buggy eyes, she's nuts?

Just because her right eye looks lazy?

Just because she.....er, nevermind. ;^)

[60Gunner]

Okay. I can understand that. My point is that ( in my OWN opinion) we are letting this rule WAY more of our lives than it should. Her fifteen seconds are over. Let's give them room to sort themselves so we can get on with the business of saving our country.

To all concerned- please accept my sincere apologies for lashing out. 29 hours up + hunger x low threshold for distraction = poor control of temper. I really am sorry for stepping on toes.

No excuses. Last post on this topic. I promise.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

It is much better to run before the wedding then after marriage and children.

[Publius6961]

Who's the luckiest guy in the world? It's Willbanks ex-fiance. Wow, just think how lucky he is to have found out that the woman/child he was about to marry was a kook in the nick of time. Whew!!!!

If he just met her last week, I would agree.
I see some serious mental issues here on both sides, albeit rich ones.

[KittyKares]

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.

If she had holed up somewhere and stayed missing, I think more and more people would have been pointing at him. The Laci Peterson case was in my mind, too. I'm elated that she wasn't murdered, but I think that letting her loved ones think she had been abducted was inexcusable.

[JRochelle]

Forgiven.
Her 15 minutes will be up Monday. (I hope).

[kaylar]

I really was just asking because I found out earlier this week I've been accepted into nursing school ! (I had the top score, too! Who-hoo!)Because I am thinking so much about what's going to be happening to ME over the next few years, I wondered about her : Could she lose her license forever ? Maybe even face charges? After going through so much to get where she got?

For the record, I for one don't want anything bad to happen to her (and I really don't think anyone else here does ; just some folks are angry over what she did to her family, and how she diverted police efforts unnecessarily, etc).But I think she will probably face some bad consequences to her actions. If she were 22, maybe not-but she's 32. Possibly not criminal or professional consequences, though-maybe just personal/social.

[DCPatriot]

If it could be proven that she was aware of the national coverage and didn't immediately step forward to stop the search...at the most her crime is narcissism.

[MizSterious]

Dream on. She hasn't appeared on Rita Cosby yet, or Barbara Walters or GMA. She also hasn't yet filed her lawsuit against him for harassing her with all those news conferences. (Wouldn't put it past her, anyway.)

[Allosaurs_r_us]

He knew he was not involved in her being killed,,,, but he lawyers up and then spars with the GBI over a lie detector test being videotaped or not. All the while his "wife to be" turns up missing. Those are the actions of a first class jerk, who is out for himself

 

What? You really need some help. Do you have any idea how the criminal justice system works? This behavior is nothing more than self preservation. Do you know how many people are prosecuted without the body for murder now days.

 

Keep in mind this girl vanished without a trace. How many stories are in the news everyday where the victim never shows up again.

 

It is very smart to try and remove yourself from being a suspect so the authorities will concentrate on the real culprit. I think you have other issues besides this guy trying to protect himself from overzealous investigators. I have seen time after time where the police concentrated on the spouse or significant other, only to later figure out they had nothing to do with it. That is time wasted. If they had not wasted that time, is there a chance the victim might have been found alive?

 

I wonder how you would behave if someone dear to you disappeared and the cops were scrutinizing you. If you didn't "lawyer up" you would be an absolute fool. (if the shoe fits........)

[DCPatriot]

"Please dear God, never allow this crazy woman to reproduce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I was mentally joking that she was the result of marrying 1st cousins somewhere in that lineage.

[beaelysium]

Perfect! You gave me a great laugh!

This picture should be passed to everyone throughout the internet. That will be payment enough for her crime against so many hearts. Better to have a good laugh in the end, then to have to endure some horrible, sordid, sorry ending.

[DCPatriot]

Regarding your #302...I find it hard to believe that if you knew you were completely innocent that you would hesitate to strap a lie-detector on.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

You miss the point. She runs off because of the revolting thought of actually going through with marrying him...

 

You really like to put words in peoples mouths don't you. If you paid any attention at all, the news reports are saying it was the pressure of the size of the wedding she was running from not her soon to be spouse. They have been "shacking up" for close to a year, for cryin out load. But I suppose that means nothing to you.

 

You just refuse to admit you know nothing about this man's character and are making wild accusations.

[hardworking]

Weddings have really gotten out of control, expense-wise and in the amount of things brides are expected to do.

Oh, for pete's sake! If a wedding is large (or in this case, huge) there is at least one event planner, assisted by a team of people, to do all the leg work. In fact, the bigger and more well-funded, the less the bride has to do - she gets treated like a royal princess and just has to 'show up' at the various events. Ask the new Mrs. Donal Trump about that.

[sarasotarepublican]

I'm a conservative, which means I'm slow to pass judgement and refuse to do so at all until I know all the facts. The profiler was very quick to pass judgement. Maybe she's the liberal?

Excuse me. Quick to pass judgement.

[aspiring.hillbilly]

All well and good, but John Mason knew he didn't kill her, there was no dead body in the bushes, and he was never arrested or declared a suspect. So what is all of his self centered activities about? With her missing, he shows himself its all about him not taking any heat and in the end he acts like a big jerk...which is the precise reason she runs away...