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 ...
I'm not happy really upset strangely quiet poised for action relaxed as heck more of the time.
The "heating up" part. ;)
I beg to differ woofie.......all the nuts come to Florida!
BINGO!
She was living with her fiance. If this woman is a really a man, and the boy friend failed to notice it, then someone needs to get him a white cane and a dog."
I have a very good friend, who is a well known writer. (You would recognize her name, if I told you). She was emailing me frantically yesterday, saying that she can "spot a gay man" from miles away, and she thought that Jennifer had known for some time that her fiancé is gay (or bisexual), and that this is what she couldn't deal with.
According to my writer friend's analysis, Jennifer was trying to keep up the fiction of a "great relationship" with this guy - for the sake of keeping up appearances, mostly for her family........but that she just fell apart with the fictional "perfect couple," scenario, as the reality of a marriage came closer. Instead of laying the facts onto the table, she split. That's my friend's opinion anyway.
Incidentally, I agree with whomever said that they are annoyed with the over-used buzz word, "issues." Me, too. Why not tell it like it is. This 32 year old is messed up! Period.
Clear and concise question - seems like there should be an answer. Unfortunately it's impossible to answer.
I've come to suspect that being a male makes me unable to grasp that the logic of the thinking that motivates me to ask this question is precisely the reason why it's the wrong question to ask. Unfortunately, I am unable to figure out what the right question is.
Albuquerque is on the way to Florida
Well put!
Nam Vet
Super-big wedding or not, if you're hot for your beloved, you want to say "I do" just as soon as possible, and certainly as scheduled. I've seen bigger weddings than this (probably 300 invitations for this one, a statistical percentage who wouldn't show).
I believe her underlying problem is more fundamental than the airy toss-offs that she freaked because of the nature of the wedding itself.
This is not to knock her fiancee. He's probably a good guy. Maybe he wasn't exciting enough for her. Maybe they were not getting along this past year or months. Maybe she had a yen for someone else. Maybe she really didn't want to be tied down in marriage. Maybe a combination of several of the above.
Who knows what this enigmatic, distressed woman was thinking? We may never know. The fiancee is certainly in a sad and bewildering situation. I'm sure he'll figure out how he wants to proceed.....and in a loving way no matter what he decides.
Leni
She needed time alone? So she goes to a casino in Vegas?
What a nutty drama queen.
John Mason dodged one helluva big insane bullet by having his marriage to this loco-coco cancelled.
Wilbanks is two bridesmaids short of a Celine Dion wedding.
I thank heavens that my one and only wedding was a great experience. Marriage (like most) has had ups and downs, but we're very happy after 28 years.
My husband told me that while he stood at the altar and watched me walked down the aisle with my dad, he wanted to cry because I was "all wrapped up pretty just like a present." How cute is that?
Stories like this really do make me thankful for my own normal life.
Yes, that's her. I missed the very beginning but saw most if it. Nice to hear some common sense, even on CNN.
He's probably receiving letters from women now. What a crazy culture we have!
Exactly. Mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, friends, two sets of friends. 300 could be low. Somebody probably got left out.
Nam Vet
If I don't know all the answers... at least I know the questions!!
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
%;9)-8-0==# <<<<Can you tell me what my little diagram means?<<<
Lessee. You have curly hair, have beady eyes, a nice smile, wear a bowtie and have a plaid shirt on. Nice belt buckle too. Am I close?
and so much for the 3 months of marriage counseling with the pastor. If she had at least told ONE person what she was going to do out of ALLLLL those 600 people, all could have been avoided.
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