Posted on 05/03/2005 9:35:59 AM PDT by MikeEdwards
Last Tuesday, 32-year-old Jennifer Wilbanks, a resident of Duluth Georgia, went out jogging and disappeared. Her disappearance was out of character for the young woman who was to be married the following Saturday. Almost immediately, the police began an investigation and a massive search was underway that involved over 100 police officers and several hundred volunteers. All that was found was a clump of hair that might have been Jennifer’s.
Early Saturday morning, Wilbanks went to a payphone located at a 7-11 store in Albuquerque New Mexico and phoned her family and 911. She told both her family and the police that she had been kidnapped by a "Mexican" man and a white woman in a blue van. They cut her hair but otherwise did not harm her. She managed to escape and was able to make the phone calls.
Two hours later, while being interviewed by the Albuquerque police and the FBI, Wilbanks admitted that she had not been kidnapped. She had gotten cold feet about her wedding, and decided to just leave home. She had put money aside for her trip and had cut her hair, presumably to alter her appearance. She took a bus from Georgia to Las Vegas where she simply hung around for a couple of days before she took another bus to Albuquerque. Out of money, she called her family and told them that she wanted to come home. Later on Saturday, Wilbanks’ stepfather and uncle flew to New Mexico and brought her back. . . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
I'm not trying to justify what the woman did, but I believe the "hispanic man and white woman" thing was told to her parents, not knowing a cop was on the phone. Besides, the search had been called off by the time she made that statement. The money had already been spent, so to speak. That statement had absoloutely no bearing on the situation. She fessed up within minutes of lying to her parents.
What we have here is a paradox. Nobody is required by law to inform family members when they leave town but that would be the right thing to do, so things like this don't happen. It is NOT, however, illegal.
I reserve the right to take off to Vegas and not tell a soul. If we can't do that, what we call freedom is just a joke. The government is not my Momma.
If a lot of these folks on here get their way, God help a woman trying to "disappear" from an abusive relationship, overbearing family, or something similar.
Pray they don't breed. Which one is nuttier ... ol' Crazy Eyes or the guy who instantly forgave her and put the ring back on her finger?
Psychology needs a re-working, obviously.
Wonder what she was afraid of ?
I did a search and tried to find the 2 other occasions, but I couldn't come up with anything.
I saw that show.
The thing that struck me was how "committed" they kept saying the boyfriend was and how the first thing he did was put the ring back on her finger. No pressure there. The more I heard, the more I could understand how she might bail like she did.
By the end of the show, they had her scheduled for help, therapy and rehabilitation.
And that will accomplish exactly what? Aside from making you feel better, that is.
He can't wait to marry her even though she obviously doesn't want to marry him. This is truly a couple who will live in misery until she eventually leaves him.
>>>She has endangered the life of people who are truly kidnapped. People will hesitate to go search, fearing another hoax, meanwhile the victim will be killed and the kidnapper will get away.>>>
This is EXACTLY what I have been saying from when they found her.
John Mason said to Hannity last night, "I made sure she put it [the ring] on ...."
I agree with you. Jennifer seems to have gotten cornered into something she doesn't want, and doesn't have the ability to say what she wants. Just say it, Jennifer. The world won't end.
>>>Her fiance should thank his lucky stars she left. Saved him just in the nick of time, I'd say.>>>
He still plans to marry her. He's just as weird as she is. They are perfect for each other.
Make her pay full restitution of money spent looking for her. I understand it's around $100K - make her pay it over a 5 year period....that ought to be enough of a sting to send a message to other narrcisistic brides.
If the guy goes ahead and marries her, he's a candidate for a straightjacket!
Trivia Q. What song has her fiance never heard? A. Thank God and Greyhound!
Trivia Q. What song has her fiance never heard? A. Thank God and Greyhound!
Actually, it's Greyhound's fault. That catchy new ad of theirs did her in… "ride the bus and leave the wedding to us."
She disappeard Tuesday night. Her disappearance was reported late Tuesday night (before midnight). The search was changed to a criminal investigation on Thursday morning, even though there was no evidence of a crime.
Duluth Police Chief Randy Belcher said the possibility that 32-year-old Jennifer Wilbanks developed "cold feet" before her wedding this Saturday had mostly been ruled out. [Do we have a hearty hindsight "HaHaHaHaHa!"]She called authorities, and home, Saturday morning. That would make her total "away time" just under 3 and a half days."The longer this investigation continues and she hasn't shown up, that theory is dwindling quickly," he said.
Earlier Thursday police classified the search as a criminal investigation.
"We decided to make it criminal simply because 24 hours has passed. We have not located her in a hospital or any place of that nature. Since she has not returned ... there has to be another reason for her not being here," Belcher said.
Belcher said while there is no indication a crime was committed, more resources are available in a criminal probe.
href=http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/28/wilbanks/?section=cnn_topstories
Police gave mixed signals about whether they believe Wilbanks, a hospital nurse, may have gotten cold feet four days before her wedding.
Woodruff said authorities did not believe Wilbanks was a runaway bride. But under questioning from reporters, Police Chief Randy Belcher later said: "It's a very real possibility she did get cold feet. I mean, how many husbands have gone out for a pack of cigarettes and not come back?"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/28/national/main691496.shtml
It will make the next person who tries to pull a stunt like this think twice.
>>>I agree with you. Jennifer seems to have gotten cornered into something she doesn't want, and doesn't have the ability to say what she wants. Just say it, Jennifer. The world won't end.>>>
One of the morning shows here in Atlanta was joking that she ran because that family and thier pastor was a cult. This was after the Hannity show of course and I can't say that I don't think they might be on to something, LOL. Notice that crazy pastor? The Johnny Cochran/Gloria Allred of church pastors.
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