Unsolved in Florida: The Brutal Murder of Jennifer Odom
The 12-year-old was abducted while walking home from school in 1993.
Jennifer Odom was in a great mood when she hopped off her school bus on the afternoon of Friday, February 19, 1993. The 12-year-old, a seventh-grader at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School in Wesley Chapel, Florida, had a fun weekend planned. She was looking forward to going to the Pasco County Fair that evening, but she was more excited about her plans for the following day. She played clarinet in her school’s band, and they were scheduled to compete in the Florida Bandmasters Competition in Tampa on Saturday.
Jennifer was the only student who got off at her bus stop, located at the intersection of Jessamine and Jim Denney Roads in rural St. Joseph, Florida. She climbed off the bus around 2:45 pm, then turned and waved to her best friend, telling her to call her later. Her friends watched as she headed towards the mailboxes on the corner of Jim Denney Road, about 200 yards away from her house. It was the last time they would see her; Jennifer never made it home.
Jennifer’s 9-year-old sister, Jessica, arrived home around 3:30 pm and was surprised to find the front door locked. Since Jennifer had a penchant for playing practical jokes on her, Jessica assumed she was inside laughing about…