Who killed Jennifer Odom? Detectives still searching for answers 29 years later
Courtesy: Hernando County Sheriff's Office
DADE CITY, Fla. - Jennifer Odom, 12, disappeared from her school bus stop in rural Pasco County 29 years ago on Feb. 19 and detectives are still searching for her killer.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, Odom stepped off the school bus around 3 p.m., waved goodbye to her friends and began walking the short 200 yards to her home.
Children on the bus reported they saw a faded blue pickup truck slowly following Odom, who never made it home.
During the next days, law enforcement equipped with police dogs and hundreds of volunteers scoured 60 square miles of rolling groves, pastures and woods surrounding the tiny Pasco town of Dade City.
On Thursday, February 25, 1993, a man and woman searching an abandoned orange grove in southeast Hernando County, FL, found Odom's body.
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Approximately two years later on Thursday, January 5, 1995, a couple hunting for scrap metal in a rural area of Hernando County discovered Odom's missing book bag and clarinet case in western Hernando County.
Courtesy: Hernando County Sheriff's Office
The suspect vehicle is a full-size, older unknown model blue pick-up truck.
Odom was last seen wearing a white zip-up "Hooters" sweat jacket with orange lettering on the left sleeve, a red long sleeve pullover sweater, possible cashmere or angora, a white turtleneck shirt, white denim pants and black lace-up style boots. Her clothing has not been found.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective George Loydgren at 352-754-6830.