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In 2020, in a small California mountain town, five women disappeared. I found out what happened to all of them, except one. A woman known as Dia, whose estate is worth millions of dollars. I'm Lucy Sheriff. Over the past four years, I've spoken with Dia's family and friends, and I've discovered that everyone has a different version of events.
Hear the story on Where's Dear? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Voices for Justice is a podcast that uses adult language and discusses sensitive and potentially triggering topics, including violence, abuse, and murder.
This podcast may not be appropriate for younger audiences. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Some names have been changed or omitted per their request or for safety purposes. Listener discretion is advised. My name is Sarah Turney and this is Voices for Justice.
Today I am discussing the case of Jodi LaCornu, who was shot in the back and killed in a Maryland parking lot in the early hours of March 2nd, 1996. The week this episode airs actually marks 25 years that Jodi's murder has gone unsolved by the Baltimore County Police. But her twin sister Jenny has made it her life mission to find answers about what really happened to Jodi.
In this episode, you will hear directly from Jenny a lot. She's been telling Jodi's story for decades at this point and knows it better than anyone else. In all transparency, I have known Jenny for years now. From the moment I created Voices for Justice, I knew I wanted to help Jenny by covering Jodi's case. So this is the story of the murder of Jodi LaCornu.
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Jodi had two older sisters, Laura and Diane, but she was closest to her twin sister, Jenny. They did absolutely everything together. They had the same friends, took the same classes at St. Mary's High School in Annapolis, Maryland, and even shared a bedroom.
And according to Jenny, they even got in a bit of the same trouble with drugs and alcohol in their teens. Very outgoing and very kind. Big heart. Had a lot of friends. Big smile. Just, she was definitely, I was the shy one, so she was more out there. And even though she was two minutes older, I very much considered her my older sister.
and just felt complete with her there. And I mean, she did struggle as time, we both did as time went on, but she definitely was very, but my friends would refer to her the life of the party, just like I said, just this big smile. And I was kind of the, I'd say like nerdy one. And she was very glamorous, stylish. We were kind of out of hand as we were growing up. Yeah.
This was an issue not just for obvious reasons, but also because their father, John LaCornu, was actually an assistant state attorney in Anne Arundel County in Maryland. And he specifically prosecuted violent and drug-related crimes. So in their teens, Jenny and Jodi were actually separated for the first time in their entire lives and sent into treatment.
Although Jodi would continue to struggle with her drinking as she entered her 20s, Jenny says that she was pretty sure that Jodi was not doing drugs. And it does seem that Jodi was taking steps to improve her life. By 1996, when Jenny and Jodi were 23, Jenny was actually living in the California area while Jodi was still living in the Baltimore, Maryland area.
But they still spoke to each other pretty much every day. And Jenny says that Jodi was doing really well. At the age of 23, Jodi didn't really know what she wanted to do, which, to be fair, how many of us really do at 23?
But she was studying geriatrics at Towson University and worked as a receptionist at the Eastern Savings Bank in Hunt Valley. She was living with her long-term boyfriend, Steve. It just seemed like Jodi was doing okay for an early 20-something trying to make it on her own. But like everyone else, Jodi's life wasn't perfect. And on the night of February 29th, 1996, Jodi and her boyfriend, Steve, get into an argument.
This was apparently over Jodi going to her favorite bar, the Mount Washington Tavern. This was Jodi's favorite place to hang out, and it was kind of like the local spot where everyone knew everyone, and Jodi even knew the owner. According to Jenny, Jodi did kind of have a crush on the owner, so it's possible that this is why Steve was so upset that she was there, but it's hard to say for sure.
We really pretty much just know that he didn't want her going there. So Jodi does come home to Steve that night, but things apparently had not blown over from this fight. Because on the morning of March 1st, Jodi and Steve are both getting ready for work, and Steve turns to Jodi and tells her that she should probably stay with her parents for the weekend, who, side note, were actually celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary the next day on March 2nd.
So after this fight, Jodi goes to work at the bank, and when she gets off, she decides that instead of going home, she was going to go to the Mount Washington Tavern again to meet up with some friends. Now, Jenny doesn't believe that Jodi had any intentions of making the drive to stay with her parents like Steve had suggested. Because, and we will learn more about this in a second, it was a snowy night, and Jodi was terrified to drive in the snow.
So again, Jenny just truly doesn't believe that Jodi had any intentions of making that trip, and after researching the timeline, I totally agree that it looks like Jodi did have intentions of returning to her home that night. But this, after Jodi leaves this bar, is where, according to Jenny, Jodi starts doing things that were pretty out of character for her.
Around 2 a.m., now the morning of March 2nd, Jodi left the Mount Washington Tavern to give the bar's janitor a ride home. Now, this wasn't out of character because Jodi didn't enjoy helping others or wasn't a kind person. It's just that despite Jodi being this very bubbly, outgoing person that loved everyone, she was actually pretty fearful, according to Jenny.
She was living with her boyfriend and she was, even though she was very outgoing, she had terrible anxiety and was just really afraid of pretty much everything. Her boyfriend would say she was afraid of the closet. You know, she would, when she'd come home from work, he would, she would have him walk her, come walk her from the car, um,
she was afraid to, she used to say she was afraid she was going to get shot in Baltimore. She was scared living in Baltimore, but she was asked to drive one of the employees home who was the janitor. He didn't speak much, but he just kind of was there all the time at the bar, swept the floors and things. And so she brought him home, which was a little odd, not that she wouldn't help somebody, but just late at night, some, you know, a guy that just, you know, there was just so many odd things happening and,
So she ended up bringing him home and then going to sit in this dark parking lot, which, you know, was snowing. She was afraid to drive in the snow to go sit in a dark parking lot. You're I think you're a lot younger than I am. So, you know, the thought of like going to sit somewhere even now, you know, I'm just going to sit. It's just odd, you know. And it was literally like two minutes from her house.
After dropping off this man who worked at the bar, Jodi actually stopped for a six-pack of beer at the Curb Shop bar. There have been reports that Jodi went to the ATM beforehand, but Jenny doesn't really know for sure and hasn't seen any documentation to prove it. But after getting this six-pack of beer from here, Jodi drives about 10 minutes to a parking lot about two minutes from her home. And at this point, she begins making calls from the phone in her car.
Jenny describes this phone as a bag phone, and truth be told, I had to look it up.
It isn't like a Zack Morris phone from Saved by the Bell, like one of those big brick phones with a big antenna out of the top, but more of a phone that you could carry in this briefcase-looking thing that Jodi could hook up to her car. So it was kind of like a car phone, but portable and not permanently attached to the car. As she was sitting there, she made several phone calls, one being back to the bar and asked for the owner of the car.
of the bar and she talked to the manager. She never got to talk to the owner. And crazy story is that he, this manager I heard years later committed suicide. So I was never able to have any conversation with him, but there was also kind of rumors that Jody had this crush on the owner. Um, that's kind of been out there. Um, I mean, she had mentioned it to me too, and that
might have been some of the reason to her boyfriend. I don't know that he knew. I just think he was, her boyfriend just didn't want her out of his sight, you know, out of his sight, just wanted her with him.
So then she called her a friend of hers who she had moved in with her for a while that had nowhere to go. And then the friend had ended up moving in with her boyfriend who was a cook at TGI Fridays. It's a restaurant and he was sort of a known drug dealer, the boyfriend. And so
And Kira, I mean, Kira, oh my God, that's my daughter, Jodi. So she had a conversation. She never got a hold of her friend after, you know, she'd live with Jodi. Jodi brought her in to help her and they had all worked at the restaurant together. And then she talked to the boyfriend for two and a half minutes. And so there's just odd, the phone calls and then her being shot. I mean, I feel like that might have something to do with it.
But at some point while Jodi is making these calls, a man driving a white BMW parks near her car and comes up to the driver's side door. This next part is tough because no one knows what happened for sure. But assuming that Jodi has her window up on this snowy night because it's probably pretty cold outside, I'm thinking that Jodi most likely had her window up and then rolls it down to talk to this guy.
They have a brief conversation and then this man walks back to his car and comes back with a .38 caliber handgun and shoots Jodi. But he doesn't just do it through this open driver's side window. He actually shot through the back window on the left side of the car and the bullet goes through Jodi's seat and into her back, severing her spine.
But miraculously, Jodi is still alive, and she manages to drive her Honda from that parking lot across five lanes to a shopping center across the street. But it was, I don't know, the time frame after. There's been stories that said that she went to the ATM, and I never heard that she went to the ATM or got money out. But an African-American pulled up behind her in a white BMW and said,
the police say her window was rolled down and he approached her vehicle. And it's just odd for her just to talk to somebody in the middle of the night, you know? But he, there was some sort of conversation and then he walked away and then shot from behind, shot in the back, hit, went through the back of the car, the back door, and then into the seat and severed her spine. But she was still able to,
the parking lot was, it wasn't a straight shot out. She was still able to drive and get out of the parking lot. And then there was, I think it's five lanes at York Road that goes into
directly across to another shopping center where there's a big giant grocery store and a Boston market and a tire store. There was different places there. So she ended up circling the lot and he followed her. He came up to the entrance of the parking lot and just sat and watched her. And she eventually hit a curb. And I think that's when she died.
And he approached her, came up to her car. And what the police tell me is that he reached in over her window was still down, reached in and put her car in park and turn the lights out and took items out of her car. So they would never say what was taken out of the car. But she had that bag phone back in the 90s.
which my parents had got for her. So they say that was missing and her purse was missing. So I assume that stuff was taken out of the car. And then he just, he was not in a hurry. There was, you know, it was a 24 hour giant. So there was people around, there was people at the Boston market unloading the truck. So there were six witnesses there.
You know, and they said they got a description of him and the vehicle and they did lift fingerprints from the car. And they had four videos from around, except for the giant where they said where she ended up that the cameras were down.
And he just slowly got back in his car and just drove out of the parking lot and made a right on York Road and then turned on this Walker Avenue. And that was it. Like I said, he just wasn't in a hurry. But like, you know, when the police came, she was she had already died.
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After hearing the gunshot, at 3.41am, the employees at the 24-hour giant grocery store call 911. But, like Jenny said, Jodi had already passed away by the time the police arrived. Obviously, everyone who knew Jodi was confused and devastated. She was so sweet and so bubbly, and at 23, she really had her entire life ahead of her. This is nothing short of a tragedy.
But considering how close Jodi had been to Jenny for their entire lives, I mean, Jenny basically said that they were the same person. So losing her twin is something that is still affecting her to this day. But back then, when this first happened, when it was so fresh, she was absolutely destroyed. You know, I was just so just distraught. I mean, I couldn't
I know it's just so interesting to talk to somebody that understands this, you know what I mean? Because most of the time, you know, you talk to people and it's just trying to explain it. But I mean, for several years, I mean, I just, I couldn't be alone in a room by myself. Like I was just so alone.
And I moved back in with my parents. I mean, I was very, I mean, I remember doing the interview, first interview, like right after she died and just being so emotional.
and upset and like, just like, oh my gosh. And just, so I just, I couldn't deal with it. Like I just kind of, um, it's fucking emotional. I just, just kind of went on with my life cause it was just easier not to deal with it, you know? And, um, so it's like, and I'm still good at this today where I can just, just go numb, you know? And it's just, um,
Because it was just so hard to deal with, you know, I mean, it's like, I remember, I was engaged at the time. And so we were living separately. But I remember when my fiance came in and said, Jodi's dead. And it's like, you just can't even like,
You can't even understand it or feel it. It's just like I went into shock. It's like you're living this one life and then you go and then it's like another life. It's never been the same. Don't get me wrong. I have lots of gratitude and blessings in my children, but it's like I feel like, and I've been thinking about this a lot lately, I just don't...
It's like, I don't feel like I'm living a lot of the time. I feel like I'm just moving, just going through the motions, you know? And, and I just, I don't know. It's like, I don't know how to feel joy or, um, you know what I mean? Like, I feel like, you know, I look at other mothers and I'm like, God, I'm not like this mother that I should be for my kids. Like, you know, it's just like, I'm constantly beating myself up, you know? Yeah.
Like Jenny mentioned, the police actually had some pretty solid information about the suspect and what happened. Not only did they have six witnesses, which is amazing for 3.41 in the morning, they also had a complete profile of the suspect.
He was a black male in his mid-20s to early 30s. He was anywhere from 5'10'' to 6'1'' tall. He was wearing a green military-style jacket, and they knew that he was driving a white BMW. But the Baltimore County Police never created a composite sketch, and they wouldn't even release a description of the suspect or his vehicle to the public.
The police did inform the media that Jodi's purse was missing from her car, so they kind of ran with the story as a potential random robbery gone wrong. But Jenny kept going back to that open driver's window. And all of that severe anxiety Jodi had about living in Baltimore. She had this intense fear of strangers and, of course, a fear of being shot. So Jenny just doesn't believe that her sister would have rolled down her window for a stranger.
Just two days after Jodi was killed, the Baltimore County Police announced that leads were drying up. But I mean, I'm not really surprised. I don't know what the expectation for getting leads should have been given the fact that they weren't releasing any information to the public. How are people supposed to come forward with leads if there's no description of the suspect or the vehicle?
Although we know that Jenny would later lead this fight for justice for Jodi, at this time, their father John, a state prosecutor, took on this responsibility for his daughter. But right away, things were already a little odd in the investigation. Not too long after Jodi's death, her car, so the literal crime scene of her murder, was returned to her parents.
When I was doing research on this part, I was absolutely stunned. Over on the Voices for Justice Patreon feed, I actually just covered the story of Mikkel Biggs. If you aren't familiar with that case, Mikkel Biggs was actually last seen riding her sister's bicycle and the police were able to recover it. And they literally still have it in their possession to this day over 20 years later in case they need to run further tests.
And there was nothing on that bike compared to the bullet hole, the blood, and all of the DNA in Jodi's car. But on top of returning the entire crime scene to her parents, the Baltimore County Police literally left the fingerprint kit inside of the car. And thank goodness that Jodi's parents checked, because it wasn't just a dud or a blank kit, they were actually able to obtain two sets of fingerprints.
Although the police weren't telling the media much of anything about the suspect, they were talking about the story and what happened to Jodi. But a huge question still remained. Why was Jodi in this random parking lot two miles from her home in the first place? Captain Uppercut from the Baltimore County Police told the Baltimore Sun in 1996, quote,
The boyfriend hasn't provided us with a lot. Her friends don't know where she was. End quote. Aside from the burglary theory, some people believed that it might have been a drug deal gone wrong.
After all, we are pretty sure that the man approached Jodi's car and she rolled down the window. Which may mean that it was a man that she knew or was expecting. The suspect went back to their car while the window was probably still down. But instead of coming back with drugs or whatever Jodi may have been expecting, he comes back with a gun to kill Jodi and take her money. The police and Jodi's family haven't entirely ruled out this theory.
However, it is important to note that Jodi's autopsy revealed that she didn't have any drugs in her system. But could she have just been so upset about this fight with her boyfriend that she relapsed and asked someone at the Mount Washington Tavern to connect her with someone who could get her drugs? According to Jenny, the Mount Washington Tavern was known as a place where you could get things like that pretty easily. So I have to say, I do think it's possible. A
Of course, with her father being a state prosecutor, another theory was that someone was taking revenge on John LaCornu and his family. But these are just theories. Whether or not Jodi knew this man was buying drugs or this was an act of revenge, Jodi's family obviously just wanted answers and to find her killer. But it seems that the Baltimore County Police had almost nothing.
For 11 years after Jodi's death, her father, John LeCourneau, fought so hard for her. He did interviews, he wrote pieces for the local paper about her, and I imagine that he pulled every connection he had in law enforcement to make her case a priority.
John actually kept a box underneath his bed with all of Jodi's case documents. Newspaper clippings, notes from meetings with detectives, photos, basically anything related to her case up until his death in 2007.
With her father gone, Jenny knew that she had to pick up the fight for Jodi. So she reaches out to the same detective that was on the case for over 10 years at this point to explain that she would be taking over as the family contact. But she was pretty discouraged because it seemed like the Baltimore County Police were doing a whole lot of nothing with her case. They basically told her that the file was just sitting collecting dust.
And when Jenny asked for the case records, they wouldn't release anything, not even the original police report. Jenny does this for about a decade, trying to get answers from the police and them just not cooperating. But then, around the year 2016, so 20 years after Jodi was killed, things really start to heat up.
In 2016, the Baltimore County Police finally release photos of Jodi's car, and they give a description of the suspect and his car. They also rerun those two sets of fingerprints, but again, there is no match. And on top of all of this, they tell Jenny and her family that they actually have two suspects that they've been considering for decades.
including one that matches the description of the man at the scene very closely. So of course, with all of this new information coming out, Jenny goes back to the police and asks them for the records again. But they again say no. So Jenny and her mother actually take them to court for the records.
But they end up settling outside of court and Jenny can't really discuss the details. But she did tell me that the agreement was basically that Jenny needed to shut up and go away and that they would start working on the case, but ultimately they didn't get Jodi's records. In addition to not releasing the records, the Baltimore County Police also appears to be refusing help from all outside sources.
The thing is, Jodi technically died right over the county line, making this a case for Baltimore County Police. But in these situations, they typically partner with the Baltimore City Police Department, especially when it's so close to the county line. But in this case, for whatever reason, Baltimore County has outright refused their offers for help in Jodi's case.
Jenny has also been able to secure an offer for free, high-level DNA testing for Jodi's clothes. See, the police believe that Jodi was most certainly touched in some way by her killer when he reached into her vehicle. So after hearing Jodi's story, a company came forward and offered to do this testing for free. Which I do have to add is typically thousands of dollars. It isn't just a cheap test. These things cost a lot of money. But
But Baltimore County Police refused and told Jenny that doing this DNA testing would be an absolute last resort. So, without really any help from the Baltimore County Police and with them refusing to partner with other agencies or accept any outside assistance, Jenny was really at a loss. So, like family members are often kind of forced to do in these situations, she had to make a choice.
She either had to give up on Jodi's case and just move on, or she had to fight for her. And Jenny chooses to fight. This episode of Voices for Justice is sponsored by Quince. I can't believe that we are rolling into fall, but we are, which means it's time to refresh your wardrobe. And luckily, Quince offers timeless and high-quality pieces that will not blow your budget.
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She has gone to interview witnesses, she even went to visit a suspect in prison. And after being inspired by the movie Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, which if you haven't seen it, you absolutely must, Jenny puts up a series of billboards near where Jodi was killed. The first was a picture of Jodi with some case information and a word bubble by her mouth with the words, "'Find my killer.'"
But after this, she made the billboards increasingly more targeted, with one calling out state attorney Schellingberg to release Jodi's records, and another calling out Governor Hogan asking if he would help Jodi's family find her killer. From my count, she has put up at least eight billboards and plans on doing more. Jenny has also created her own tip line for Jodi's case.
But this really just scratches the surface on Jenny's efforts and her relationship with the Baltimore County Police Department. So here is Jenny hashing it all out in more detail. So I just, you know, my dad got really sick and that was just a really, really tough time too because he and I were so close. He, you know, he struggled with alcohol like Jodi and I too and he had gone into treatment and when he got
got out of rehab. He finally got sober and, um, he found out he had non Hodgkin's lymphoma. So my, my focus like of my family was just on his treatments and, you know, taking care of him. And, um, God, I don't want to get emotional again, but he, um,
So he died and that just was really, really, really just another really tough time. And it was after that that I really started reaching out because him being the one that was with the detectives and he was such a kind, humble person. I mean, he taught us just so much about just like being good to people and being
just humble and like, he was just nice to everybody. And so he like, and as far as like with the police, he never would have questioned them or thought that they weren't doing what they should be doing and things like that. And so, you know, the same detective was on the case since day one. And, and I, so I started, I just started getting frustrated. I would just, you know, reach out to him and say, you know, we want an update what's going on. And it was just, it was
It was just nothing, you know, and basically they were like, yeah, there's nothing, you know, and I just got really frustrated. And I thought, you know, I just got to really try to, it's like I got a backbone. I started to reach out, you know, locally with the Baltimore news station, which was just, I remember my first call I made to one of the Baltimore stations and just being terrified, just terrified.
You know, like I'm not good enough to call these people and to ask for help. And I got them to do a story. It was close to the anniversary. And so that was kind of what I started to do and reaching out to different people.
you know, paper, local papers, newspapers, um, just what, whatever I could do. I was just trying to, you know, get doing stuff on, I'm not a lot, I'm just not very good. I don't know if I am or not with social media. Like I was doing stuff on Facebook and, um, but I'm a little impulsive. Like I would sometimes put stuff out that I shouldn't, like if I was angry with the police and, um,
Hey, I did that more times than I can count. I mean, you know, obviously in moderation, like being careful, but I don't blame you. You're emotional. It's an emotional case. And, you know, specifically your issues with the police, my goodness, you know, for them to say two days afterwards that
you know, it's a cold case. Like, how? I know. And that's the thing. And that's where, you know, it's been so many years of, you know, and just dealing with them. And I really, like I did an editorial, I think it's called like an editorial. I think it was the Baltimore Sun, one of the papers. And I said, I feel like I'm the criminal. Like, I mean, my God, like all we want is answers. And the way that they've treated us, you know, we had the lawsuit where my mom and I, I mean, my mom mainly, because I don't really have money, but thousands of dollars,
trying, you know, legal fees, trying to get her records. Like they just didn't want to give us any information. And it's just, why, why do they want to be so difficult? You know? And it's like, that's not like they had any answers. I mean, they told me her case was sitting in a closet and I said, well, we want to get a private investigator. And it's, it's like, they just fought me every way. And the detective would be inappropriate with me.
and be dishonest. And I went all the way up to the governor's office. I went to the county executive. I'm like, can you please help my family? We want to get another case. Can you please do this DNA testing that's been offered for free? You know, the EMVA. I know you know Jared Bradley. Like,
They wouldn't, they had her clothes and he offered to come, you know, and do her, the dean swab her clothes and everything that night. And it's just like, they, they don't want to do anything. And it's like, and like I'd had reporters, they'd be like, it's like, they don't want to solve her case. Like, why not? You know? And so it's just like, I just went for, for several, I don't know how many years it was just crazy. And then I just became this
Like, I was so consumed with it and I couldn't stop. Like, I started writing to this prisoner who they said was the number one suspect and he called me and I was going into Baltimore, meeting with people, like, and people would say, don't let the bullet that took her took you. Like, I just became this, like, super being or whatever. Like, I just was fearless, you know? Like, in Baltimore, like, you don't want to just go driving random places in Baltimore. But it was like...
I just wasn't even thinking clearly. I became so obsessed about like trying to find her killer, you know, and it took a toll on my marriage and my family and my kids, you know, and my husband I separated last spring. Like he was getting, I mean, he would have times of being supportive, but he was very,
upset about it taking over so much of my life and we would fight all the time and he would leave the house. And, you know, and I understand, like, I don't blame, I just think it takes two in any situation. And, but it was just sort of, it was just my, like I had, I had to find out, you know, and, and so he would, you know, tell me if you, if you go on any more interviews, don't come home. So I would start lying to him about what I was doing. Cause I, you know, or he just,
And it was like, I couldn't, you know, so that on top of the lawsuit and it was just, it was a lot. And, and with my, my youngest, my, I mean, my boys were, you know, my teenagers, they were, they were, you know, they're teenagers, but my youngest Kira, I feel like it really affected her.
Because I felt like she was in competition with Jodi because a lot of her, with her being younger, a lot of her growing up was me focusing on Jodi's case. And I remember one time doing this interview and they wanted baby pictures and all of a sudden she got panicked and she's like, "Mommy, where's my baby book? I want to see it. Bring him out my baby book. Let's look at my baby pictures." It was like she wanted it to be focused. She wanted me to think about her.
So it just, oh, it just broke my heart, you know, and, um,
And I still feel, you know, like, sorry, like it just, you know, it affects the whole family, you know, just trying to find, you know, just what I've been doing is and, and, but there's what else do you do? You know, you don't have the police on your side where you feel like you're getting help. So you have to like, go out there and do it yourself, you know? I'm sure that's the thing. If, if,
the police just did what they were supposed to do or what they promised to do, what they should be doing, you wouldn't have to take on that burden. So I think, obviously, to me, it's extremely understandable. Sorry, I keep crying. But, you know, and like last spring, I was doing so much and I just, I got, I just really hit a really bad low in my life. And that's when my husband and I separated. And I was like,
severely depressed, like just feeling so hopeless about everything. And it was like, I just had to like step away because, you know, I'm struggling with this, you know, I struggle with an eating disorder and, you know, I've been in recovery for my sobriety and, um, you know, just dealing with things, personal stuff. And, and so it's just been like a tough, I feel guilty that I haven't, I feel like there's just some days where I can't, it's like, I can't even like
balance my checkbook, like the basic, like, you know what I mean? Like, I can't even like clean my sink. Like I feel like paralyzed, you know, I'm like, I can't, I mean, I work a lot because I got to support myself and the kids and stuff, but, um, it's just, yeah. So I'm just like slowly, like trying to get myself back together and, and, um, just, and, you know, just like seeing you out there, I'm like, Oh my God, she's so strong and amazing. Like, how does she do this? Like, I just, I'm
You know, I just like I've literally like had a really tough time this year and what I'm working on on getting myself back together slowly, two steps forward, one step back.
I mean, for whatever it's worth, I really do think you're doing a great job. I never saw any type of like, I never felt like you stepped away and I was like, where is Jenny? What's going on? So I feel like there's been this persistent presence online and that says something. I think that you've done a really great job establishing that. Well, I don't know how to do it. I just like, like I said, like with Twitter, I had a reporter's like, you got to get on Twitter. Yeah, just be interesting. And I was like, I don't know. So I constantly like, I feel like
because sometimes I feel like social media makes me anxious and I'm like but I'm like I like there's times where I've just shut it off I'm like I'm not going to do this anymore but then I'm like I can't like I need to have this to because somebody out there what does somebody know something about Jodi so it's like I can't let go of it you know so I'm like what could I get up and say that's interesting today like I don't know you know
I wanted to ask about, like, why do you think the police were so, like, from the beginning, reluctant? Like, you know, again, day two, they say it's a cold case. They don't want to release any information about the vehicle or even ever a sketch of the suspect, despite there being so many witnesses. So I want to get your take.
So odd. I mean, it only just leads me to think that they're hiding something or there's something not right with the case. I mean, why didn't they? I mean, they had somebody that could do a description of the suspect, the vehicle. Like, how hard would it have been to find that particular vehicle? I mean, they didn't even put out the...
The, the picture of the vehicle or, I mean, any, what the, well, I think they did the, they did the description of the Sussex, but they didn't even put out a picture of the car. They had a picture of the car that they knew the exact model of the car, the color. They didn't put that out till 20 years later. Like, and that was just after me pressuring them. Does that make sense? Yeah.
Like, why would they wait or never do a sketch? I mean, it's just, it just is, to me, just becomes more suspicious, you know, and the fact that they want to not give us information and then, you know, the information that they have given us, it's contradicting some of the stuff, you know.
And, you know, the autopsy, like we couldn't get the autopsy for years. And they fought and fought and said that we couldn't see it. And then all of a sudden, like they decided to release it. Like it was like, then I'm like, what, did they change this? Like there was just so many, their behavior is so odd, you know? Like I just can't figure out, like, so they've always told me there's two suspects. And the number two suspect, the detective, I said, oh,
I said, "Did you interview him?" Because he would be cocky and say, "No, nothing is done on this case unless I do it." And I was asking about the interview with him. I said, "Did you interview him?" And he's like, "I don't recall if I interviewed him." And I'm like, "What?" I mean, it's just stuff like that. I mean, just so many different things are like the car that
the, the Jody talked to the guy, the girl, her friend's boyfriend, like he'd say, we ruled out, he was an African-American drug dealer who Jody talked to before she died. I said, did you, um, I said, what's going on? This was early on what's going on. You know, when I, not when I was getting more involved with the case, he said, oh, well, he didn't drive. So we ruled him out. And then later he'd say, um, oh, I don't know what kind of car he had. Like he just kept
changing the story. It was just nothing was ever consistent. And then I kept saying, you've got to go back and talk to him. That was one of my things that I would argue with them. And they finally did like a year ago, this guy that she had the conversation with. And it turns out he had his friend with him that night that they just found out 20 something years later. And I'm like, so, okay, so you said he didn't drive, but his friend was with him and you find this out 20 something years later.
Like it was just like so many different things that would come out. You know, I had a cameraman that works for one of the Baltimore news stations that was talking to Jodi that night in the bar for like 20 minutes. Like just was just in there. It was like media night in the bar. And it turns out I was doing an interview and he said, I was talking with your sister that night before she died. And they never interviewed him. It's like they didn't interview the people she was talking with.
You see what I'm saying? Yeah. Well, and it seems like, you know, I mean, you you're familiar with true crime. It seems like she would be one of those cases that they would focus on. She's blonde and beautiful and young. And, you know, this terrible thing happens to her and they just they just don't they don't seem interested, in my opinion, like they just legitimately don't care.
That's what it feels like. That's, I mean, that's exactly what it feels like. And it's like my mom and I met with a county executive and because we were trying to just go above like
When we went to the governor's office, just trying to go above, trying to get people to help us. And this was a year before Corona. And we're like, why won't you do this DNA testing? It's all been offered for free. They could process this lab. They're going to pay for it, everything. And they said, we're going to do DNA testing. It's going to be our last resort. And my mom, I thought my mom was going to have a heart attack. She was like, what? What?
24 years later? Like, when's the last, you know what I mean? Yeah. I mean, DNA seems like the first thing they try to get. Yeah, definitely. Definitely.
It's just, it boggles my mind. Yeah. I mean, and then like with the fingerprints that they have, I mean, they left the fingerprinting kit in Jodi's car. They gave like, they gave Jodi's car, which is technically the crime scene, which, you know, I didn't know all that back then, but they gave her car back right away. Like they didn't even keep her car, but my parents didn't want her car. So they gave it back to the dealership because it was just too much money.
saddened for them to have this car, but they left the fingerprinting kid in it. I mean, just everything they've done is sloppy and then unkind and disrespectful. And like I said, even the detective, when I would reach out to him, he'd be like asking me about my relationship with my husband and telling me to keep my husband close because he had a relationship with a sister of a suspect that killed her parents and he was separated from his wife.
Like he was inappropriate, like telling me stuff when I'm trying to get information on Jody's case. And then I'd ask him, like, he just wasn't professional. And I'd ask him about Jody's, you know, about the owner of the bar. I said, what do you think? Do you think something was going on? He's like, oh yeah, well, he would have you both.
Like, I mean, he would just like, he would just say, talk really gross, you know? And I met with, so one of the meetings I had, I think my lawyer got this meeting, it was like after the lawsuit. And I'm telling you, they brought like 10 people in this conference room, like to intimidate, it was like the chief of police, the new chief of police, like,
and they literally like berated me. Like I walked in there and they, they like had printed out all my social media. It wasn't a lot. It was the, I guess it was the one where I said, fuck off. Um, but like literally the meeting was to get like an update on Jodi's case that my lawyer got it with the chief of police. So they sit me down and they're all like looking at me, like, we want to talk about your social media. I'm like, are you kidding me? I'm like,
We came to talk about what you're doing on Jodi's case. You know what I mean? Like, it was just unbelievable. And then, but it felt like they were trying this intimidation tactic, like you're not going to mess with us.
And then I asked, you know, one of the things I asked the detectives, you know, this was when he was still on it, the first detective, his boss, because they kept saying, you need to go back and talk to Jody's boyfriend. Maybe there's more information because they never would. And they looked at me and said, yeah, we did go back and talk to him. They lied to my face because I knew that they hadn't. And I went right back and called him and they hadn't talked to him.
So it's like I can't even trust them. I mean, and I know how hard that is to just be like, you're lying to my face and they look at you like you're just crazy. And I think they use that card to be like, oh, you know, she's just the emotional family member. Like she's just taking it. You know, we know how hard it is for you. And it's like, yeah, because you're literally lying to my face. Can you stop acting like I'm a crazy person?
I know. And that's, what's so upsetting because I feel like I come out as this crazy person, but like I'm emotional, I'm passionate. I'm, I'm, I'm angry. I feel like
Like I'm being screwed on a daily basis. Like it's just, I don't, I can't take it, you know? I mean, I've been this like nice person for so long and there's like only so much you can take, you know? And then when your whole family's falling apart, I'm falling apart, like, and they're, the way that they're acting and not helping and being rude, it's just too much, you know? Yeah.
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In addition to feeling the need to give Jenny a space to tell her story, I feel that just as we analyze relationships between the police and the media, the police and suspects they are interviewing, basically police operations in general, we also need to start analyzing police relationships with families.
Because as we have seen in so many cases, in the Elizabeth Smart case, now in Jodi's case, these relationships can change these families and cases forever.
And it does seem that Jenny's dedication and kicking and screaming about this case is working in some capacity. Because, like she mentioned, there is finally a new detective on the case. And on top of that, they told Jenny that they might run some new DNA that they have obtained from another murder that they believe might be connected to the same perpetrator. But although Jenny is hopeful, she really isn't holding her breath.
And the communication between Jenny and this new detective has already been challenging. Although this case is 25 years old, the police just released, in my opinion, some pretty crucial information about the case and the suspect five years ago. Meaning that there are probably so many people that lived in the Baltimore area at that time that have absolutely no idea about this updated information.
And like we all know, people don't just go missing. They don't just get murdered with no explanation. Something happened and someone knows something. Of course, I asked Jenny what we could do to help Jodi's case.
Give me some advice. If people want to give me advice, share. I mean, I think, I think most importantly, gosh, you'd probably know better than me. It's just like continuing to share her story. If people would just share it and put it out there. I just, I never give up hope that somebody knows something, you know, that's my huge thing is just continue. Like, I feel like.
Like my husband said one time, why are you doing this story in Canada? Who knows anything in Canada? I'm like, you just never know. I don't know. I just I feel like everything's like there's like everything happens for a reason. I feel like, you know, I got to like just take every opportunity. And if people will like take the time to share and get other people to share, like I feel like that's a huge thing, too, you know.
In addition to sharing Jodi's story, Jenny didn't mention it, but she still does have her GoFundMe for additional billboards for Jodi. So I will have that linked in the show notes and on my website. But again, although this case is older, the information being released is relatively new, and it needs to be shared to as many people as possible.
So please take a moment and go to VoicesForJusticePodcast.com to save and share Jodi's poster, as well as to check out the GoFundMe and to check out Jenny's social media accounts to show her some love.
As a reminder, Jody LaCourneau was shot in the back and killed on the morning of March 2, 1996. Witnesses state that the man who shot Jody was a black male in his mid-20s to early 30s. He was anywhere from 5 foot 10 inches tall to 6 foot 1 inch tall. He was wearing a green military-style jacket and was driving a white BMW.
Anyone with information, even the smallest tip, is urged to call Jenny's tip line at 410-200-6284. This information can be submitted anonymously. And there is a $100,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. But as always, thank you, I love you, and I'll talk to you next time.
Voices for Justice is hosted and produced by me, Sarah Turney. For more information about the podcast, to suggest a case, to see resources used for this episode, and to find out more about how to help the cases I discuss, visit VoicesForJusticePodcast.com. And if you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review the show in your podcast player. It
It really does help more people find the podcast and these cases in need of justice.
