Chapter 8: After March 25th, 2004...

It is Ryan here, and I have a question for you. What do you do when you win? Like? Are you a fist pumper, a wooo, a handclapper, a high fiver. If you want to hone in on those winning moves, check out Chumbuck Casino choose some hundreds of social casino style games for your chance to redeem serious cash prizes. There are new game releases weekly, plus free daily bonuses. So don't wait start having the most fun ever at Chumbuck Casino dot com. Sponsored by Chump Casino. No purchase necessary VGW Group Ford. We're prohibited by Law eighteen plus. Terms and conditions apply. Black Friday is coming and for the adults in your life who love the coolest toys, well there's something for them this year too. Bartisian is the premiere craft cocktail maker that automatically makes more than sixty seasonal and classic cocktails each and out of thirty seconds at the push of a button. And right now, Bartisian is having a huge sight wide sale. You can get one hundred dollars off any cocktail maker or cocktail maker bundle when you spend four hundred dollars or more. So if the cocktail lover in your life has been good this year or the right kind of bad. Get them Bartisian at the push of a button, make Bark quality Cosmopolitans, Marktini's, Manhattan's, and more, all in just thirty seconds, all for a hundred off Amazing toys. I't just for kids. Get a hundred off a cocktail maker when you spend four hundred through cyber Monday. Visit bartisian dot com slash cocktail. That's pa r t e sia n dot com slash cocktail. Missing in Hashtown Season one is proudly sponsored by the following relive studio, Andy B's Boutique, six one five real Estate Advisors, and Hometown Connect. Thank you to our sponsors. This episode is sponsored by Wicked ever After Podcasts by Stephanie Murram, a true crime podcast on YouTube. Small Towns Talk and We've been listening. I'm your host Jules Thorpe, an independent investigator podcaster living in the same town Jennifer and Adrian Annah Wix went missing from in two thousand and four. This is Missing in Hushtown Season one, Chapter eight. After March twenty fifth, two thousand and four, Let's go the following chapter is going to take you through the days immediately following March twenty fifth, two thousand and four, and into the desperate efforts of the Wicks Warriors to bring their girls home. Kathy last spoke with her daughter Jennifer March twenty fourth. Recall that Kathy heard arguing in the background and Jennifer shared how uncomfortable she was in the Benton home. So when Friday afternoon rolls around and Kathy just hasn't heard yet from Jennifer, she's not too worried yet, as they did speak mostly daily. Kathy herself has to work a full shift of. Work and it's not until Jennifer's granny, while Nita Wicks, affectionately known as Granny Wicks, calls Kathy and tells Kathy that something doesn't feel right and something is wrong she can't get in touch with Jennifer. Recall that Granny Wicks is the one who took Jennifer and Adriana to the pediatrician, so she was very aware of Adriana's medical diagnosis of vaginidis. Could this be a contributing factor to the panic the family felt so quickly? And what about Aunt Lisa? She knew that she had told Jennifer she had a place to go to, a place to be safe, So it wouldn't make sense that Jennifer whendn't show up anywhere, especially not a home where she was welcomed, had a key, and had access to at any time. Of the day. Let's roll back a few episodes and piece some things together. Number One, March twenty fourth, two thousand and four, Jennifer calls her mother Kathy at night from inside the Benton home, and she sounds distressed. There's fighting in the background. Jennifer tells her mom that Joey's dad, Joe is typically kinder to her, even he's being aggressive to her that night and exploding, and recall that Cindy Benton through the girl's dinner at the back door so they could quote eat like dogs. Number two. The next day, March twenty fifth, two thousand and four, on a phone call from inside the Benton home in the afternoon with her father, Michael Wicks, Jennifer told him that she was scared of Cindy, that she was acting weird. Michael hears a voice in the background of their call and hears Jennifer tell someone she's on the phone with her dad, which this is odd since, as we'll discuss in a mo moment, the Bentans claimed nobody was home that morning or afternoon except Jennifer and Adriana. So who was she talking to? In number three? March twenty fifth, two thousand and four. Later that afternoon, her last phone call was to her aunt Lisa. Recall. Aunt Lisa took the girls to the emergency room at Northcrest Hospital just two days prior. Aunt Lisa tells her to come stay with her and she has a key outside and to come whenever. All right, Now that Michael Wicks, his mother Juanita Wicks aka Granny Wicks, Kathy, and her sister, Aunt Lisa are all communicating and putting the timeline together, alarms go off. On March twenty fifth, the night Jennifer went missing, I had my boyfriend over. I think we were laying in the living room watching TV. I don't really remember much. I remember my mom being on the. Phone, and I'm not really paying attention to mom, but I could hear her voice go frantic, what do you mean you know you hadn't heard from her? Like, you know, just my mom kind of freaking out, Like her tone of voice changed. My mom hangs up and she's like, Jennifer's missing. We have to go find her. And I'm like, let's go. So my boyfriend went home. I jumped in the car with my mom, and I remember. I don't remember where all we went, but I remember we were out for quite a while, looking everywhere, just at anybody who would know her, any friends, anyone. We would knock on the door, ask when the last time they've seen her, and nothing. We just kept coming up at a dead end. And then you drive to the Button home. I can't remember if we drove to the Button home. I vaguely remember me calling Joey, but I don't really remember exactly what was said. But I remember calling him that evening. I just can't recall what our conversation was, so I remember I spoke to him. I don't know if we drove to the Minton home or not. I do remember Joey saying they had gotten in an argument, but I can't really really remember much more than that. I just remember like me and Mom panicking and us driving all around town, just anywhere we could think of to try to locate her and find her, and we just kept coming up at a you know, dead end. Do you know who told who called your mom about her missing? No, I can't. I can't remember. I almost feel like it had to have been either Jennifer's grandmother, That's who I want to say first, Juanita Granny Wicks is what she called her, So I either want to say her, or it would have been my aunt Lisa. I think one of those probably, But then I feel like, I just remember we came home and I think that night we filed a police report, and this may have been. I'd have to go back, you might know. That evening if it was like a Friday night, because I remember we filed a police report and they literally just threw the file on the desk until next week. And that's always been an issue. I feel like anyone will tell you in the first forty eight hours or the most crucial to find a missing person. And I think at the time they looked at it as she's a grown woman, they just got in a fight. She's twenty one, she can take her baby anywhere she wants to go and doesn't have to tell soul. Maybe she just needs some you know, space. Or breathing time. You know, we'll pick this back up next week. So I don't think they I think they considered her just running off, not running off, but just to take a breather from an argument, you know, and she could just do whatever she wanted because she's a grown up and she can with her daughter. But we knew that's not what happened Fridays. This is a Friday, two thousand and four. Joey goes to work and he arrives home early in the afternoon or late morning hour, and after getting a ride home from a coworker and former friend. Now it was either Jeffrey, his former best friend in Jennifer's cousin, or. Nola and Rye. Joey answered a phone call from a frantic Heather looking for her sister. Heather asked Joey where Jennifer is. He tells her that they got into a fight and broke up. Joey and Jennifer had previously made plan to host a bonfire on that bent And property on Friday night. Now, although Jennifer allegedly went to go be with other friends, Joey still goes ahead and has this bonfire. In fact, you guys, it's a couple's bonfire, so there are two other couples, would Joey being the only one that night without a significant other, So this made it very obvious that Jennifer was missing. Joey's best friend at the time, Recall, he's ant Lisa's son. He asked Joey, hey, where's Jennifer, and Joey responds that she's at a friend's house. He thinks it was a couple named Helga and Jerry Jackson. Now, throughout the years, there has been a lot of speculation about this bonfire, so much that people speculate that something nefarious was occurring in the fire, unknowingly to the other couples in attendance. That should be noted it has been confirmed that this bonfire was planned though well before March twenty fifth, two thousand and four, and it was always planned as a couple's night. Saturday, March twenty seventh, two thousand and four, a desperate Kathy finally gets in touch with the Jacksons. Remember, Helga Jackson was the one who Jennifer was friends with through a job she previously had, and that's who Joey said she went to stay with when she left Joey the night before. So Saturday March twenty seventh, two thousand and four, A desperate mother, Kathy, finally gets in touch with the Jacksons, and they immediately deny seeing Jennifer by saying, quote, if that's what he told you, something is very wrong. We haven't seen her since November end quote. Kathy makes the decision to file a missing person's report for Jennifer and Adriana. This is out of character for her daughter, and. Her mother's intuition told her to act immediately and with urgency. The Robertson County Shares Office agreed to do a welfare check per the family's urging. This is when the official statements occur. I wish I could report that Joey and his family welcomed the Robertson County Sheriff's Office into their home, but they did not. In fact, they were turned away by Joey, who said his parents were not home and to return with the search warrant. All they could do was take an initial statement, and this is when Joey changes his story from what he told the Wick's family. The sheriff department puts out a beyond the lookout a bowlow for the girls, but appear to lack urgency. It's been speculated throughout the years that this was because they believed Jennifer was an adult and can do as she pleased. Other people speculate that the Bentons had connections with the Robertson County Shriff's office. Either way, did the Robertson County Shriff's Office ignore the red flags and the desperate pleas that the family tried to tell them about Jennifer and Joey's relationship? Was it enough to deem her endangered? While the tenantcal news on March twenty seventh comes and goes. Kathy then calls the Robertson County Sheriff's office demanded to know why the department failed to circulate Jennifer and Adriana's photos to the news stations. In the police records written by Deputy Mike Campbell, Kathy quote stated that she couldn't understand it. Would not let this rest end quote, and she has not rested a day since then, nor will she. A mother's twenty year battle to find her daughter and her granddaughter still continues to this day. Behind the scenes. In every breath she takes, Kathy and her sister, aunt Lisa, exchange, information gathered, and then the worry sets in and shifts into overdrive. They could not believe Jennifer and Adriana were missing, something happened to them, or somebody took them. On Monday, March twenty ninth, responding Officer Mike Campbell and his partner, Officer Gray arrive at Kathy's home, and, as Mike Campbell had stated earlier, he will never forget the look. On Kathy's face now re called. Joey had already given this statement about the refund check and how Jennifer stopped. By his house. He already gave that statement the police, so it's already on record. After this meeting, the officer's head to the Benton home and this is where Joey's stories of where the girls are continue to change multiple times. A note Joey says Jennifer came by Friday to get the car seat and her five hundred dollars check, but Deputy Campbell noted that the car seat was in the home when he was there. Here's Kathy recalling the extent of which she has gone to try to bring her baby and her baby's baby back home. In the beginning, I would turn my car around and middle of the road because I saw someone walking down the road that had lone black hair and about the same height as Jennifer. I've went sitting at a sonic in Bellevue one day and across the way there was a girl in a car that to me looked like Jennifer, and I got out to go over closer and get a closer look. And I guess she thought I was crazy. But I've done a whole lot of things, you know, I've followed people. I've worn wigs and sunglasses and rented cars. I needed to know where certain people lived and worked, and so if I could pinpoint them in a certain place where I could follow them, I would rent a car and put a wig on and put sunglasses I had or something on where I couldn't be recognized, and I would follow them to find out where they worked or to find out where they lived. You know, things like that Joey's sister was was a stripper at the time Jennifer disappeared, and I knew that. So was I concerned that Jennifer got caught up in the sex trade. Of course I was, even though like I said, Jennifer was very modest and I couldn't see that happening. But you just never know what can happen to people, and especially with the with the sex trade and human trafficking and stuff. So I needed to know where she worked. So I've been bounced out of strip clubs when I was recognized, I've been asked to leave. I've, you know, tried my best to look look like I belonged there, but I guess I didn't do good enough in that, and so I got bounced out. Jennifer had a boyfriend at one time before she had met Joey, who lived in Indiana and I went to his home. I followed him for almost two days. Where did he go, who did he see? To the bars? He went to to a pit friend's house. I went to bad part of Indianapolis following him in the middle of the night, picked up his garbage from the curb in the middle of the night on garbage Day to see if it had anything in that garbage that would indicate that there was a child there. The first year was absolutely crazy. I seen a psychic named Carol Pate on the Larry Kings Show one night, and she lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, and so I contacted her, and I went to see her twice. The first time she told me Jennifer was live and well, and then a little some little town in Missouri and it was called white Something, but she just couldn't get the rest of it, but it was two words and the first word was white. And so I readed a van and my mom and my sister and my Jennifer's other grandmother miss weeks. We all piled in the van and we spent a week with a roadmap, because this was before ways and Google maps, with a roadmap of Missouri with every white Something Missouri town that we could find. We traveled around Missouri, putting up flyers, going into walmarts and going back into the baby department where she might have to go in to buy diapers or something in that town, and showing their picture to the workers there, and going to the local police departments and things like that. You know, rumors would come in about certain things, there's certain people in certain places, and I would go and just hide out, you know, in a cornfield on you know, if there was a place to pull my car up in between the cornfield where I could still see if headlights came or went from a certain house or something. I would sit there all night long and and watch and wait to see what kind of activity went on. If I seen anybody who looked like Jennifer come or go. I'm actually crawled on my belly because there wasn't nowhere to part to get to one that was way back off the road. Just crawled on my belly and laid in the cornfield and watched that place in the night. There's there's just been. A lot of of those type things, you know, i'd have. I remember I was at work one day after I was finally able to go back to work, and a guy called me and said that he had he had seen Jennifer and Adriana's picture in a truck stop. It's down toward Chattanooga, somewhere in some little town, and he he said, I know her and and I dated her, and her name is Jennifer, and I actually lived with her for two months. And her name is Jennifer and her daughter's name is Adrian, and I know this is them, And so I went there. He told me he could tell me exactly what house they were in and everything. So I went there and called the local law enforcement and told him why I was there. I decided not. I decided that if if that wasn't bat Jennifer, then she was indeed hiding, and I didn't want to make her afraid, and so I asked the police to come over and go to the door and find out if it was her, and they told me to stay in the car, but I didn't. I went and stood at the edge of the house. They went to the back door, and as soon as the young lady came to the door and I heard her voice, I knew it wasn't Jennifer, and so I just broke down. That was me and my mom, and I just knew. I just knew it was going to be her, and and Mom drove me home and that was into that, and you know, I mean, it's just been there's never there's never really been any sightings of her other than that, you know, So that got me really excited, and I thought maybe it was her. Honestly, you know, my gut told me from day one something was wrong, and I never believed Jennifer ran away, but my hope told me that she did. And so I would just. Look for ever where I could. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. Six one five real Estate Advisors People over Profit six one five real estate advisors are committed to bringing people in our community home every single day. This includes Jennifer and Adriana. Wicks located in Robertson County, Tennessee. Six one five real Estate Advisors proudly serve all of Middle Tennessee. Andyb's boutique custom tees for all your needs, creating faithpet and family friendly designs for all. Visit shopandybees dot. Com for an exclusive Jennifer and Adriana wickshirt. Andy Be's boutique will donate profits from each Wick shirt back to the Wicks family to fight for justice. That website is shop andybes a and d i bs dot com. In the Shadows of the City, a business missed a crucial chance, neglecting the power of captivating content. While others captured hearts. Their story remained hidden, but you can rewrite your story. Relive Studio transforms your brand with striking photos and video content. Visit www dot relive dott mention this ad and receive free photos with your video package. Unlock the story your brand deserves. Hometown Connect your local list, Hometown connect your ultimate list, bringing communities together through small town Business Connections. They're your go to app for all things Middle Tennessee. They empower local businesses and promote the shop local revolution through advanced technology, while never sacrificing online privacy. With innovative Bluetooth, proximity marketing, direct customer messaging, and in app marketing tools, They're your ultimate local list hometown connect As Kathy continues her searches, she contacts Robertson County Emergency Response Team member Edwards, and she's begging him for help. This is the account of how he had an entire search team set up for the girls, say ancient through the county, how he was told to stand down by the police chief at the time. Words and I spoke on the phone and well, buckle up. You'll want to hear what he has to say. I'm Bryer Woods and I was with the fire department. It was realisky squads here in the county for well, my whole wife. I grew up in the Merchency Services about technically about thirty years of it, to be honest with you, basically raised in it, you know. So we've done a lot of search and rescues and groundings and we've done the fire protection, you know, in the normal you know, everyday stuff. But that's something that we really specialized in. Was was the search. And once upon a time, I think it was actually it was not long before Jennifer and Agent and the camera miss and before that we were really begin with the search dolls and stuff, and I had I had a lot of success and we put a lot of hard work and training in with the dogs, and we went all over the country and stuff training and and so we had a lot of a lot of connections in the dog world, you know, in the search and rescue dogs and stuff all over and but that was that was one thing that like when the family came to me and I was wanting, you know, to do a search later on, I had a lot of resources you know, where I could pour in, you know, and I just I just hated that we weren't able to do that search. The family, you know, had always been pushing that there was never a reel search you know done of the property. And uh so it came to me and wanted wanted to do a search, and I said, that's well, this is a fist through the department. I've never done anything privately over things always been you know, food apartment and you know, buy the the walls and them and you know everything. So and when she came to me, you know, we wanted to you know, want to do a search. And we talked about it and stuff and and I said, you know, I can't just go do a search, you know, because I had to have permission you know, from the landowners, you know, to do a search. So I went and talked. Because I grew up in in in that kid in the Homsyple community, a lot of founding out there, you know, and and I knew the buildings personally. You know. We went to school, you know, where to school bus together. I mean, you know, it was a small community. Everybody knew everybody, you know, and and we would spend some time like us have to get togethers and different things, you know, but it was all kids, you know, he was young at that time, and we spend more time over there. You know. They had some get together and put out some different things. Had all the kids is playing ball, you know, different things we had went on over there and just get kids in the community playland. You know that it was we knew them all and it was of the Benners then, were they were different people then? I guess what they are now From that understand, I don't really remember, you know, like you know that Joe's them there probably families and stuff right now. And I would have never I've never seen nothing like that. When kids, we wouldn't have been allowed to be around, you know, anything like that. It was going on back then too, but but I wasn't talked to the the grandmother. Yeah, the biggest part of that whole property there, you know. I it went a few days later. I told her that I would before the search. You know, I got to get everything together and and uh climbing search, you know, when we get all my resources gathered up, and I would come back and I would rip before we're done the search, and you know and bring you know, get written permission and hobby, the releases and all that kind of stuff you know, for everybody in and uh through the search. So it went on, I don't know, maybe a reach or something like that, A few WA's or something. I get a I got a call, I get my pages goes off from dispatch and I wanted to call call them, so I called him. I said out the sheriff points to I want to speak with you, and I said, okay, so I give him a call. And he was asked when if I was able to come to his office, you know, right then, and I said, yeah, I'm nobody to go off. I'll better and uh so I go up to the sheriff's office and uh go in the sheriff's office. And uh which sheriff was this? It was balling to okay, well, but I went in. I went in there in his office and he said, well, what's this idea about the search? I said, well, the coaman came to me and I'm going the search. And we were you know, to try to help him out and then we can, you know, under a search. And I got permission from the you know, miss Brinton. You know, ain't never several other people you know around there, you know always yeah that's fine up in church at play too, you know whatever. So but he said, well, there's not I want to do a search. He goes and the best thing you can do is stay away from the Brintons. Well he can straight up the hornets nest and you just need to stay through the Brintons. And and uh, I was like, well, I got permission to do a search, you know, and he goes, well, we're not going to do a search. And he goes on to listen to this and he does his voice smail on his sponge, you know, splicit on speaker, and there was a voice from when I'm singing Joe that was like in a tirade, you know, like just gunn off about you know, this talk of his search and did anything that there wasn't going to be no search, you know, and away from UIs alone, you know what every room. And I said, well, and I guess if I don't have permission, you know now, but I can't do resert. So I mean, you know, it's it's not a simple. But you know, I told him, I said, you know, I said, well, the tone of his voice and the way he sounded, you know, was it was very high rate. It sounds, you know, And I told him, I said, that sounds like a lot of guilt in that, you know, and just the way we sounded, and you know, and that so I mean that I mean, he had I was like, y'all, if y'all got into it that that he's you know, possibly guilty of something or that something as defensive as he was about this, and you know, I don't know what, you know, but and I at that office, and that was in that, you know, and gladly, you know, we never got to do anything. And that's just kind of kind of end of all that, you know. But i'd been I've I've talked to Kathy, you know, on and off, you know, a few different times, you know, in that in that time period, you know, and she's kind of she was she was really desperate for HERLP and I felt really really bad, you know that, but I couldn't provide what I was able to provide, you know. And yeah, so it was kind of a he was a real bomber for all of us, you know, uh I. And I said, when I talked to Miss Bennon, you know, she was you know, cause we knew each other for years and years, you know stuff. So I mean they like we were strangers, you know. And and I had a good long talk with Miss Binton, you know, and you know, she was talking about, you know, how how much is how stressful this has all been for her family and all this stuff and the first being searches, and and I said, well, the family, there's always all Jesus, there's never been a proper search, you know, but there was never a big search. There was, you know, just whatever activity you know, for law enforcements and stuff they've done here and there, you know, in the beginning of the case, I guess you'd say, and uh, there was never a really big search, you know that really come the whole thing that I knew where well the family knew of apparently, and we were just hoping that we could you know, give that closure you know, to everybody. I mean, if you know, if if there was nothing there, then that would be good, you know, for for the meetings, you know, you know, whatever, it would it would up the case. You know, you would know which which direction that maybe you look a little better, you know, and there wouldn't be non inferant question, you know. And but that's right way. I talked to this one for a while and and you know, she was like, we're just so stressed, and you know, and the and they're being accused of all this horrible stuff, and you you know, she goes, I said, you know, and I said, well, you know, because their argument is that there's never been a real search, and if we can do a real search, then they don't have good argument no more. And she goes, you know that that really makes a lot of sense. And that's when she come along, you know, she's like, yeah, that I think that would be fine, you know. I mean, that's that's a good informission to do a search, you know. And the like I said, pie there we say every little week or whatever it was, you know, Joe calls surf you know, and raising kine about you know, this possibility of a search, and that was the end of all of it, you know, of coarse me, you know, and being able to do anything to help. But I had done. I had a lot of resources that aligned up, you know, and was had a lot of some of the best dogs. But that's the b bust. Dogs were land vable in the state at that time. We have both we had, we have we have a different to that, but we have we have, we have a little anything you could want the dogs. We have different broods and barters and specialized in different rights, you know, different things. And I mean it was the best of the best, you know, and that's that's all we've ever we've ever used, you know. When it comes to bear work, we have very high standards when it constant dogs. So what were you were you with when you're for the fire squad? Yes, with the Roasty Squad, Yeah, well Fie law as the time, Robert, Yeah, yeah, and the Roasty Squad. The worsty squads is UH is a state wide organization, the Tennessee Association, the Rescue Squad. So you have the Rastree Squad and pretty much every time, you know, and then collectively, you know, everybody's resources was available with everybody, so we could have like a call out, you know, and we have different regions in the state, so I could do out. We was in Region three, so we you know, I had right off for that. I had, you know, I could do a region three call out and pull a massive amount of resources or if it come through it I could do I could state wide call out or multiple regions you know, or whatever. So I had basically I had the whole stadium I dispose if I needed it, you know, And and and that's the best of the best in everything. You know. It's available through towers basically in the state, so there're search and rescues and groundings and all kinds of training. You know. It's a it's a big, strong organization, you know, so, but yeah, it's uh, it's just sad that we didn't get to to have that search and give that closures, you know, at least on that part of it, you know, and other people who for the Meter, the Week's family, or or for the Buntons, you know, if they you know, if for instant, then that would just hurt, you know, the accusations against them is where I've seen it, you know. And now you said, you you grew up in a little temple area and you knew the Bunting family, did Sherif Bolinger also grew up in the same area as y'all. Yeah, both Surf Bowinger he lived basically an own chapel community. He was. He was down around Brown Road, that is where he lived, which is just a few miles down the road. Honestly, you know, from from the Hall of Arms Chapel, around the church area and stuff. So yeah, we all grew up in an area. So he would now tell from growing up in Jo's family. Yeah, I was, I would say, so, you know, I can't I can't speak for him. But of course in those days, everybody knew everybody, you know, especially in the community in that area. You know, so it's even a small, tight knit community. You know, don't go anywhere, We'll be right back. Six one five real Estate Advisors People over Profit. Six one five real. Estate advisors are committed to bringing people in our community home every single day. This includes Jennifer and Adriana Wicks located in Robertson County, Tennessee. Sixty one to five real estate advisors proudly serve all of Middle Tennessee. Andy B's boutique custom tees for all your needs, creating faith, pet and family friendly designs for all. Visit spandybees dot com for an exclusive Jennifer and Adriana wickshirt. Andyb's boutique will donate profits from each Wick shirt back to the Wicks family to fight for justice. That website is shop andybs a and d i bs dot com. In the Shadows of the City, a business missed a crucial chance neglecting the power of captivating content. While others captured hearts. Their story remained hidden, but you can rewrite your story. Relive Studio transforms your brand with striking photos and video content. Visit www dot relive dot studio, Mention this ad and receive free photos with your video package. Unlock the story your brand deserves. Hometown Connect your local list. Hometown Connect your ultimate list, bringing communities together through small town business connections. They're your go to app for all things Middle Tennessee. They empowered local businesses and promote the shop local revolution through advanced technology, while never sacrificing online privacy with innovative Bluetooth, proximity marketing, direct customer messaging, and in app marketing tools. They're your ultimate local list. Hometown Connect. Absolutely, okay, all right, I'm trying to think of Oh, he's been great. I appreciate it. We have a cool section attact all the searches, and obviously we don't know what we don't know at the you know, and CBI what they don't share. I did come across pett the original news article when I went to the archive yesterday that talked about they were searching study with diaver docks from Nashville and for family had seen that that was not actually true. Facts. I knew though I had heard folks. You know, I said I wouldn't after you know, we didn't have permission to do the circum and I wouldn't ain't like I was in kipping the loop or anything like that on what was going on. But I did hear the different times that the Sheriff's office had had as a doll or two or something come out, and you know, they've done a little bit of searching or something at different times. I have no, you know, idea of anything of it. You know, I'm just what I hear. If I say, I think there was there was one guy in Nashville. I can't remember his name, and he was a pretty repable you know. He had he had a good dog. And I don't know if if y'all have interview who talked to him or not, but I can't remember his name with all. But we've done some work with him in the past on different different scenes and stuff, different researches, and then we've done some training together, and he was he was a little good dog, you know, it's what he had. So reached out to some of the searches and a lot of them don't talk because it's still the open case and they're still with her, you know. But we have and I respect that we have to pay the work they have to got to do that. Did you. Bennett that worked for Miston County sheriff. Who's that Bennett detective? Minute? Yeah? Yeah? Uh do you know? Was he was? He around y'all were going up to the community? Did it now? He did it? Lived? He was? He was up on the wet the end of the County's where he lived? Okay? But yeah, who was who's the detective? Were? Most of my life? You know, for a long time he was up generally worked with him a whole lot over the years. His name just comes up from the I think from the original. Okay, Okay, all right, there are questions I won't ask, but there are some, but you can say passed and no, I won't push that. Okay, that's curiosity over the years. And what what is? And you know, do you feel like this case should have been folved already? Can you teach that? H Do you feel like this case should have been folved already? Is it solvable? Absolutely? I mean really, I really do. And like I said that, this has been twenty years, and there's a lot of details I don't remember, you know, in timeframes, you know, and stuff it gets claudy with. But from what I remember, it seems like let off the Bats things kind of went sideways when when when they was reported mission and the the initial response, you know, when the officers there was rumors of I guess improper work done, you know, like police works. There were some officers that I think that were that were fired, and it was all just kind of it started off as a mess. You know. It's kind of where I see it, you know, and I think I think that might have hurt you know, the investigation son, you know, and finding them. You know, I don't know the details of what happened, but it started off, I know, some officers got got fired through whatever reasons, and then then things were like, you know, it's almost like it was choosed more as a missing person you know kind of thing. At first it seems like from what I remember, you know, and and it seems like it just took a long time for it for them to come out, and you know classified you know, it's like a homicide or whatever. You know. So yeah, I mean there was a lot of room or something, you know, where it was the whole time. It was all they they run away or let and witness protects. Now, there was just so much stuff, but constantly you know that and I don't know where none of this come from. It's just rumors stuff I was here, you know, and and it's it's just sad, you know that that things didn't get off to a good start, you know, and in bringing closes for the family, you know, and stuff. But why do you think people have lauds been as opening the path to talk about this, you know, out loud and in the community. Well, I think there's a lot of confusion. I feel like I said that there was rumors going around, you know, that they run away, you know, all those different rumors you know, and that there would be back you know, the road show or something, you know, and none of it really made sense to me. But that's kind of the way it seemed like that first, you know, I think the investigation was kindling and towards you know, this person type thing you know that's not really a criminal you know, kind of case, is what it seemed like, you know at first. Well, it's just kind of you know it and I understand, you know, it happens, that happens that let you know, people went away to do something, But it was the whole situation that was always when you know, and then speaking of the family and every you know, and it just disappeared. Was just kind of alarming, you know what it was. So I know that I've heard that that Jennifer talked to her family you know often you know, and and different things and then just suddenly advantished, you know. So it's just kind of raises red blags to me. Ain't something's not right, you know, and hm, because the last thing you want to ever do is mislead a search for an investigation. You know, Uh, you have to be real careful and the dog, the dog work, and you know, a search doll can really especially missing person that a search doll can really really steal, you know, the search in a long direction, you know, if you an't careful. So that's happened, you know in the past. You know we've had we've come in behind who come in behind other dogs. But that didn't make a fireman. We made a fine in thirty minutes, you know, I mean it oh well, I mean it buries and and you can't you know, some dogs dolls on hand, those have good bays and bad bays. I mean, you know so, but we were all those lights to say it back up, you know what one dog was saying with with multiple dogs, if we could you know, and stuff like that. So right, and when you get multical dogs, especially when you got multiple dogs, and especially if these dogs have any any state of bad you know, fans, you know, and stuff like that. If they're proven dogs, you know, that's that's very you can put it out fust in them. I mean, you know, I mean, if natural dogs say the same thing, then I would probably take with the sound of the bank. It just me you know, as a dog hower you know, dogs just don't lie. Buddy Mitchell is a retired Davidson County hostage negotiator who has worked pro bono for the Wicks family since twenty thirteen, when the case was switched from a missing person's case to a homicide. It's unclear the exact reasoning for the change, but many of the family members believe it's because there has been zero evidence of a live activity with bank accounts, phone records, social security numbers, et cetera. And some people also speculate it's because that's when the sheriff changed. I sat down with Buddy and Casey and the other searches conducted over the years. I'm kind of funny my thirty four career. I never would accept any awards because I thought I was supposed to be doing that as police. I was a negotiator for thirty years, you know, and I would get my other negotiators put them in for a ward, but I just don't go when they closed the lid. It don't matter what's on your chest. Name is Buddy Mitchell. I was in the Metro Nashville Police barmant sergeant. I was there for thirty four years. I took when I retired, I took a year off. And then another friend that I worked with, Stan Marlag, got me to start a PI company and he knew the Wicks family and introduced me, and that's how I got connected. I've been doing PI since twenty ten, so whatever, fourteen years, and. I just do Kremlin investigation. I have a company, ABC Investigative Services, and we do that's all we do, is criminal investigation on both sides, for the prosecution and for the defense. And been involved in this. I laid off a couple of times when the police barman was doing some things and said we need you. To back off. So I was back off until they told me that it was okay to go back to do investigation. I got to talking to the father bitten and he was given us information the great grandfather, and. He gave us permission. He said, you can come and search. Oh you won't. I actually built up a good rapport with him. Myself and one of my pis, Leonard Keila that's working with me. Went over. I knocked on the door and. The grandson came and opened the door and I walked in and he got mad because he said, well, you're knocking on the door. You family, just up and down and come on in. You can do any searches. I'll sign anything, and so which he did. He signed a form so we was able to the family. And my mom did as well. I mean she talked to Major Jones too and and said, you know you are not going to come, you know, And he's like, well, it's not a sanctioned search. This isn't a search that we're performing. It's a private party search. You know. He's like, you gotta have permission. We're like, we do. We have a form signed. We were invited and have a form signed, and they were like no. And we even to Buddy's point as far as safety, you know, it's a hostile situation where like can you at least be here too, like can someone can you send a patrolman or something just to be present, and they didn't. Now, they did end up showing up the oh, which we can get into. Yeah. Actually before they showed up, myself and P I my other PI, Leonard Keeler, we was there and it's more less as safety. I wouldn't let any of the dogs go out with that one of us being there. During one of the search, I look up and I see joe Benton, which would be the Joey's father, walking down the woods and he said, I said, ho, stop there, and I said, we have permission here. He said why are you here? You you don't have them and I said, yes, I'm I know the line and I knew it was Mark the Bounty and he was on the other side and I said this from here back we can search. And I showed him piece of paper. I said, we have a sign release from your father saying that we can search. And he was not happy so he left. He We later found out that he called the police and the police didn't tell us, but we found out later that he said, I have people on my property and I'm going to shoot them, and that's what the we found out later, and then it was several sheriff deputy come, I think, lieutenant and a sergeant, several people, and they talked to him, and they talked to us, and they left. Still I might add too that she was a little hesitant, the person in charge of the dog because said, we never had this happen before, because when we do searches, we always work alongside the police. They was a little hesitant on, like I said, for safety reason doing this. But since he was here. They come from out of state, I mean, it. Wasn't like I traveled from many a couple of different states, different dog handlers and whatnot. But they're all part of this one like search and rescue team, you know. But yeah, they were hesitant to go out there, and we had permission. Joe comes out. I've shown you the photos. That we got that day. But apparently either he did or Joey did. I'm not sure who did. Called into dispatch twice. I think there were two calls, yes, And then Major Jones shows up at grandfather Benton's property that we had permission to be there on and then Joey pulls up in the driveway right after no one knows it's him, but he pulls up in the driveway and he goes into the house and he's trying to get his granddad to yeah, to revoke his permission. Say you know that he wants us to leave because any permissible search, you can be there until someone asks you to leave, right and if they ask you to leave, you have to leave immediately. He owned several acres in the cabin where the cabin was, and it's a brick house. So the Benton's, Joe and Cindy and Joey's sister, they owned six acres. So there's one acre where the brick house sits and there's five acres where the cabin is. And so we did not get to search that. But the Grandad's property goes kind of like right up to Owen's chapel, kind of like this little slither of property like that butt's right up to Joe Benton's cabin. And so that's where they were back in there. Whenever when Joe walked out into the woods and we had to pull the teams out. Yeah, thanks, Now, the dog I was there personally observed the dog indicate on one spot, So which is the good practice They pulled the dog out, and they put another dog, and they even pulled the handler out so that I won't be looking at a certain spot. So they put another dog in and I actually watched him sniff around and went to the same spot, the exact same spot. So that was at least three different dogs, and then they brought they brought the one another one back the next day just to confirm, and it did indicate in the same spot right where it's back on Grandpa Granddad Benton's property back there. And she can explain these dogs are highly trained, like they won't indicate on a deer because there was a deer bone. We tested him. I said, I bet he hits on this bone, and he went wrapped by it or she I couldn't. I didn't look, but went rap by and boom. But this exact spot which we later I came back the next. Day, of course, with the permission from the father, with a shovel men Leonard. That didn't work. It was in the middle of July, Like I said, I've had a whole lot of birthday. So I dug a little hole and I said we might do something different, not to get a bigger shovel. Actually got a back hold and we went down four or five feet. Eight days after the next day. One day next. He said, yeah, he said, just put everything back the way you found it, and you're welcome on my property. And so we actually called into the Sheriff's department and said, we've had dogs indicate in the spot, multiple dogs from this professional search and rescue team, and they, without. Putting kind of like them down at all. They did discredit those dogs that were there that day and said that search dogs are trained on pork chops and so on, and they were literally not like my husband was there. They pulled out a case that had a cadaver. Bone in it and this dude, he said, and we can probably get you in touch with and he said, my dog's only train on cadaver. That's it. Those are the dogs that were hitting in the woods that day. And so we told the Shafre's department, and to Buddy's point, they said, dig it up, and we're like, yeah, fin any thing, let us know, and we're like, but but like this could be it, this could be evidence, like you got it, and they're like, find it, let us know, and let me add this to Buddy that it wasn't just the dogs. That wasn't the only indication. We also brought in a gentleman that performs the ground penetrating radar, So he came out to that search that day because the dogs kept kept indicating, and so we brought him out and he. Did his test. I can show it to you, yea, the exact spot of where it was. And he said that this particular spot kind of like what Buddy's saying, it kind of like is run off for I can't remember the radius, like a two mall radius I think it was. And he was like, so this particular spot, it could be like and off from another spot. So if there's human remains in another it could be runoff and it's just kind of landing here. But this guy, he brings in this machine and he takes this X ray image, and the x ray image he's like, there's an opening. I don't remember how big it was, like twelve inches deep and however two feet wide or something like that. And on his recommendation, this person who. Literally does this for his job, puts on this report, I recommend to dig it up and. To please this lady with the dogs. Know this gentleman, I think she is one that gave me his name and number. He actually came out that day come and Leonard stayed there until he got there. He drove in from like three hours wait and he drove in and we watched him do the test. Joe owns that property now. He got it in after his dad, the one that invited us to search, passed away, and they went through the estate ordeal after his passing, and Joe got that property. I might add that. Before this search. I don't know if it was a couple of weeks or maybe my month. I want to say a couple of weeks. He got arrested at his dad's house, the grandfather's house, for trust passing because he. Wanted him to leave and he wouldn't leave. So they called the sheriff's department and they said, well, he's trustpassed. If you're tell him, med not be here. So they are actually arrested him for trust pass so he was not allowed on that property. Yeah, to restraint in order against him. It's one of the chargers that are still open today that he's dealing with. He had a violation of probation for so still happening even after his father's passing. It's still open, right, But yeah, he wasn't supposed to be there. That's why he sent Joey that day. Yep, because he couldn't come. He would have been arrested for about lateness. Now, Major Jones did talk to Joey that day. Joey came out of the house, walked up to us all standing in the driveway, right, we have it on video, and walks up and he's like, can can you come inside? And he's like all fidgety. I don't know if it's drugs or what. Maybe he's nervous, there's a lot going on. Maybe he's worried we're gonna find something. I'm not sure, but he like comes up in the driveway and he's like can you can you come inside for a minute, And Major Jones is like, I'll be in in just a minute, like I'm out here talking to them right now. And then I believe he told him, he was like if you're if you're trying to get in the middle of this when they have permission, like like that's not gonna happen today, you know. And I mean I do remember that. I mean he did come that day, but after phone calls were made threatening phone calls. So we don't have a lot of details about these searches because it's all law enforcements, records and documents that we don't have access to. But I mean, I've met with them in the past and they've told me and confirmed with me that like when the searches were, and so I have all the dates for them, but I'll try and like pull it out of my memory. So I know that we reported Jennifer and Adriana'm missing on Saturday, the twenty seventh. March two thousand and four. And. Sunday. It was either Sunday or Monday after that, after the first officer came to do the welfare check, which they came back and they did a walk through. So this is the first search permissible search air quotes that the Sheriff's Department did, So they are basically doing a quick walk through of the house see if Jennifer Adrian are there, Are there any signs of foul play? Is their literal blood laying on the floor, and can we come through and mind you, this has been three and a half four days since the last time anyone's talked to Jennifer or or seen Jennifer and Adriana. So we're four days after the fact. Now, if there were a puddle of blood, it's gone, you know, if there was a table pushed over, it's set back up now, that sort of thing. So that they run a scent dog at that time around the property, I don't know where. I don't have documentation, sorry, Snory. The a lot of this. I actually talked to the witness be cause I talked to the lady that did the search from not but go ahead, I just want to list. Okay, yep, buddy has some additional info to obviously add. This is just what I've confirmed with law enforcement. So that was the first permissive, permissible search. Whenever they come to do the first walkthrough and they run a scent dog, which that it's like a scent dog is like did they walk off into the woods, did they walk down the road like they're following a scent trail, so it's not looking for a cadaver. Nothing, There was nothing. And of course Jennifer and adrian I lived there, like there're scent is there, So that's very confusing for a dog, like they've walked all over the property. They had to walk to and from the barn that they lived in at the time, you know, So, as far as I know, there was nothing that was found. Then there was another search in So we're jumping a couple of years here, but it was two thousand and six ish. I know that they drained a small pond on the property from a tip that they had gotten. I've also been told by law enforcement they did a grid search and they invited like Tennessee Highway Patrol and there was something like eighty people out there and they were three feet apart and they were probing into the ground and they brought dogs out that day there that search happened. I don't know where that was. I don't know if it was the granddad's property or if it was the Benton property. No idea. Joe Benton is quoted by the local newspaper, The Robertson County Times saying, quote, Kathy expressed her concern that they might be hurt or hiding in the woods. All of our neighbors in name redacted neighborhood let them search end quote. The same article goes on to say that quote, just to be certain, they searched the property a second time three months later, using two dogs from the Tennessee Highway Patrols Special Operations Unit. According to Joe Benton, about twenty deputies accompanied the dogs and the search end quote. When I find curious are the three little words? According to Joe, we have questions. Was the house search the interior of the house search? Recall that when Deputy Campbell went to the Benton residence on the twenty ninth, he was not permitted to go through any of the rooms in the Benton home. He was allowed to go to the back property that party. Barn shed, the same one where Joey and Jennifer and Adriana had once lived in and Jennifer wanted to move back into immediately, but it was locked. We don't have access to these search records, I mean rightfully, so this is an open investigation. But we do have some follow up questions. Whenn't a dog hit on the girls scent if they had been living there? This is the part we're confused about. Perhaps they did hit, but the trail wasn't there to follow because there was no trail outside the immediate perimeter of the home. One particular line doesn't sit right with me, you guys, and I don't know is there something more there in this quote? All right? Quote? Since Wis used the Benton's computer to check her email and their telephone while living with them, The family also turned phone records to the police to see if something or someone could assist them in their search and quote, so let me break it down. My mind immediately goes to wait, wait, don't see what is there? Why don't you check what's not there? There are so many theories about the girls running away, especially by the community and law enforcement at the time, which likely may have contributed to the lack of urgency on their part. Wouldn't there be some sort of indication that she was leaving search history would surely have answers as to her plan. After all, according to the Benton, she was home alone all day at the house until Joey came home from work later that afternoon. She would surely have a lot of time to look up anything on the computer. The absence of these type of searches on the computer would point me in the direction of an endangered adolescent. Over the years, the family has expressed frustration as to why an Amberlert was not a minister to Adriana. They have often wondered What would have been done had the national alert been delivered to everyone. What if the disappearance of the girls was met with extreme diligence within the last forty eight hours. Recall Jennifer and Adriana's last known communication with anybody outside of the Benton's happened per her phone call to her aunt Lisa on March twenty fifth. Now, this is per the phone record. I'm going to play some audio that we have about Joey Benton speaking about the Wicks Girls' disappearance. Now, it's just a few words. And the words are this, just let us know you're okay. Standing in the doorway of his home, his body turned slightly behind the door, his eyes staring blankly forward. He looks caught off guard and not interested in offering any other information. Let's hear it again, just let us know you're okay. I missing both and. I would do anything to know where she was at. Yet not once did he join in a search for the girls. Not one to Jennifer write him a letter with her feelings. After March twenty fifth. Something she was so known to do was write to people through any conflict or big feelings, and she just broke up with a man she was going to start having a baby with, with a man she wanted to marry, And yet she just leaves and disappears and doesn't have any resolution a girl who seeks resolution in any type of conflict. Nothing, No letters to her family. You know. There have been zero sit down interviews with the Bentans with anybody in the news or media. They have declined to comment for numerous news stations over the years, including a recent dateline request in twenty twenty four. Is it against the law to be apathetic? No? Is it against the law to be indifferent? No? But it is suspicious when a young man who loved the little girl so much, he handcarved a wooden rocking horse for her, who helped to take care of her, who loved her mother so much, she asked her to marry him, who loved her so much they're planning to start their own family suit He's never once seen searching for her. I would have liked the chance to sit down face to face with Joey Benton and ask him if, after twenty years, he still hopes. That the girls are all right. Thank you to our episode sponsor Wicked Ever After Podcast by Stephanie Moriam a true crime podcast on YouTube. Make sure you go like and subscribe to my friend Stephanie. Missing in Hushtown was executive produced and written by Me your Host Jules with Anley Audio House LLC. Casey Robinson was co producer. Special thanks to John Thorpe, Patrick Robinson, my parents and Jen Rivera, and to our children. To follow our continued efforts on Justice for Jennifer and Adriana Wicks, you can find us on Facebook at Justice for Jennifer and Adriana Wicks. This page is personally managed by Casey herself and you can find me Jules Hi on Instagram at your host Jules. Notes and updates can be found on our website www dot Missing in Hushtown dot com. Please help us continue to grow by considering leaving a five star review and rating wherever you're listening. If you have a tip for this case, please please call one eight hundred TBI find help us bring the Wis girls home. To donate to this family's continued fight for justice, please visit GoFundMe dot com slash Jennifer and Adriana Wis and to support the podcast and to help us continue this production You may clicks, support the show and the show notes, and donate a wis kiss. Ten percent of all profits from season one of Missing in Hushtown will be given to the Wicks family indefinitely. As always, You're. Wanted, you are loved, and you deserve to be found. Don't you forget it. I'll see you next time. Why. Hello, It is Ryan and I was on a flight the other day playing one of my favorite social spin slock games on chumpacasino dot com. I looked over at the person sitting next to me, and you know what they were doing. They're also playing Chumpa Casino. Everybody's loving having fun with it. Chumpa Casino's home the hundreds of casino style games you can play for free anytime anywhere. So sign up now at chumbucasino dot com to claim you're free. Welcome bonus. It's chumbucasino dot com and live the Chumber Lane. Sponsored by Chumpa Casino. No purchase necessary. VGW Group ford were prohibited by Law eighteen plus. Terms and conditions apply. Black Friday is coming And for the adults in your life who love the coolest toys, well. There's something for them. This year too. Bartisian is the premiere craft cocktail maker that automatically makes more than sixty seasonal and classic cocktails each and under thirty seconds at the push of a button. And right now, Bartisian is having a huge sight wide sale. You can get one hundred dollars off any cocktail maker or cocktail maker bundle when you spend four hundred dollars or more so, if the cocktail lover in your life has been good this year or the right kind of bad, get them Bartisia at the push of a button, make Bark quality Cosmopolitans, Martini's, Manhattan's, and more, all in just thirty seconds, all for a hundred off. Amazing toys aren't just for kids. Get a one hundred off a cocktail maker when you spend four hundred Through Cyber Monday, visit Martesian dot com slash cocktail. That's b A R T E s i a n dot com slash cocktail