Who is Kimberly Kessler?
In 2018, Kimberly Kessler worked at Tangles Hair Salon in Fernandina Beach, Florida, using the alias “Jennifer Sybert” for approximately one month.
Kessler was born on May 9, 1968, in Butler, Pennsylvania but she did not disclose this information to investigators until a few days later.
Joleen Cummings’ Murder
Joleen Cummings, another stylist at the salon, quickly became skeptical of Sybert’s true identity. However, Kessler, a skilled imposter with numerous aliases, was determined not to be exposed by a mere co-worker like Cummings.
Joleen Cummings had gained a devoted following at Tangles Hair Salon thanks to her strong presence on social media. She was a cherished mother of three and had a close relationship with her mother.
She immediately realized that Jennifer Sybert, the new hair stylist, was not quite right. They had a heated disagreement, during which Cummings accused Sybert/Kessler of lying about her identity and threatened to reveal the truth. However, Cummings had greatly underestimated Kessler’s sociopathic tendencies.
The conflict between the two reached its peak at work on Saturday, May 12, 2008, when 34-year-old Cummings had a dangerous altercation with Kessler. Although Cummings was supposed to finish work at 5 p.m., they did not return home and were never seen again.
Cummings disappeared mere hours before her birthday and Mother’s Day. Concerns were raised when she didn’t pick up her three children from her former spouse, leading to her being reported as missing.
The next day, the police had their first unusual encounter with “Jennifer Sybert” when they visited Tangles. The salon owner heard that the police wanted to talk to her because she was the last person to see Cummings before she died. She called Kimberly Kessler while she was going to work.
After arriving at the parking lot, Sybert/Kessler left and decided to take the day off. Later, she sent a text to the owner stating that she was resigning and would be sending back the salon key.
Despite her confusing actions, she proceeded to contact the police and explain that she did not want to be involved in the investigation due to her ex-boyfriend being a stalker and skilled in technology, warning that he would find her if her name was mentioned in any official documentation.
Police received a tip on May 16 that Cummings’ Ford Expedition was left in the parking lot of a Home Depot store in Yulee. Video footage from May 13 at 1:17 a.m. showed an individual wearing black, parking the vehicle, and leaving on foot.
The investigators followed the path recorded by different security cameras. They saw the person buy a bottle of water at a gas station with a credit card before taking a taxi.
The police found Kessler later that day asleep in her car at a rest stop. She had bandages on her face and hands and looked like she was living out of her car. She was arrested for grand theft auto, and officers noticed a large scratch below her left eye. She said she got it when she rode her bike into a tree branch.
Kimberly Kessler claimed she ran away from home after high school. She lived under fake names after dating a bank robber in Arizona. However, research showed that she lived in Pennsylvania until 2004. Then, at age 35, she told her family she was going south to assume a new identity from a tombstone.
Investigation & Conviction
On the night Cummings vanished, surveillance footage showed Kimberly Kessler unsteady on her feet behind Tangles, heaving heavy trash bags into a dumpster. Later, she was seen shopping at Walmart, buying 30-gallon trash bags, an electric carving knife, cleaning gloves, and ammonia.
Returning to the salon, Kessler threw more bulging trash bags into the dumpster. A garbage truck collected the bags, and their contents were never found. Sheriff Bill Leeper knew the electric knife was used for a gruesome deed.
Investigators found fake documents and IDs in Kessler’s car, revealing her false tour across the US. Since 1996, she’d used 18 aliases in 33 cities across 14 states. Cummings’ DNA was on socks, boots, scissors, and blood was found in Kessler’s storage unit, along with one of her fingernails in a bin.
In September 2018, Kimberly Kessler was accused of murdering Cummings and subsequently underwent a hunger strike while in jail, causing their weight to drop to a mere 89 pounds in an attempt to demonstrate their inability to stand trial. Despite appearing in court frail and rambling, the judge ultimately declared Kessler mentally capable.
According to Jacksonville.com, Kessler faced an additional charge of battery for her actions of stripping down, covering herself and the cell walls with feces, and throwing it at guards. During her trial, Kessler’s disruptive behavior and outbursts led to her being moved to a separate room.
