Investigative Gaps – What Remains Unanswered and Why That Matters

Yarely Alvarez

Professor Palenque

English 101

24 June 2025

Investigative Gaps – What Remains Unanswered and Why That Matters

Blog Post 4: The Kenneka Jenkins Case

Nearly eight years after 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins was found dead in a hotel freezer, important questions about her death still don't have clear answers. While officials ruled her death accidental, several investigative gaps continue to fuel public concern and calls for reinvestigation.

Key Unanswered Questions

The most troubling gap involves the surveillance footage. The video clips released do not show Jenkins entering the walk-in freezer where her body was found (Fox13Memphis). This missing piece of evidence means we still don't know exactly how she got inside the freezer that killed her. The motion-activated camera in the kitchen area had not recorded anyone since August 30, 2017, until Jenkins' body was discovered (Chicago Tribune).

Another major gap concerns the inconsistent witness statements. Police interviewed twelve people connected to the case, but their accounts of what happened that night don't match up (Chicago Tribune). The police documents show people with Jenkins on the night of her death told officers different stories about what happened after her friends left her in a hallway. This makes it hard to understand the timeline of events leading to Jenkins' death.

The investigation also raises questions about why certain evidence wasn't fully examined. Martin at least twice declined a police request to have her daughter's cellphone analyzed (Chicago Tribune). While Jenkins' mother checked the phone herself, experts could have provided more thorough analysis that might have revealed important information about her final hours.

New Developments in 2024-2025

Recent online activity shows the case remains far from closed in the public eye. New video footage from the night of her disappearance has been uncovered, sparking renewed interest in her case and witnesses who were present at the party have come forward with additional information (Smartwarehousing, Leagravemotcentre). However, it's unclear whether this new evidence has been formally reviewed by investigators.

A concerning recent development involves one of Jenkins' friends from that night. In June 2025, Zahrie Walls, a close friend of Jenkins who was present on the night of her disappearance, died after falling from a yacht in Lake Michigan (Atlanta Black Star). This death removes another potential witness who might have provided clarity about the events.

Sources

Atlanta Black Star. "Chicago Hairstylist Zahrie Walls Drowns In Lake Michigan Nearly a Decade After Best Friend Kenneka Jenkins Was Found Dead In Hotel Freezer." 23 June 2025, atlantablackstar.com/2025/06/23/chicago-hairstylist-drowns-in-lake-michigan-nearly-a-decade-after-best-friend-was-found-dead-in-hotel-freezer/.

Chicago Tribune. "Police Reports Offer New Details on Investigation into Kenneka Jenkins' Death." 13 Oct. 2017, www.chicagotribune.com/2017/10/13/police-reports-offer-new-details-on-investigation-into-kenneka-jenkins-death/.

Fox13Memphis. "7 Things to Know About Kenneka Jenkins, Whose Body Was Found in a Hotel Freezer." 24 Nov. 2019, www.fox13memphis.com/news/trending/7-things-to-know-about-kenneka-jenkins-whose-body-was-found-in-a-hotel-freezer/article_df39e780-4ce6-5a21-a28f-41f8f158540f.html.













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