Teen slaying case stays open

Web posted Wednesday, December 20, 2000

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 Phone lines

By Greg Rickabaugh
South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN - Could Jessica Carpenter have been killed by a suspect who, like Reinaldo J. Rivera, preyed on young women?

Judy Carpenter, the mother of slain teen Jessica Carpenter, talks to Aiken Public Safety Investigators Ray Scott (center) and Dwayne Courtney. Officials asked for the public's help with the case at a news conference Tuesday. RON COCKERILLE/STAFF

That's one of many new theories Aiken detectives are investigating in the unsolved slaying. And they are asking the public for help.

``What we're trying to figure out is how this person, whoever it is, got to know Jessica,'' said Capt. Tom Galardi with the Aiken Department of Public Safety. ``It could be similar to Rivera. But we don't know how it was done or whatever. Whoever this person is could have been approaching people like Rivera.''

Mr. Rivera is the Aiken County man arrested in connection with the slayings of four young women in the past two years. He allegedly posed as a model scout and photographer, approaching women in parking lots.

But his DNA does not match evidence collected at the Carpenter crime scene.

On Tuesday, Aiken police joined the victim's mother, Judy Carpenter, in issuing a public plea for help. Mrs. Carpenter returned to her Crosland Park home Aug. 4 and found Jessica dead. She was 17.

An autopsy showed the cause of death as internal bleeding and lack of oxygen, though officials are now saying there is a ``sexual component'' to the crime. They will not confirm whether the teen was raped.

During a morning news conference, Aiken investigators released new theories about the teen's death and announced the establishment of a toll-free hot line dedicated solely to the case.

Jessica Carpenter SPECIAL

Aiken police have fresh ideas about where the killer could have met Jessica.

It is known that Jessica had gone with friends to Augusta nightclubs during the summer for ``teen night.'' So police want to talk to anyone who was at an Augusta nightclub who may have run into a man who made them feel uncomfortable.

Jessica worked at Red Lobster restaurant in Aiken as a hostess, and investigators want to talk to anyone who knew of any male acquaintances she met at work, through a friend or at places frequented by teens.

On the day she died, Jessica had been baby-sitting a neighborhood child and dropped off the boy at a sports camp at the University of South Carolina Aiken. Police are examining that connection and want to talk to anyone who saw Jessica on campus that day or spoke with her.

At Tuesday's news conference, Aiken investigators spelled out these theories and other critical areas of the investigation where they need help from the public:

Anyone who has been the victim of rape or sexual assault in the past year, but did not report it to law enforcement. All information will be confidential, and victims will not be required to press charges, police said.

Any female who has had a male make them feel uncomfortable at a nightclub or area frequented by teens this past summer in the Aiken-Augusta area.

The investigation has been a roller-coaster ride that has led detectives across the country, Chief Pete Frommer said.

•Tests fail to tie man to killing  •Judge grants bond to slaying suspect  •Suspect has other charges  •Killer is in jail, informant says  •Police update Carpenter-case sketch  •Teen slaying case stays open  •Reward for killer is offered  •Aiken investigators turn to FBI  •Police show sketch of teen wanted for questioning  •Parents take pride in teen's legacy  •Man on camera sought  •Police create profile of teen-ager's killer  •Teen's death hits close to home  •Community says goodbye to teen  •Police seek motive for teen killing  •Friends mourn 17-year-old's death

``Our investigation has taken us from Charleston to California, from Florida to New York,'' Chief Frommer said. ``We are not leaving any stone unturned. We feel that whoever has done this crime is still in our community. And we also feel that there is somebody out there that has information that can help us.''

Phone lines

The Aiken Department of Public Safety has established phone lines dedicated to gathering information on Jessica Carpenter's death. Anyone with information may call toll-free (866) 599-6788 or (803) 642-7790 and talk to a detective. The phone lines are manned 24 hours a day.

``We feel that whoever has done this crime is still in our community. And we also feel that there is somebody out there that has information that can help us.''- Chief Pete Frommer

Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (803) 279-6895.

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