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Cynthia “Nikki” Glover turned 21 just two days before her mother, Geanna Jones, passed away in November 2000. The mother of six celebrated with her eldest child, but didn’t stay long. It was the last time Nikki saw her mother.
Geanna Jones was 36 when she disappeared without a trace. She hasn’t been seen or heard from for two decades, but Nikki, along with some of her family, has never given up on their search for her or the answers.
“It’s been 20 years and we still don’t have answers,” Nikki told Dateline. “We just want to know what happened to him.”
Nikki and her younger sister, Cortney Jones, spoke to Dateline and described their mother’s story as “a difficult story, a happy ending” before she disappeared.
“It’s no secret that our mother had a difficult life. And that she was on drugs for years, ”Nikki explained. “I remember how it was when I was in college. She struggled. But then she had a complete turnaround.
Geanna had already separated from Nikki’s father by this time, and in 1990 Geanna married her second husband, Wilfred Jones. The couple had three children together, moved into a new home, and Geanna got a job as a system supervisor for SecurityLink.
“I’ve never seen anyone change their life like that… she did a full 180,” Nikki said. Nikki and Cortney told Dateline they had fond memories of trips to the lake, the State Fair, and Disney World.
“She was there for us kids, all of us,” Nikki added. “And she did all of mom’s great things. She cooked for us and came to my track meets. I was really proud of her.
But after spending years rebuilding her life, and just five days before her 37th birthday, Geanna is gone.
“I was in bed when she came over to kiss me goodnight,” her daughter Cortney told Dateline. Cortney was only 10 at the time. “She told me she would see me the next morning. But when I woke up, she wasn’t there.
The sisters told Dateline that their mother often worked overnight at SecurityLink and was usually back by the time they woke up in the morning.
Geanna’s husband told investigators she left their West Jacksonville home for work around 4:30 a.m. on November 5. She did not return that evening, so he reported her missing the next day.
Days later, on November 8, 2000, Geanna’s red Ford Expedition 2000 SUV was discovered abandoned in an apartment complex on the 5100 block of Ricker Road, about a mile from her home. His purse, cell phone and keys were found inside the car.
Detective Glenn Warkentien of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said Dateline bloodstains were found in Geanna’s car. He did not give details of the details as the investigation is still considered active and ongoing.
“However, looking at the evidence available at this time, we believe that there is a high probability that a criminal act is involved in this case,” he added.
Detective Warkentien said the evidence prompted investigators to seek a warrant to search Jones’ home. But before a search warrant could be obtained, the house caught fire, destroying the master bedroom. Wilfred Jones told investigators he fell asleep with a lit cigarette and was woken up by smoke detectors. The four children who lived at the house were at school when the fire broke out.
Detective Warkentien told Dateline that the fire hampered the investigation, which ended shortly after.
Detective Warkentien added that investigators had interviewed and re-interviewed family, friends and associates over the years, but told Dateline in November that there were no suspects in the disappearance of Geanna for the moment.
“For the moment, there are no people of specific interest in the case”, det. Said Warkentien. “We do, however, ask anyone with information that could assist with this investigation to contact us.”
Geanna’s oldest daughter, Nikki, told Dateline that it was the sheriff’s office, not her stepfather, that alerted her to her mother’s disappearance in 2001.
At the time, four of Nikki’s siblings were living at the house, including Cortney. They were placed in the care of various family members before going to foster homes. Nikki told Dateline that she applied for custody of her siblings, but even though she was 21 and had two children, she did not get custody.
“The last 20 years have really taken a toll on our family,” said Nikki. “I keep wondering why we didn’t do enough when Mum first disappeared?”
Det. Warkentien, who has been dealing with the case for two years, told Dateline that the case was “currently on hold, but it was also being reassessed for new information.”
Nikki and Cortney frequently post about their mother on social media, asking for new information, hoping to uncover clues that will explain what happened to them.
“We want to find her… we want justice… and we also just want to tell her story,” Nikki said. “She was passionate about helping others and you could see that in her writing.”
Geanna loved to write. She always wrote in her journal and wrote stories that anyone could read. His daughters still have one of his diaries and often read from it.
Geanna had also been involved in helping others recover from drug addiction as she had done.
“She spent so much time attending meetings that she became a sponsor herself,” Nikki said. “She wanted to help others get their lives back… like people had helped her.”
Nikki and Cortney told Dateline that they never had a funeral for their mother, but instead on her birthday they got together to release balloons.
Geanna Jones would be 57 if she were alive today. Nikki and Cortney told Dateline they were heartbroken that their mother had not seen her six children grow up. Or meet her 13 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
“I’m not angry anymore, I’m just heartbroken,” Cortney said. “I just want answers. And I want our family to finally have peace.
If you have any information on Geanna’s case, please call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at (904) 630-0500 or [email protected]. To remain anonymous and potentially be eligible for a $ 3,000 reward, call First Coast Crime Stoppers at (866) 845-TIPS. [email protected].
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