Lately I've been listening to true crime podcasts and recently heard one about Jodi.  For some reason this case has grabbed my attention. This is like a puzzle with enough pieces to put together some good sized sections but large swaths of pieces that would connect them are missing.  

Now I'm deep in this rabbit hole.  I've watched the video of the “Fade To Black” play, read Beth Bednar’s book, and read through most of the message boards including this one.  I have some questions that I may have missed the answer or there is no answer, and some observations that I'd like to share from a fresh perspective (I almost said “fresh pair of eyes” but if everyone saw my eyeglass prescription you'd laugh at that statement).

It feels odd making my first post on what would have been her 50th birthday.  I almost didn't because I didn't want to appear to be doing this because of an event.  Instead, I decided that this would be an appropriate birthday present to those that knew her - that Jodi, her disappearance, and her memory are not forgotten, and that people who knew little about her can still learn.  And that is where hope for a resolution comes.

No easy way to segue so I'll jump right in.   These are thoughts that have come to mind over the last few weeks. 

First up, the raised toilet seat.  (Pun initially unintended but once I noticed it I had to leave it) I've read the various theories about this and have thoughts on each.

Theory one:  Jodi cleaned it off after throwing up, perhaps from being hung over.  This is the least likely to me for a few reasons. Whatever she used to wipe the seat and the bowl rim - tissue, paper towel, or maybe a dirty bath towel - would have been in the bathroom, either in the trash or the hamper.  The police find something like that, the raised seat would have been dismissed. It's highly likely she would have put the seat back down after cleaning. Putting the seat down would be as instinctive as breathing. This is assuming she was the last person to use the toilet, which brings us to ….

Theory two:  a guy spent the night and used the bathroom after her.  Aside from this, was there any evidence someone else was there?  I know about the beer cans in the sink. Did the sheets contain evidence of a sexual encounter?  If platonic, did the sofa look like an overnight guest slept there? Any fingerprints found? If a man was there, he left before 7:15.  Neighbors would have heard some noise from her apartment prior to the police arriving.

Also, considering her concerns of a stalker and of leaving for work while it was still dark, why didn't the guy walk her to her car?  Or watch her from the apartment, where he could have seen her attacked and gone to help? Even if he slept a little longer and left before the police arrived, he would have seen her car still in the parking lot and her things scattered.  He would've also heard the phone when Amy Kuns called from the station. He might also have turned on the TV to watch the morning news and would have seen Jodi wasn't there. Why didn't he call the police then? And why hasn't he come forward?

Perhaps he was married or involved with someone else.  According to ”Dead Air” Jodi was flirtatious but was not promiscuous.  Getting involved with a married man seems way out of character for her, and it shouldn't take much effort for a reporter to find out if someone was married.  If he was, he may have been more interested in not having to answer uncomfortable questions about being at her apartment than helping her. That's the makings of a real - well, fill in your own derogatory adjective.  Married or not, perhaps he was ashamed that he didn't help. Still, he could have made up for that by coming forward.

Third, at some point during the investigation a policeman used the bathroom.  If this is the case I could really believe corrupt cops are involved. That, or they were extremely sloppy.  

Fourth, the theoretical male guest was involved in her disappearance.  Jodi is described as somewhat naive and perhaps a little too trusting. She may have been romanced by someone connected to a story she was working on and had let her guard down.

(The thought that she slept with said person related to a story to get info occurred to me but I decided zero chance of that.  This seems extremely out of character for her.)

Fifth, one of the abductors went into her apartment looking for something.  Her car key was found bent but where are her apartment and any other keys? Her purse and tote bag were taken.  Maybe she was working on a story that was ruffling some feathers. Someone wanted her and any notes she had, and after she was abducted someone went into her apartment to see if anything was there.  

Only thing about a possible male guest - Monday night she called her friend in MS around 8:00 pm and her husband said she would call back if she got in before 9:30.  If she had a guy over, why did she call her to begin with, and why ask for her to call back? Maybe she needed advice on how to deal with a friend who wants to be more?  Jodi applied at a station in Biloxi; maybe an interview was going to be offered and she wanted a place to stay?

And let's not forget this whole time Monday night she's supposed to be at Cornseed’s apartment watching the birthday party video.   

Ah, the video.  I'll be blunt - I don't believe Jodi was at Cornseed’s apartment the night before she disappeared. “Dead Air” stated that he, Jodi, and others got the video from a friend on Sunday after rain canceled the water skiing, and they watched the video then.  Plus, he changed the time she left more than once.

There was something in “Dead Air” that I don't remember being brought up on message boards but I found curious.  Bednar says Jodi confided in a friend that Cornseed tried to date rape her the night of the birthday party. That's a pretty big charge, even though it involves the most likely suspect, and is only hearsay.  What if Jodi saw something on that video that triggered a memory of something, or someone - could be Cornseed, could be someone else - was caught saying or doing something that made her realize someone isn't the person she thought they were?

Second, another friend, Lanee Good recounts that when she saw Cornseed late in the day on the 27th he said “how could they do this to me?”  It could be that he was grieving and referred to a generic “they”. It could also be that he knows who “they” are, that the original plan (as far as he knew) was to abduct and scare her into silence, but “they” planned to silence her another way.

Why was that day important?  Especially when she was late leaving.  The longer Jodi took to leave, the more likely someone might witness her abduction.  Did she have an appointment to interview someone about Billy Pruin’s death? Was there something else someone wanted to stop her from doing

It's good to see posts on here confirm that JH was looking into Billy Pruin’s death on own time. She may have been more “soft news” and not an investigative reporter, but it would be surprising - and maybe a bit disappointing - if she didn't feel a need to look into her friend's death.

My speculation:  Jodi becomes suspicious of someone that may be responsible for Billy's death.  Somehow Cornseed is involved.  She was getting too close to the truth, possibly close to an even larger story, and unfortunately may have lead to her disappearance.

All my thoughts and prayers to Jodi’s family and friends.