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Kenneka Jenkins

Kenneka Jenkins

Kenneka Jenkins

Kenneka Jenkins

Kenneka Martin is known as Kenneka Jenkins was a resident of Chicago, Illinois. Her death was explored in the MTV docuseries, True Life: Crime.

Personal Life

Jenkins was the daughter of Teresa Martin. She attended Voise Academy High School.

Death

On September 10, 2017, Jenkins was found dead in a walk-in freezer at a Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois where she had gone for a party with friends and had been missing for a day.

She was discovered after an hours long search and was pronounced dead at 12:48 a.m. Sunday morning.

Jenkins left her house in the 2100 block of West Warren Boulevard around 11:30 p.m. Friday September 8, 2017, to attend a party with friends in a hotel room at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont.

Witnesses stated they seen Jenkins at a party on the ninth floor of the hotel.

Teresa Martin said her daughter's friends called her after 4 a.m. Saturday to say they had lost track of Jenkins in the hotel and left after they were unable to find her.

The friends stated they were in the car Teresa had lent her daughter for the night and they had Jenkins' cellphone.

Teresa headed to the hotel at around 5:00 a.m. Saturday to try to find her daughter.

Hotel staff told her they needed a missing persons report from police before they could start reviewing surveillance video of the premises.

Teresa then called the Rosemont Police Department and was told to wait a few hours before filing the report to see if Jenkins turned up.

Investigation Updates

Kenneka walking to the freezer alone

Kenneka walking to the freezer alone

Her death is under investigation by Rosemont police.

Her friends on social media have accused her friend, Monifah Shelton, of setting her up.

An autopsy on September 10, 2017, failed to determine a cause of death for Kenneka, and the medical examiner's office stated it was awaiting toxicology tests and further investigation by police.

Rosemont police have released few details, citing an open investigation.

Teresa Martin stated authorities told her the freezer, though in a vacant part of the hotel complex, was functioning and cold. It’s unclear who found Kenneka’s body, however, or whether there were signs of trauma.

Detectives are looking at video and other social media posts made by Monifah Shelton and Irene Roberts, as they try to piece together exactly what happened at the hotel.

On September 12, 2017, another Facebook Live video initially uploaded by Ty Roland, shows more people at the hotel party Kenneka attended.

On September 13, 2017, police stated that they are conducting an active death investigation and detectives have been in daily contact with Teresa Martin.

They have also interviewed 12 people who were involved in some way and are analyzing video from 47 hotel cameras.

Andrew Holmes, a local community activist also stated that detectives showed him surveillance video that shows Kenneka entering a walk-in freezer alone in a disoriented manner.

On September 15, 2017, authorities released surveillance video of Kenneka walking in a disoriented manner before she was found dead.

[1]

The videos show Kenneka was alone during her final moments alive.

Rosemont police stated that the hotel room used for the party was booked by two people using a stolen identity and a fraudulent credit card.

On September 16, 2017, friends and family of Kenneka marched to the Federal Bureau of Investigation offices in Chicago to demand a federal investigation into her death.

On October 20, 2017, the Rosemont Police Department closed the case of Kenneka Martin's death.

Photos of her body when she was discovered deceased were also released.

True Life: MTV

Kenneka Jenkins' death is explored in the MTV docuseries True Life: Crime, in an episode titled “Tragic Accident or Calculated Murder” which was lead by WGN-AM 720 news anchor Dometi Pongo.

[26]

Funeral

Kenneka's mother announced via Facebook Live that her daughter's funeral is set for Saturday September 30, 2017.

References

[1]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comVideo surveillance showing Kenneka walking in a drunk manner
Sep 15, 2017, 9:44 PM
[2]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comKenneka walking to the freezer alone
Sep 15, 2017, 9:44 PM
[3]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comVideo surveillance walking to a freezer alone
Sep 15, 2017, 9:52 PM
[4]
Citation Linkwashingtonpost.comA woman was found dead in a hotel freezer.Her family says the police haven’t done enough.
Sep 12, 2017, 9:39 AM
[5]
Citation Linkchicagotribune.comInvestigation of woman, 19, found dead in Rosemont hotel freezer turns to viral Facebook video
Sep 12, 2017, 9:40 AM
[6]
Citation Linknbcchicago.comCops Scan Facebook, Talk to Guests After Teen Found Dead in Hotel Freezer
Sep 12, 2017, 9:41 AM
[7]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comFacebook Live video posted by Monifah Shelton
Sep 12, 2017, 9:48 AM
[8]
Citation Linkchicago.suntimes.comKenneka Jenkins’ funeral tentatively set for next weekend
Sep 24, 2017, 3:22 AM
[9]
Citation Linkabc7ny.comFriends, family of woman found dead in hotel freezer demand federal investigation
Sep 18, 2017, 5:36 AM
[10]
Citation Linkfacebook.comKenneka Jenkins on Facebook
Sep 10, 2017, 10:18 PM
[11]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comKenneka Jenkins pictured on Facebook
Sep 10, 2017, 10:19 PM
[12]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comSelfie
Sep 10, 2017, 10:20 PM
[13]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comPictured in March 2016
Sep 10, 2017, 10:21 PM
[14]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comA selfie of Kenneka Jenkins
Sep 10, 2017, 10:23 PM
[15]
Citation Linkabc7chicago.comChicago woman found dead in freezer of Rosemont hotel
Sep 10, 2017, 10:24 PM
[16]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comSmiling
Sep 10, 2017, 10:25 PM
[17]
Citation Linkchicagotribune.comFamily: Chicago teen found dead in Rosemont hotel freezer
Sep 10, 2017, 10:25 PM
[18]
Citation Linkchicagotribune.comChicago teen found dead in Rosemont hotel freezer
Sep 10, 2017, 10:31 PM
[19]
Citation Linkeveripedia-storage.s3.amazonaws.comPictured on Facebook
Sep 10, 2017, 10:35 PM
[20]
Citation Linkabc7chicago.comChicago woman found dead in freezer of Rosemont hotel
Sep 10, 2017, 10:43 PM