She Left Work and Vanished: The Shocking Story of Jennifer Teague

On the night of September 7, 2005, 18-year-old Jennifer Teague finished her evening shift at a Wendy’s in Ottawa, Canada. Like many nights before, she tidied up, closed the restaurant with her coworkers, and prepared for the long walk home. It was just past midnight. The buses had stopped running, so her only option was the familiar mile-long route back to her house. Jennifer wasn’t worried. The streets were mostly well lit, and she had walked them countless times before. But this time would be different. That night, she never made it home.

What began as a missing person case quickly grew into one of Ottawa’s most haunting murder investigations—an ordeal that shook the community, tested investigators, and ultimately revealed a truth no one could have predicted.

Jennifer’s Life Before the Disappearance

Jennifer Teague was born on June 30, 1987. The youngest of three children, she was cherished by her family and watched over by her two older brothers. After her parents divorced, Jennifer and her mother moved in with her grandmother, while her father remained close by and continued to be an active part of her life.

Bright, athletic, and kind-hearted, Jennifer immersed herself in sports from an early age—baseball, soccer, and especially hockey. Her bedroom walls were covered with posters of her favorite players. She also developed a deep love for the environment, joining a group that visited schools to educate children about nature conservation.

By the time she entered high school, Jennifer was balancing academics with part-time jobs, determined to support herself and save money for the future. Though uncertain about her career path, she considered both fashion design and environmental protection. At the start of her senior year in September 2005, she was already counting down to graduation.

Life seemed full of promise. She had just adopted a kitten and was eagerly waiting for her next paycheck to cover the vet bills. No one could have imagined how quickly her world—and her family’s—was about to unravel.

The Night She Disappeared

On the evening of September 7, Jennifer left home for her shift at Wendy’s. After closing around midnight, she set off toward home but made plans to meet two friends at a 24-hour convenience store along the way. The three sat outside for about an hour, chatting and laughing. At 1:30 a.m., Jennifer said goodbye and began the 18-minute walk back to her house.

The following day, her mother noticed something was wrong. Jennifer hadn’t come home, hadn’t gone to school, and hadn’t shown up for her shift. She wasn’t answering her phone either. By that evening, panic had set in. Jennifer’s family contacted police, who immediately launched a search.

The Early Investigation

Detectives first retraced Jennifer’s steps. Her coworkers confirmed she had left with a young man named Mark, who walked with her partway. But when police spoke to him, they noticed fresh scratches on his face. Mark insisted he’d cut himself shaving and agreed to a polygraph test, which showed no signs of deception. Investigators cleared him.

Attention then turned to Jennifer’s ex-boyfriend, but he too passed a lie detector and had a solid alibi.

Another local man, Boris, raised suspicion. He had once asked Jennifer out, and she had turned him down. He was known for troubling behavior and had a restraining order for stalking. The night she vanished, friends reported seeing his car drive past. When questioned, Boris seemed nervous, but he also passed a polygraph test. Police found nothing to link him directly to the crime.

As the days passed, hope of finding Jennifer alive began to fade.

A Break in the Case

Witnesses came forward saying they had heard a piercing scream around 1:30 a.m. near Jennifer’s route home. Unfortunately, no one had seen what happened. Police ramped up their efforts: search dogs, helicopters, door-to-door canvassing, and hundreds of volunteers combing through Ottawa.

Ten days later, on September 18, an off-duty officer walking with his family in a nearby park noticed a foul smell. Following it, he discovered a decomposed body covered with branches. The remains were confirmed to be Jennifer’s, though the cause of death was unclear.

Investigators suspected foul play. They set up a decoy police tent in a different location to protect the real scene from the press, knowing only the killer would know the true spot.

Surveillance footage from the convenience store was released in hopes of identifying anyone who might have seen Jennifer. A vague composite sketch was also circulated after a witness recalled seeing a man near the trail the morning after her disappearance. Leads poured in but went nowhere.

The case stalled.

A Shocking Confession

Nearly a year later, in June 2006, police got an unexpected call from a hospital. A young man had been found naked in the street, screaming, “I killed Jennifer Teague.” His name was Kevin Davis. At the time, he was high on hallucinogenic mushrooms. Once sober, he retracted the statement, claiming he had no memory of saying it.

Still, his name raised red flags. Kevin had lived just steps away from where witnesses reported hearing Jennifer’s scream. In the early days of the investigation, police had knocked on his door, and both he and his mother claimed he’d been home that night. Now, he was saying he’d been at a friend’s house playing video games. The friend, however, had suffered memory loss from an accident and couldn’t confirm the story.

Despite suspicion, there was no physical evidence linking Kevin to the murder. Detectives worried the case might never be solved.

The Truth Finally Comes Out

On June 26, 2006, everything changed. Kevin Davis approached a neighbor and confessed again, asking him to call the police. Moments later, he calmly told an officer the same thing: he had killed Jennifer Teague. This time, investigators made sure there were no drugs or alcohol in his system before recording his statement.

Kevin’s confession was chilling. He admitted he had long harbored hatred toward women, believing they never cared for him. In the days leading up to Jennifer’s abduction, he began driving around at night armed with a knife, rope, and gag, hunting for a victim.

On September 7, 2005, he spotted Jennifer outside the convenience store with her friends. He waited until she left alone, then ambushed her on a dark stretch of road, forcing her into his car at knifepoint. He took her back to his house, where his mother was asleep just one room away. There, he attempted to sexually assault her but failed. Enraged, he strangled her to death.

The next day, he dumped her body in the woods and tried to cover it with branches.

When asked why he confessed, Kevin admitted paranoia had consumed him. He believed police were closing in, even though investigators had no real evidence. Terrified and unable to bear the pressure, he gave himself up.

Justice for Jennifer

Kevin Davis was charged with first-degree murder. At first, he attempted to withdraw his confession, but eventually, in January 2008, he pled guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

In court, Kevin claimed he regretted his actions and would give his life to bring Jennifer back. Jennifer’s father, however, dismissed the words as hollow. To him, Kevin’s supposed remorse was nothing more than an attempt to soften the sentence.

Aftermath

Jennifer’s family endured unimaginable pain. In 2015, her father published a book reflecting on the ordeal and sharing how they managed to keep going. His hope was to help other grieving families find light in the darkest moments.

Jennifer Teague’s story remains a haunting reminder of how quickly lives can be stolen, and how justice sometimes comes in the most unexpected ways—not through forensic breakthroughs or detective work, but through the unraveling conscience of a killer.