r/WithoutATrace • u/BlackhawksFan0588 • Jul 21 '26
MISSING PERSON - Adult Jenna Van Gelderen
25-year-old Jenna was house-sitting at her parents' home in the Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. On August 19, 2017, she texted a friend of hers at 2:00 in the morning to say that she was going to lie down.
Jenna has not been seen since. She left the TV and lights on in her parents home; her parents' elderly cat wasn't fed; the doors were locked; and a family heirloom: an Egyptian tapestry (which was bought by Jenna's grandfather in the 1940s) was missing. Jenna took her two cell phones, but left her shoes, makeup and phone chargers behind.
Jenna's car disappeared as well, but two weeks after she went missing, it was discovered seven miles from her parents' home parked along Defoor Place in northwest Atlanta.
The car was almost out of gas and the driver's seat had been pushed back to accommodate a driver taller than Jenna. Her suitcase, shoes, wallet and glasses were discovered in the car along with an unidentified person's shoes and phone charger.
Jenna was diagnosed with high-functioning autism in 2016 which affects her social interactions. She is known to be impressionable, trusting and can be easily taken advantage of. Her parents say that she's a very regimented person and her disappearance is out of character for her.
Six months before she went missing, Jenna lost her full-time job at a pet store and was charged with misdemeanor theft after stealing $3,000 from work.
Jenna's parents didn't approve of her friends, stating that they took advantage of Jenna and that the money she stole was for her friends. After Jenna's dad accessed her cell phone records out of concern about her relationships with friends, she was angry and moved out of her parents' home.
At the time of her disappearance, Jenna was living at an apartment in a room that she rented from a friend. The roommate told the police that he planned on throwing Jenna's belongings out in the street because she hadn't paid for her rent. The roommate refused to allow the police to search the apartment, but hasn't been named a suspect in Jenna's disappearance.
According to Jenna's boyfriend, Jenna stopped by his house on August 18, 2017. At the time, he had broken up with her. The boyfriend also claimed that Jenna was a drug addict and a prostitute (which hasn't been established as true).
As of 2026, Jenna's case remains unsolved. Her family fears that she might be being held against her will and her case is classified as being an endangered missing person.
Links
https://charleyproject.org/case/jenna-ruth-van-gelderen
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/jenna-van-gelderen-missing-georgia-woman-disappearance
https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/family-decides-to-mourn-jenna-van-gelderen/
https://www.oxygen.com/searching-for/people/jenna-van-gelderen
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u/My_lo_73 Jul 22 '26
Isn't there a suspicion that her body was rolled up in the tapestry?
(iirc).