Ex-boyfriend named person of interest in woman's disappearance

Nassau County 34-year-old reported missing after not picking up children

YULEE, Fla. – Nassau County has named the ex-boyfriend a person of interest in the disappearance of a 34-year-old woman reported missing when she didn't pick up her children on Sunday.

Joleen Cummings was last seen leaving her job at Tangles Hair Salon in Yulee at 5 p.m. Saturday. Nassau County deputies say her ex-husband reported her missing after she didn't meet him in Hilliard Sunday to pick up their children for Mother's Day as planned.

Cummings, who is described as being 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, has also used the last name "Jensen" in the past, deputies said. She has blue eyes and blonde hair.

On Tuesday afternoon, Cummings' Ford Expedition was found in the parking lot of a Home Depot, but there was no sign of the woman. Evidence technicians processed the SUV, then it was towed away.

Sheriff Bill Leeper said there were no signs of violence in the recovered SUV or in Cumming's Hilliard home.

"It really made my heart fall to the ground," said Dianna Thompson, Cummings' neighbor who works at a restaurant in Hilliard. "I was hoping that they wouldn't find it without her."

Also on Tuesday, News4Jax learned Cumming's ex-boyfriend, Jason Gee, was arrested on violation of probation of a 2017 drug charge and ordered held without bond.

That ex-boyfriend, Jason Gee, appeared in court on Wednesday morning. Gee is charged with violating a felony probation and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. There was no bond for either of the charges. He'll be back in court next month.

While there are no charges connected to Cummings' disappearance, Leeper said Gee refused to answer any questions about her and demanded a lawyer. Leeper said he is considered a person of interest in the case.

Gee has previous arrests in Duval County for aggravated battery and battery. Two people have taken out domestic violence injunctions against him. 

Leeper said there there is no active search for Cummings at the moment, but that could resume if the Sheriff's Office receives some specific information.

According to the missing persons report, Cummings' ex-husband told deputies that she had taken off before.

Five days before she vanished, deputies said, they were called to her home regarding a domestic violence situation between Cummings and Gee. The missing persons report said Cummings didn't want her ex-boyfriend to stay at her house because there was a warrant out for his arrest, but he ran away before deputies arrived.

"With everything that was going in their house that we heard all the time, with the banging and breaking of things, that put a red flag up for me," Thompson said. 

Anyone with information that could help authorities find Cummings, or who has a means of contacting her, is asked to contact Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Detective Herrington at 904-548-4003.

To remain anonymous and report a crime tip, call the First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477). You can also post tips online at fccrimestoppers.com.


About the Authors:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.