CMPD investigates ‘vicious’ murder. Woman possibly killed because she was a prostitute
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says an ongoing investigation into the “vicious” murder of a 61-year-old woman has raised public safety concerns, particularly for women who may be targeted due to working as prostitutes.
CMPD Capt. Rob Dance on Friday afternoon said detectives have been working on the case of Jennifer Ann Banner’s death since her body was found Oct. 16 near a strip mall in west Charlotte. To date, Dance said, there’s been no evidence to reveal why anyone would want to kill Banner.
“Shy of finding a motive ... We start to look at an individual’s lifestyle,” Dance said, adding that Banner had previously been known to work as a prostitute.
Public records show Banner’s last arrest on prostitution charges in Charlotte was nearly 27 years ago.
“There was some suggestion that perhaps she could have still been involved in that lifestyle,” Dance said, which has led detectives to investigate whether she was targeted.
The police department has reached out to organizations that help women involved in prostitution or people who may be victims of human trafficking, Dance said. On Friday, CMPD leaders said they were compelled to speak publicly about the details of the unsolved homicide due to the potential danger for sex workers.
“If (Banner) was targeted for that reason, we have an obligation to ... put this information out to the general public,” Dance said. “If they’re engaged in that lifestyle, they could cross paths with this individual.”
Dance stopped short of saying detectives believe a serial killer is targeting prostitutes.
“Anything is possible,” he said. “If it is linked to other cases, we will find out.”
Dance said certain aspects of Banner’s death could not be released publicly. No suspect has been identified and no one has been arrested, he said. It’s not known, Dance said, whether Banner’s killer is in Charlotte or elsewhere.
Detectives are continuing to look at evidence and Dance said he could not specify how Banner was killed because it would compromise the homicide investigation.
“This was a very vicious and brutal murder,” Dance said.
“The violence of it ... I can’t go into detail about the condition of her body ... But it’s the worst I’ve ever seen. I’ve been in law enforcement a long time ... This was a very vicious and brutal murder.”
Charlotte detectives have investigated 104 homicides in 2019. More than half of those cases have been solved or police have made arrests.
Dance said Friday that CMPD is reviewing all unsolved cases in the city as well as reaching out to state and regional authorities in case of any similarities between Banner’s death and others.
The Observer was unable to reach Banner’s family Friday.
Anyone with information about Banner’s death is asked to call Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police at 704-334-1600. A $5,000 reward is offered for information that leads to an arrest. Tips may be submitted anonymously, officials said Friday.
This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 3:49 PM.