Jeanine Harms' case: A complete timeline of events
Jeanine Harms was a 42-year-old woman from Los Gatos, California, who went missing on Friday, July 27, 2001, after a fun night out with her friends. According to the Charley Project, Jeanine told her friends that she had a date at 7 pm and was just waiting until then.
She went on the date and was never seen again. Over the weekend, her friend Janice Burnham tried getting in touch with Jeanine but didn't hear back, which led her to get worried. Janice also called Jeanine's work phone on Monday but was told that Jeanine hadn't shown up for work. After Jeanine Harms' family and friends tried looking for her, she was reported missing to the local police.
Despite years of police investigation and public appeals, Jeanine is still missing. The local police did have two persons of interest, Alex Wilson and Maurice Nasmeh, as Jeanine was last seen with them. She had been spotted at several local bars, including Rock Bottom Brewery before she went missing.
Police questioned Wilson early on but soon honed in on Nasmeh, believing that he had killed Jeanine and dumped her body somewhere. They had evidence showing that he was the last one to have visited Jeanine at her home and forensic samples that made him the chief suspect in her disappearance and presumed murder.
The case was highlighted on the recent episode of the Crime Junkie Podcast, titled MISSING: Jeanine Harms. The episode summer reads:
"When a freshly single woman goes missing after a fun night out in July 2001, detectives have not one, but two suspicious strangers to talk to – and neither one wants to cooperate. It’s a mystery that’s haunted the Bay area for over 24 years. And an important reminder to BE WEIRD. BE RUDE. STAY ALIVE."
The major events surrounding the Jeanine Harms case
July 27–28, 2001: The disappearance
According to NBC Bay Area news, Jeanine Harms had dinner with friends at Bucca di Beppo's in Campbell, California, on the night of July 27, 2001. She told them that she had a date at 7 pm and planned on staying out late at Court's Lounge before going to Rock Bottom Brewery with a group. The group included a man named Maurice Nasmeh.
Based on police accounts, Harms and Nasmeh had smoked marijuana in the parking lot before she asked him back to her Los Gatos duplex. Nasmeh stated he left her residence between 12:30 and 1 am, claiming that she was nodding off on her couch when he left. Harms was never seen or heard from again after that evening.
July 30, 2001: Missing person report filed
After friends and family grew concerned about Jeanine not returning their calls and missing work, her best friend, Janice Burnham, and the landlord reported her missing. Police responded to her duplex on Chirco Drive and found her vehicle parked outside.
However, her purse, keys, and cell phone were gone. There was no indication of a struggle, but several items Persian rug, sofa cushions, and a slipcover, were missing. Her bed had not been slept in, and her clothing from the night before was missing.
August 2001–2004: Early investigation and a suspect emerges
According to reports, police interviewed over 235 individuals and conducted several search warrants. Maurice Nasmeh emerged as a suspect after his fingerprint was located on Jeanine Harms's vehicle. He did not report seeing her after she went missing.
Neighbors had seen a man who resembled Nasmeh driving away from the neighborhood in an SUV after hearing a loud noise about midnight. The police searched Nasmeh's house and vehicle, gathering evidence such as DNA samples.
December 2004: Maurice Nasmeh arrested
As per the reports, following a three-and-a-half-year investigation, police arrested Maurice Nasmeh in December 2004. The arrest followed the discovery of a Persian-style rug, the type that had been stolen from Harms's apartment, in a dumpster outside Nasmeh's residence.
Forensic examination identified fibers from the rug as connecting to both Jeanine Harms's apartment and Nasmeh's car. As reported by ABC News, Nasmeh was arrested on a charge of murder and detained in jail for over two years.
2007: Legal Setbacks and Release of Nasmeh
As per the reports, concerns over the validity of forensic evidence and delays in analyzing it resulted in legal challenges. The case for the prosecution fell apart when a crime lab technician couldn't pass proficiency tests.
Nasmeh had invoked his right to a speedy trial, but the evidence wasn't prepared in time. The judge dropped the case in 2007, and Nasmeh was released from custody. Prosecutors said they would refile the charges if new evidence came forward.
2011: Murder-suicide and case closure
According to ABC News, on January 15, 2011, Jeanine's brother, Wayne Sanchez, attacked Maurice Nasmeh at a San Jose mall. Sanchez blamed Nasmeh for murdering his sister and then shot him before shooting himself. Both men were killed on the scene.
In August 2011, after additional forensic testing, the Santa Clara County District Attorney formally identified Nasmeh as being behind Jeanine Harms's disappearance and murder. The case was closed, but Jeanine's body was never discovered.
The Jeanine Harms case timeline ranges from July 2001, when she disappeared, to the official case closure in 2011. The case was featured on the latest episode of the Crime Junkie Podcast, titled MISSING: Jeanine Harms, bringing renewed attention to the mystery.
