20/20: The After Show – The Final Cut
Podcast by ABC News
Episode Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Debra Roberts
Guests: Karen Shiffman (Producer), Dr. Adjoa Smalls-Monte (Emergency Psychiatrist)
Episode Overview
In this After Show companion to the recent 20/20 episode “The Final Cut,” host Debra Roberts and veteran producer Karen Shiffman take listeners behind the scenes of a chilling true crime story: the disappearance and murder of Jolene Cummings, a beloved Florida hairstylist and mother of three. The episode delves into new details uncovered during ABC’s investigation, the stunning double (and triple) lives of her co-worker and killer Kimberly Kessler, and the psychological intrigue around her courtroom antics. Psychiatrist Dr. Adjoa Smalls-Monte joins to discuss the difference between calculated criminality and mental illness, helping unpack one of the most bizarre and haunting cases the 20/20 team has ever covered.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction: The Mystery of Jolene Cummings
- Jolene Cummings: A 34-year-old, “spunky” hairstylist and devoted single mom with dreams of opening her own salon. Vanished on Mother’s Day, 2018—her birthday—without a trace.
- Setting: Small Southern town near the Georgia-Florida border, where the hair salon is a hub of local life and gossip.
- “It is almost like a psychological thriller. There were secrets that reveal double lives, but it's a true story...” – Debra Roberts [00:34]
2. The Investigation: Double Lives and Dead Ends
- Initial Suspects: As per protocol, police focused on Jolene’s ex-husband (Jason Cummings) and ex-boyfriend (Jason G.), both of whom bore physical scratches but were eventually cleared thanks to solid alibis and explanations for their injuries.
- “He’s got solid alibis.” – Karen Shiffman on the ex-husband [06:52]
- Attention Turns to the Workplace:
- Suspicion falls on “Jennifer Seibert,” a mysterious, new coworker at the Tangles salon, who didn’t fit in and aroused Jolene’s suspicions.
- “Jennifer Seibert was just a little strange.” – Debra Roberts [08:44]
3. Clues and Breakthroughs
- Surveillance Footage: Police spot Jolene’s car at a Home Depot, linking camera evidence back to Seibert.
- Blood in the Salon: Investigators discover significant blood evidence, confirming a homicide occurred at Tangles.
- “It lights up... there is just blood everywhere.” – Karen Shiffman [10:33]
- Disposal Evidence: Video captures Seibert discarding garbage bags in the salon dumpster.
4. The Unmasking of Kimberly Kessler
- Major Twist: During interrogation, Seibert reveals her real name is Kimberly Lee Kessler—her given address and identity are fake.
- “She drops a bombshell on you and tells you she's actually not Jennifer Seibert.” – Karen Shiffman [14:11]
- Trail of Aliases: Kessler had 18+ aliases, dozens of addresses, and an extensive history of assumed identities dating back to the 1990s.
- “She had a passport...with Jennifer Seibert, fake real estate license, cosmetology license...” [16:16]
- Source of Aliases: Some aliases reportedly taken from tombstones—anecdote from ex-boyfriend Tom Sims reveals her early experimentation with identity theft.
- “She was going around trying to figure out how to get these names.” [17:45]
5. Pattern of Disturbing Behavior
- Landlord Interview: Kessler caused chaos for a landlord in Minnesota, with bizarre, fearful accusations and erratic behavior. [20:48]
- Trail of Mayhem: Investigative journalists and police uncover a consistent pattern of disruption, deception, and suspicion in every place Kessler lived.
- "She had a trail of chaos and mayhem in her life..." – Debra Roberts [21:52]
6. The Prosecution: No Body, No Problem
- Evidence Without a Body: Despite extensive searches (including landfill sweeps and finding only a blood-stained bin and part of an acrylic fingernail), prosecutors charged Kessler with murder.
- Courtroom Drama:
- Kessler acted out—hunger strikes, throwing feces, erratic courtroom outbursts.
- Legal delays as competency to stand trial was debated; ultimately, she was deemed competent and convicted.
- “They were not prepared for what they were going to find...she’s disruptive in the courtroom. She goes on a hunger strike in the jail.” [23:01–24:06]
7. Psychological Analysis with Dr. Adjoa Smalls-Monte
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Competency vs. Criminal Intent: Dr. Smalls-Monte explains how mental fitness to stand trial is assessed—mental illness must affect a defendant’s ability to understand proceedings or assist in their defense.
- “While people can study them and try to mimic them... with becoming a doctor, with becoming a psychologist, you get to know the nuances of these different behaviors.” – Dr. Smalls-Monte [29:50]
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Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) vs. Calculated Deception:
- Kessler’s pattern of aliases and deception does not align with the clinical presentation of DID, but rather intentional, conscious manipulation for avoidance and disguise.
- “When you're talking about someone that is creating many different aliases, that is something that they are doing intentionally to mislead someone..." – Dr. Smalls-Monte [32:34]
8. The Enduring Impact on the Family
- Jolene's mother, Ann Johnson, remains devoted to keeping her daughter’s memory alive and seeking closure.
- “There is no part of Jolene that she has, except for that little fingernail that they found and she can't even get that.” – Karen Shiffman [34:29]
- The family finds partial closure in Kessler’s conviction, but continues to struggle, particularly because Jolene’s remains have never been found.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “She had clients who called her a ‘hairapist,’ because she loved to talk to them about their lives and help them try to solve their problems.” – Debra Roberts [00:34]
- “If she sensed that something was off, she was going to find out exactly what it was.” – Karen Shiffman [09:00]
- “When I was going through the details...my husband hears me talking about the story, he was so fascinated, because it's rare that you find two women who are at odds in something this horrific.” – Debra Roberts [04:16]
- “She’s got all these insane stories...I mean, and if I’m Wayne Harrington and I’m listening to this—yeah, you would be losing your mind.” – Karen Shiffman [14:11]
- Dr. Smalls-Monte on courtroom behavior: “I've seen many patients that display the behavior that you're describing and have concluded they don't have a mental illness causing them to do this behavior. It can just be them acting out.” [30:17]
- “Prosecutors...were convinced that they could make the case that Kimberly was very suspicious, that Jolene was onto her, that she knew something was happening.” – Debra Roberts [23:01]
Key Timestamps
- 00:34 – Episode theme and introduction to the case
- 03:03 – How producers encountered the story; character of Jolene Cummings
- 06:06 – Early investigation: focus on ex-husband and ex-boyfriend
- 08:44 – Introduction of “Jennifer Seibert” as a suspect
- 10:22 – Discovery of blood and evidence in the salon
- 11:45 – Surveillance footage and break in the case
- 14:11 – Interrogation reveals true identity: Kimberly Kessler
- 17:45 – Backstory: how aliases were crafted
- 22:29 – Investigation into Kessler’s behavioral pattern, evidence
- 23:01–24:06 – Courtroom disruptions and legal strategy
- 27:34 – Interview with Dr. Smalls-Monte: mental health and legal definitions
- 31:31 – Explanation of dissociative identity disorder vs. intentional alias-making
- 34:29 – Aftermath for Jolene’s family, seeking closure
Tone and Style
The hosts balance journalistic rigor with a personal, empathetic tone. The dialogue is conversational, rooted in lived experience documenting the story, and makes room for humor and warmth where possible—especially when discussing the community or family aspects. At the same time, there is honest acknowledgment of tragedy, frustration, and the raw complexities of both the crime and the investigation.
Conclusion
This episode of the 20/20 After Show offers listeners a gripping, human-centered account of one of the show's most twisted true crime sagas. Through exclusive interviews, fresh reporting, and expert commentary, Roberts and Shiffman illuminate not just the monumental investigative hurdles, but also the broader questions of justice, mental health, and resilience in the wake of unimaginable loss.