A Bit Too Real: Woman Tries to Kidnap Ex-Virtual Boyfriend

In Claymont, Delaware, police are dealing with a virtual relationship turned violently real. Police have issued a warrant for Kimberly Jernigan, 33, of North Carolina who tried to kidnap her former virtual boyfriend — a 52-year-old from Delaware.

The two met online in “Second Life,” which allows for such virtual relationships to flourish. The victim adopted the character of a Lion and Jerrigan adopted a virtual woman image — making this not just virtual but a bit bestial — but I digress.

The Lion and the virtual woman decided to meet in reality a few months ago and the Lion appears to have decided that the reality was, well, too real. He broke off the relationship and Jerrigan allegedly went off the deep end. In August, she allegedly drove to the Lion’s workplace in Pennsylvania in a kidnap attempt. He had moved to Delaware so that started her own man (or Lion) hunt.

She got his new address by posing as a postal employee and then took her dog Gogi to bust into his home. When he opened the door, he saw a weapon with a laser sight pointing at him. He ran as did she. In the Lion’s house, police found a pair of handcuffs, a roll of duct tape a Taser and a BB gun as well as a distraught Gogi. Gogi had been bound by Jerrigan in the Lion’s bathroom with duct tape — presumably to keep him quiet so not to warn the Lion. She was arrested later along a highway.

She is currently facing charges of attempted kidnapping, burglary and aggravated menacing.

For the full story, click here

4 Responses to “A Bit Too Real: Woman Tries to Kidnap Ex-Virtual Boyfriend”


  1. 1 Cro Magnum Man 1, August 23, 2008 at 2:11 pm

    This is a very confusing story.

    Why exactly was she planning on kidnapping this guy? What was the plan once she got him?

    And why did she duct tape her own dogs mouth, and in who’s bathroom did she leave it?

    It’s a confusing story.

    I’m confused.

  2. 2 jonathanturley 1, August 23, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    A confused cro magnum — a dangerous thought. It was the Lion’s bathroom and she taped the dog to quiet him so that he would not warn the Lion upon its return to his den. As for her intentions, I am at a loss there. However, I doubt that there was a virtual element to it.

    JT

  3. 3 Susan 1, August 23, 2008 at 4:56 pm

    Thanks for the clarification, JT; Cro Magnum wasn’t the only one confused by this bizarre story. :-)

  4. 4 Cro Magnum Man 1, August 23, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    A confused cro magnum — a dangerous thought.

    lol, not really JT.

    The magnums not the gun kind…. it’s the other kind.
    :D

    The kind most likely she would have failed to enforce usage of.. given her modus operandi.


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