Kodee Kennings - Exposure

Exposure

The hoax unraveled when Reynolds claimed in August 2005 that Kennings had died in Iraq. This news was published in the Egyptian, leading reporters from the Tribune to seek an interview with "Hastings." These reporters became suspicious when Reynolds routed interview requests through Brenner, who had become a close friend of hers.

Reynolds and Hadley (as "Hastings" and "Kodee"), along with members of the Egyptian staff, attended a memorial service arranged at the local American Legion outpost. After openly weeping at the service, Reynolds and Hadley met with Tribune reporters briefly at a restaurant, where they were told that media liaisons at The Pentagon were unable to confirm the existence of Kennings. Reynolds refused to provide any proof of Kennings' existence. Days later, reporters located her at her mother's home in Marion, Illinois, where she admitted to participating in the hoax.

Reynolds claims that Brenner orchestrated the hoax, while Brenner says he was duped by Reynolds. After numerous articles in the Chicago Tribune, the Associated Press, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Daily Egyptian itself, it appeared no crime was committed. The parents of Hadley were particularly upset, however and considered a restraining order against Reynolds.

Subsequent attempts to contact Reynolds after news of her hoax broke were unsuccessful. Reynolds went so far as to change the identity of her cell-phone voicemail from the fictional "Colleen Hastings" to "Blank Blank."