First published on May 14, 2013 / 10:41 PM. In October MR. SCHLEICHER: After you dug the grave with the Bobcat, what did you do? "He thought he was Jacob, he had amnesia and all that and that was, I mean it was hopeful, 'cause that's the only explanation I can really have right now as to why he hasn't come home, you know, other than the worst possible situation. In October 1989, a masked gunman kidnapped Jacob Wetterling in St. Joseph. MR. SCHLEICHER: Can you describe the area, please? Nevertheless, we can confirm that he currently lives in Centennial, Colorado, and has built a happy life surrounded by his loved ones. MR. SCHLEICHER: So there was no penetration? They had gone to a convenience store to rent a video. ''The number of calls has diminished.''. He admitted abducting Wetterling near the boy's home in the central Minnesota community of St. Joseph on Oct. 22, 1989. Some parents here now barely let their children out of their sight. ''I'm sure he's taller now. "The person in the area who probably did this could have taken Jacob's body and hidden it in our gravel pit," Rassier told Patty Wetterling. I walked back. He took the lie detector test, but said he has never been told the results. On September 6th, he made a full confession detailing the kidnap, sexual assault, murder, and disposal of Jacob Wetterling. MINNEAPOLIS - When Patty Wetterling has the chance to talk face to face with the man who abducted and killed her son, she wants to know one thing: Why? MR. SCHLEICHER: And after you pointed out the location of the grave site, you were transported in custody away from the scene and were returned to jail, is that right? They only agreed to talk publicly about their experiences to raise awareness of the sibling survival guide. '', See the article in its original context from. And then after you returned the Bobcat and camouflaged the site, did you walk back home? After an interview with Duane Hart in 1991, who was a convicted sex offender in custody at a Minnesota correctional facility and was a suspect in several of the abduction cases, there was no mention of Heinrich in the files for more than 20 years. Jacob's siblings said friends and teachers often asked how their parents were doing but didn't always ask how the kids were dealing with the trauma of having their brother disappear without a trace. He asked if Aaron could come over. The Wetterlings said Tuesday that police did all they could at the time. Sadly, Jacob Wetterling's siblings are the only ones in the group who still don't know what happened to their loved one who was abducted. So I said, Okay. "That is what I told police from the beginning.". A sign at the local Phillips 66 gasoline station reads, ''Please let Jacob come home.''. Cloud, that direction, but we headed west on that road. "Every one of these victims needs answers. Someone sent a photograph of Jacob's name painted in large letters on the Berlin wall, and enclosed a chunk of the wall for Jacob when he gets home. THE DEFENDANT: I, I, I can't remember. When Trevor Wetterling decided to accompany his brother, Jacob Wetterling, and their friend, Aaron Larson, to a video rental shop in St. Joseph, Minnesota, he had no idea that it would change his life forever. MR. SCHLEICHER: What happened when you pulled the vehicle into the area near the gravel pit? A masked stranger grabbed the 11-year-old as he biked home from a store in St. Joseph on October 22, 1989. ''We don't know yet the probabilities that are involved in child abductions,'' Ms. Cartwright said. THE DEFENDANT: Got back on the road that the boys were on. THE DEFENDANT: I asked -- well, they offered me a tape, and I knocked that down. Feeling frustrated that police didnt go after Heinrich harder doesnt help, Patty Wetterling said. MR. SCHLEICHER: After you confronted the children, what did you ask them to do? For nearly 45 minutes on Monday morning, Danny Heinrichs victims approached the podium in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis and spoke of the sorrow, anguish and pain he inflicted on them. She has won numerous journalism awards, including the Premack Award and the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists' Page One Award. We wanted Jacob to have a family to come home to, she said. ''But it's been so long,'' Mrs. Wetterling said. THE DEFENDANT: I went to that -- when I got to A tree or a bush. MR. SCHLEICHER: All right. MR. SCHLEICHER: After a couple of hours passed, did you return to the gravel pit area where Jacob Wetterling was lying? I -- oh, I should say I didn't return with my car. Jacob has not been seen since. You know, its a commitment, Jerry Wetterling said. Before he read his statement, Jerry Wetterling thanked Heinrich for coming forward and showing authorities where Jacob was buried. My brother is missing,' '' said his mother, Patty Wetterling. We didnt have the same information. I mean it's always going to be there for us. Jacob is 12 now. "I sometimes have dreams about it that I don't really remember," said Trevor. Trevor was surprised to learn that authorities had questioned him shortly after Jacobs disappearance but were forced to let him go for lack of evidence. A neighbor and the boys called 911 at 9:32 p.m. Law enforcement was on the scene in eight minutes. I was the last person who cared about Jacob to see him, to be right next to him, and I just left him. Where might he have taken Jacob if he did? '', A letter from Barbara Bush arrived the other day. Its about taking a childhood away from Jared Scheierl and taking a lifetime away from Jacob Wetterling, Tunheim said. It was a very emotional ceremony with lots of tears and hugs as the video was shown in a packed theater. The Wetterlings developed a close bond with the six other siblings of abduction victims who helped write the book and took part in a video. / CBS Minnesota. We werent going to let that guy take anything more. He couldnt have our marriage. In killing Jacob, Heinrich took away a wonderful human being who cared deeply for family and friends and sports and music and theater and jokes, hugs and kisses, football and piggyback rides, she said. What did you do after you placed him in your vehicle? MR. SCHLEICHER: You indicated that you took out your revolver. What caliber and type was it? The kids didnt have school the next day. We headed not to Main Street, but back to, I don't know, Highway 75, whatever, that runs back to St. Its kind of like giving Jack the Ripper credit for being one of the worst. Heinrich was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on Monday, two months after confessing to abducting, molesting and killing 11-year-old Jacob nearly three decades ago in central Minnesota. ''I don't lose hope, but I haven't lost touch with reality either,'' Mrs. Wetterling said, sitting on the living room couch in the family's brick and cedar house, where outside dozens and dozens of trees are festooned with white ribbons, a symbol of hope. Nearly 25 years later, everyone remembers Wetterling's name. "We want to get this case solved," Rassier said. Just months ago, Rassier found out the deputy he talked to was Bruce Bechtold, who is now the chief deputy for Stearns County. 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Source: Vimbuzz.com Related Posts So, they consulted with the victims family before offering the suspect a deal in which he could plead guilty to a single count of possessing child pornography images in exchange for admitting to Jacobs murder and leading authorities to his body. MR. SCHLEICHER: After you knocked it down, what did you say to them? MR. SCHLEICHER: And secured. MR. SCHLEICHER: On October 22, 1989, did you kidnap, sexually assault and murder Jacob Wetterling? Investigators quickly ruled him out and the investigation took a dramatic turn: Investigators concluded Jacob's kidnapper had been on foot. Please enter valid email address to continue. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He just wanted to go home. Heinrich agreed to the terms and on September 2nd of this year, lead police to where he buried Jacobs body nearly 27 years ago. There is no parole in the federal system. She too is hoping someone will come forward for the Paynesville victims, for Jared and for her son. and Mrs. Wetterling, the heinous acts, the selfishness are unforgivable for what I have taken away from you. I, I loaded it with two rounds. Prior to joining the Pioneer Press in 1998, she worked for the Rochester, Minn., Post-Bulletin and at the St. Joseph, Mo., News-Press. Just the jacket I remember, and I put the bones in that hole and then his jacket on top and covered it up and left. A lot of police activity started coming over the radio, so I decided I would head back to my home town of Paynesville. Trevor Wetterling has been waiting for answers since he saw a stranger take off with his brother, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling, in October 1989. When returning home, the trio was ambushed by Danny Heinrich, who allowed Trevor and Aaron to escape but ended up abducting, sexually abusing, and murdering Jacob in cold blood. She covers Washington County and the St. Croix River Valley, but has also spent time covering the state Capitol. I camouflaged the area with grass and brush. MR. SCHLEICHER: The tape was a videotape? MR. SCHLEICHER: Could you as best you can please describe the route that you took from the point of the, what would have been the Raisser farm, to the point you ended up? "It doesn't go away. We see that you have javascript disabled. 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thats just a fact, Jerry Wetterling said. Was it you? For him, it meant a lot, because nobody was ever going to look at him as a suspect again. To the man who took Jacob, began the letter, which was printed in the Pioneer Press and other newspapers. Amy, their oldest child, was at a sleepover, so the couple asked Jacob if he would mind baby-sitting Trevor, 10, and Carmen, 8. By Dirk Johnson, Special To the New York Times. What --. You planned to hurt someone that night. Do I do more of the same? The couple has six grandchildren, ranging in age from 2 to 12. MR. SCHLEICHER: He knew that you were armed, is that right? If it was him, where did he like to hang out? Amy, the oldest Wetterling child, said, "I think Trevor's come a long way in having to come to terms with what happened and that he didn't, there wasn't anything he could have done to prevent it.". Paynesville is just a few miles from where both boys were abducted. Trevor, Jacob, and Aaron decided to watch a movie together on October 22, 1989. Two years ago, Danny Heinrich confessed to the crimes and led authorities to the location of Wetterling's remains. Im so sorry, he said. Six weeks after Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped, FBI Special Agent Jeff Jamar announced they had knowledge of the other victim. Hes not a big guy, but he impacted a lot of people. Where Jacob went, Trevor followed. A masked stranger grabbed the 11-year-old as When he is in the classroom, he does not want to participate. Mund had created the plaster casts of the tire marks at the scene of Wetterling's abduction. He was also the investigator who, on Oct. 30, 1989, had received an FBI crime lab report connecting the tracks to one of two types of Sears tires. On Jan. 12, 1990, Mund finds that Heinrich's tires resemble the prints left at the scene. For the past nine months, Jared has worked with Baker to try encourage witnesses to come forward. "They had a chopper up with a spotlight on," Rassier said. MR. SCHLEICHER: And you were in custody the entire time, is that correct? MR. SCHLEICHER: This was an area with which you were familiar, is that right? And where specifically in Paynesville did you go? He faces a federal prison sentence of 20 years and a possible civil commitment after that. MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- WCCO-TV has learned that a key piece of evidence in the Jacob Wetterling abduction -- a 911 call -- was never saved. On the way out of St. Joe, I had the scanner on. MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO)-- Nearly 30 years since Jacob Wetterling's abduction, authorities have released most of the files related to the investigation. Jacob Wetterlings younger sister Carmen is afraid of helicopters, cant stand to be alone and struggles to answer the question How many brothers and sisters do you have?, When older sister Amy closes her eyes at night, she sees an innocent young boy, cold and afraid, in those last moments of his life.. THE DEFENDANT: I never dug up anything. Hide Archive footage (1 credit) 2016 In the Dark (Podcast Series documentary) Self - Jacob's Brother. The young man had some physical similarities to Jacob, including a mole on his cheek but hope faded quickly. THE DEFENDANT: I found a spot. I was the coward that left my friend, I was the coward that ran away. For years, the case attracted national attention and dominated headlines. The abduction happened at about 9:15 p.m. Larson and Trevor Wetterling ran the -mile back to the Wetterling home. I noticed three children on their bicycles with a flashlight. He only ended anything now, with his confession, because he was caught, and he only pled guilty because the numbers were good for him. Tamburino added at a trial the fact that the 911 call was not saved would almost certainly lead to questions about what other evidence had not been preserved. He plans to work full time until hes 70. Rassier also told Wetterling where he thought a body could be hidden on his property. WebBackground details that you might want to know about Trevor include: ethnicity is Caucasian, whose political affiliation is unknown; and religious views are listed as Christian. If there is any pain as crushing as the abduction of a child, it is the relentless, numbing anxiety that comes with the uncertainty of each day. It went off. THE DEFENDANT: I didn't drive. Trevor is doing the best he can. According to the court transcript, the proceedings began with the judge asking Heinrich how he was doing, which he responded "All right, your honor." Patty Wetterling said she doesnt know whether she will read it or have someone read it on her behalf. I had him masturbate. MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Few Minnesota crimes are as notorious as the unsolved abduction of Jacob Wetterling. MR. SCHLEICHER: Okay. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. That's correct. ''Keep fighting, shouting and keep on hoping.''. The words that he had spoke to me on that evening haunted me for years, Scheierl said. (credit: Stearns County Sheriff's Office), He described it as very similar to the car in which he was abducted, the boy from Cold Spring does not pick him out, After an interview with Duane Hart in 1991, Hart tells investigators that Heinrich asked him how to get rid of a body, Heinrich is arrested on child pornography charges. He hadn't fallen. He said kids were sometimes cruel, second-guessing how he handled the situation. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The nine siblings said they developed a strong bond as they shared their stories which were included in the book. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. I asked him to undress. MR. SCHLEICHER: Did you see anything else in the area that caught your attention that would have been by the grave site? This family died a death of a thousand cuts, and this man let that happen, year after year. Jacob's father, Jerry Wetterling, a chiropractor, did not return to work for five weeks after his son was taken. Still, he was willing to cooperate with the investigation in any way possible and hoped that his brothers killer would eventually be brought to justice. Wetterling Siblings Reach Out To Other Kids. "I do think there is a strong possibility they could be connected," she said. Please enter valid email address to continue. "We can't change what happened, but we can learn from it," Gudmundson said. She is getting A's, acting in a school play and helping around the house. During an interview at St. Marks Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, the Wetterlings covered a variety of topics, including the death penalty, their relationship and He said a BCA agent told him, "they are saying you were way too nervous, way too upset to be concerned about some wood being stolen.". MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A full transcript has been released of Tuesday's court proceedings where Danny Heinrich confessed to the kidnap and murder of Jacob Wetterling, the sexually assault of Jared Scheirel and child pornography. Im not done yet, but Ive changed. Trevor has moved out of state and sells real estate. THE DEFENDANT: Back to 121 Washburn Avenue, the Plaza Apartments, downtown Paynesville. They cooperated. Thus, they searched the suspects house and arrested him after recovering multiple binders full of child pornography pictures from the property. In the interview, Hart tells investigators that Heinrich asked him how to get rid of a body. He was investigated really strongly back in January of 1990, and we were aware of that investigation, Jerry Wetterling said. Paynesville, before I got to Paynesville, I turned on the sewage pond road. About 100 yards up that road, there is an approach and -- to a field next to a grove of trees. Rassier was 34 years old at the time of the abduction, and he worked as a band teacher at the Rocori School District. MR. SCHLEICHER: Do you know now that the three children involved were Jacob Wetterling, Trevor Wetterling, Aaron Larson? Get into the vehicle.'". It is not normal for your entire identity to be stolen away and to be transformed into being Jacobs brother. . That all changed last August when Jared was contacted by Joy Baker, the author of a detailed blog on the Wetterling case. MR. SCHLEICHER: All right. What do I want? Over the years Jared and Jacob Wetterling's mother have become friends. "I am so grateful to Jared and Joy digging," Patty Wetterling said. MR. SCHLEICHER: What did you do when you took Jacob back to your car? Trevor was only in the fourth grade when Jacob was abducted. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office held a press conference to detail the release of the files. I brought a shovel with me, but it wasn't big enough. There is no more, Your Honor. Read Part 1: New Developments Revealed In Wetterling Abduction Case, First published on May 15, 2014 / 6:45 PM. There is a lot -- you live a town or so away. MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- WCCO-TV has learned that a key piece of evidence in the Jacob Wetterling abduction -- a 911 call -- was never saved. So I figured, I remembered there was a construction company next door. In January 1990, a vehicle belonging to Heinrich had been repossessed and authorities contacted the current owner of the vehicle. THE DEFENDANT: I got into the, into my car, and we drove out of town, out of St. Joe. Join Facebook to connect with Trevor Wetterling and others you may know. The Stearns County Sheriff's Department has cut the number of investigators on the case to 12 from 30. While Hulus Still Missing Morgan mentions the tragedy in passing, it portrays how Trevor was affected by the ordeal. A $50,000 reward has been put up for Jacob's return. MR. SCHLEICHER: Obviously you were arrested sometime after the search warrant was executed at your Annandale residence. Hart's interview provided crucial information about Heinrich. Jacob's older sister, Amy, 14, has been coping with the loss by keeping busy with school and chores, her mother said. Victims from the Paynesville assaults, the boy from Cold Spring, and Aaron Larson and Trevor Wetterling all give similar descriptions of the suspect, which point to descriptions of Heinrich. On the way I said -- Are you taking me home? 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