MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #1

[cappuccina]

...LE has interviewd that guy more than once; I beleive he lives on a secluded property bordering the area where the crime occurred. If memory serves me correctly, he made some very bizarre statements/answers to LE's questions. I think they should search his property thoroughly once again, even if they've done it before.

Also, and you and I have discussed this, there is the distinct possibility that whoever murdered Jacob saw him first at the local ice rink. He was a popular kid, a goalie on a local team in his age group...If this idea sounds nuts to anyone, it really isn't. Both my kids play hockey, and there have been instances of people in the rink and even in lockerrooms (!) who have no legit. business being there...

 

[HollywoodBound]

Wasn't there a person of interest who commit suicide after being interviewed regarding jacob? I can't remember for sure. Does anyone know if this person resembled the person who abducted him or saw him at the rink?

 

[Sassygerl]

I have never forgotten Jacob....his picture captured my heart. I pray someday his family (as well as the others of course) get answers as well as find their loved ones.

 

[wondering22]

Jacob's mom, Patty Wettering, won the Democratic nomination to run for Congress in Minnesota's 6th District today, but there aren't any online articles about it yet, so I can't provide a link.

 

[lilsister]

I also felt that the link was lost, her is the posting from the Charley project re his dissapearance:


Jacob Erwin Wetterling

Top Row and Bottom Left and Center: Wetterling, circa 1989;
Bottom Right: Age-progression at age 21 (circa 1999)

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: October 22, 1989 from St. Joseph, Minnesota
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: February 17, 1978
Age: 11 years old
Height and Weight: 5'0, 75 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair, blue eyes. Wetterling's hair was blond when he was a young child. He has moles on his left cheek near his nose, near his right eye and on his neck. He has a scar on his left knee. Wetterling's right wrist was previously fractured; the injury had healed by the time of his disappearance. He wears contact lenses for nearsightedness, which are possibly tinted blue. His nickname is Jake.
Clothing Description: A red St. Cloud Hockey jacket with a large St. Cloud Police Department emblem embroidered on the back, an orange reflective jogging vest, a red t-shirt, a blue mesh jersey, blue sweatpants, white socks and white Nike high-top running shoes with a gray stripe.
​

Details of Disappearance

Wetterling, his brother and a friend rented a videotape from the Tom Thumb convenience store in St. Joseph, Minnesota during the evening hours of October 22, 1989. The group rode their bicycles back toward his home at approximately 9:15 p.m. When they were about a quarter of a mile to half a mile away from Wetterling's house, they were approached by an unidentified Caucasian man who was wearing a mask and dark-colored clothing. He was armed with a shotgun or handgun.

The man ordered all three boys to lie down in a nearby ditch. He asked Jacob's brother's age, then told him to run away and not look back or he would get shot. He did the same with Jacob's friend. After letting the two boys go, the man grabbed Wetterling. The suspect walked towards a wooded area with Wetterling shortly afterwards. Neither of them have been heard from again.

Sketches of Wetterling's abductor are posted below this case summary. The boys described the man as being approximately 40 to 50 years old and 5'8 with a husky build. He had broad shoulders and spoke in a low, raspy voice. A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) psychological profile of the abductor describes him as a Caucasian man, 25 to 35 years old in 1989, who holds a low-skilled job and probably a poor self-esteem stemming from physical deformities such as scars or acne.

Authorities received two possible tips about Wetterling's case during the early stages of the investigation. Witness reported seeing an unidentified man in his fifties sat glaring at customers inside the Tom Thumb convenience store. He was in his fifties, about six feet tall with a large build and receding white hair.

Two months after Wetterling disappeared, an unidentified man molested a twelve-year-old boy in Cold Spring, Minnesota, approximately ten miles from the location of Wetterling's disappearance. The boy had just finished ice skating and was walking home alone when he was pulled into a car and molested. Afterwards he was pushed out. The man instructed the boy to run from the area or risk being shot. The latter suspect's description matched Wetterling's abductor, as did the manner of the crime, but sketches of the two men failed to produce any leads in Wetterling's case.
Around the time Wetterling was abducted, a witness reported seeing a car nearby. That car has always been the focus of the investigation. In February 2004, the car was identified and its owner questioned and cleared of any involvement in Wetterling's kidnapping. Investigators now believe his abductor was on foot rather than in a vehicle.

Rumors floated that Wetterling's father, a chiropractor, was involved in his son's case. Investigators believe that the speculation was created after his father's religion was publicly disclosed. He is Ba'hai, a religion that believes all people are created as one race. Authorities eliminated both of Wetterling's parents as possible suspects early in the investigation. They did consider the possibility that Wetterling's abduction was a hate crime against his father, however. Many officials believe that the abductor may have followed the boys from the store, kidnapping Wetterling afterwards. Wetterling's father believes his son was stalked, possibly for several days, before he was abducted.

In September 2004, authorities investigated whether a Warroad, Minnesota man was actually Wetterling. His co-workers reported to police that he resembled Wetterling's age-progression picture. The man said he was not Wetterling, but refused to confirm this by allowing a DNA test. Eventually investigators got his fingerprints from Arizona, where he had been arrested for a traffic offense. Fingerprints proved that the Warroad man was not Wetterling.

Wetterling's family still lives in the same home they lived in back in 1989, and they have the same phone number. They have received several phone messages from people claiming to be Wetterling, but the calls always turned out to be hoaxes. His case remains unsolved.

Wetterling played hockey, soccer, baseball and football at the time of his disappearance, and he liked to watch those sports on television as well. He also enjoyed playing Nintendo video games and building things, such as model kits. His favorite foods are steak, peanut butter and pizza. Wetterling commonly wears sweatshirts, sweatpants and Nike high-top sneakers. His family members have founded The Jacob Wetterling Foundation, an organization devoted to missing children.

Above Images: Sketches of Wetterling's abductor​

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Stearns County Sheriff's Department
320-259-3700

Source Information
The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
Child Protection Education Of America
America's Most Wanted
Texas Department Of Public Safety
Court TV
The Doe Network
Child Search Ministries
CNN
About.com Crime and Punishment
The Star Tribune
The Jacob Wetterling Foundation
KARE 11
The St. Cloud Times

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004.

Last updated December 28, 2004. Charley Project Home

This addition to the post should be totally attributed to the efforts of Meaghan Goode of the Charley Project ( and her wonderful volunteers)...Thanks, Meaghan!

 

[Trino]

I think there needs to be a splashy story in the Star Tribune or the St. Cloud Times. It's been so long (17 years next October) that people don't remember or have placed Jacob's disappearance on a back burner.

 

[lilsister]

I could not agree with you more Trino! It happened in such a prominent place (I am supposing b/c it was near a store), it would seem that there would be SOMEBODY who could come forward with some info. Also, might it be possible for the two boys (now men) who were with Jacob to now be re-interviewed, possibly under hypnosis to glean any possible clues they might have from day it happened? Just a thought...

 

[lilsister]

Opps, what I failed to add w/ regards to your post Trino and how much sense it makes is that the public needs a "big spashy article" to, like you said, catch the publics attention and perhaps jog the memory of those who may have witnessed something.

 

[cappuccina]

...the other child who had been ice skating...do we know if he was skating at a rink or outside,,,The reason I am asking is that I still firmly believe that Jacob's killer was at the local ice rink stalking him and/or other kids...

OMG, I just answered my own question....In a transcript of a Nancy Grace show that dealt with the Johnia Berry case and the Wetterling case she indicated that the other child was abducted after a hockey practice...

 

[Trino]

I live in MN, and I swear I can't drive the Interstate past St. Joe's without thinking of Jacob. While I know that after the abduction everyone had to get on with their lives , I find it difficult to understand how life can go on as seemingly normal. Maybe instead of posting Jacob's image, the images of the abductor should be posted. And, God bless the Wetterlings, especially Patty, who has done her best to cope. This case frustrates me so much!

The FBI agents - We all know some very dedicated investigators who seek out answers for years. Is there no one like that involved with Jacob's case? How about a reporter?

 

[michelle]

I think of Jacob often, its so sad....I remember hearing John Walsh talk about Adam and saying how the not knowing is enough to kill you....It is horrible, if my son is not within my eye sight I flip out. I cant imagine what these parents go through!!

 

[cappuccina]

...feelings of many who have posted here on this issue...

My "gut" tells me that if they can connect the guy who refused to give info. (referred to as the "neighbor", or the guy whose land was adjacent to the area in question), to either being in the Tom Thumb store, or at the hockey rink, or both, the case will be solved... Someone at the rink, either someone who was an employee at the time, or a parent who was there a lot would be able to tell if someone was "out of place" there...We have reported such to our rink manager, including (and this was scary), a guy who was going into lockerrooms while the kids were in them... There were folks who were able to say that there was a guy at the Tom Thumb store who was "out of place," just hanging out there staring at people...

 

[Trino]

Where did the picture of the abductor come from? I assume it was drawn with a description from the boys, but I thought they ran. I think the boys should submit to hypnosis if they haven't already done so.

 

[lilsister]

I could not agree with you more Trino! It happened in such a prominent place (I am supposing b/c it was near a store), it would seem that there would be SOMEBODY who could come forward with some info. Also, might it be possible for the two boys (now men) who were with Jacob to now be re-interviewed, possibly under hypnosis to glean any possible clues they might have from day it happened? Just a thought...

I couldn't agree w/ you more, I think something could be gleaned by hypnosis.

 

[missacorah]

Its soul destroying to type in Jaobs name here every few months and see nothing new has been discovered. What a tragic waste...

 

[Nocgirl]

This case is probably the most haunting of any missing childrens cases. It happened right in front of his brother and friend and I cannot imagine living with the guilt and fear of not being "selected" by the masked gun man. Those 2 boys must have been just tormented by this their whole lives. How are these 2 young men doing now, does anyone know? The only thing I read was that his brother was in college in colorado a few years ago. Wat a terrible nightmare these kids had to live through.

It also happend in a small town on an isolated road. Was this guy watching them? How did he know the kids would take that route on the way back from the video store? If there is one case that keeps me up at night it is this one.

 

[missacorah]

Yes, the 'selection process' is a very disturbing part of the case. I have been reading the Johnny Gosch thread and there were claims there that paedophiles had almost catalogues of kids to 'choose from' as they had different requirements as to different features certain paedophiles wanted . It was horrible to read this. How dare someone pick and choose your child to do obscene and vulgar things to merely because they fancy doing it? Everyone has sexual fantasies but why do these scum think its okay to carry theirs out?

 

[godzorphan]

I had a whole post lost while retrieving this link. Well, here goes, reluctantly, since there is obviously someone who posts with the idea that ritual crime is nonexistent. I hope they just let it go.

I became involved in the Wetterling case after seeing of his abduction just before Halloween that year, and remarking to a friend that if he was killed in a ritual he would probably be better off than if a sex ring got hold of him; that would be a life sentence in hell. I had already been training on occult crimes for a year, and knew a blond/blue kid disappearing just before a ritual date wasn't good; but also not good because blue eyed kids are known as "high dollar" kids in the sex industry.

In any event, I did a lot of footwork tracking down leads and info on Gosch case related to Franklin (possibly.) Later a friend got an interview given him by an officer on the east side of the country with a woman who claimed to part of a traveling occult group. She claimed they were responsible for Jacob's murder in a ritual. The officer verified the woman's claims that they broke into churches called "St Joseph's" and did night rituals, incl. animal sacrifices, from priests who found evidence of such in their churches. So it peaked my interest to read a previous post about a body being found w/o hands, head etc. matching his descript. Police said footprints didn't match; OK. Poster said it was a cover-up; don't know. But the runner claimed he was disposed of near the river north of where he disappeared...in any event I probably should revisit this and see if I can reconnect with the ofc. & compare info...

But also, having seen a couple of other composites, one of the Wetterling abductor, the next of the abductor of Chuckie Mauk of GA in similar manner, and third of the head of the group that took Gosch according to a boy who claimed he helped the abduction. (we even have a name for that alleged abductor.

I thought it would be of interest to post those three (very poorly copied) composites on my website and see if anyone thinks they look similar. Here's the link:

http://www.gregoryreid.com/id187.htm

I've always felt the two cases (Wetterling/Gosch) could be related. But who knows? One thing is for sure: unlike some others, I have found I can maintain healthy skepticism and STILL not throw out ANYTHING because it sounds too "out there." Even in some cases where we got a lot of crap info, we got some very good intel - intel we would have lost if we dismissed it out of hand because it was too "crazy."

G

 

[godzorphan]

I had a whole post lost while retrieving this link. Well, here goes, reluctantly, since there is obviously someone who posts with the idea that ritual crime is nonexistent. I hope they just let it go.

I became involved in the Wetterling case after seeing of his abduction just before Halloween that year, and remarking to a friend that if he was killed in a ritual he would probably be better off than if a sex ring got hold of him; that would be a life sentence in hell. I had already been training on occult crimes for a year, and knew a blond/blue kid disappearing just before a ritual date wasn't good; but also not good because blue eyed kids are known as "high dollar" kids in the sex industry.

In any event, I did a lot of footwork tracking down leads and info on Gosch case related to Franklin (possibly.) Later a friend got an interview given him by an officer on the east side of the country with a woman who claimed to part of a traveling occult group. She claimed they were responsible for Jacob's murder in a ritual. The officer verified the woman's claims that they broke into churches called "St Joseph's" and did night rituals, incl. animal sacrifices, from priests who found evidence of such in their churches. So it peaked my interest to read a previous post about a body being found w/o hands, head etc. matching his descript. Police said footprints didn't match; OK. Poster said it was a cover-up; don't know. But the runner claimed he was disposed of near the river north of where he disappeared...in any event I probably should revisit this and see if I can reconnect with the ofc. & compare info...

But also, having seen a couple of other composites, one of the Wetterling abductor, the next of the abductor of Chuckie Mauk of GA in similar manner, and third of the head of the group that took Gosch according to a boy who claimed he helped the abduction. (we even have a name for that alleged abductor.

I thought it would be of interest to post those three (very poorly copied) composites on my website and see if anyone thinks they look similar. Here's the link:

http://www.gregoryreid.com/id187.htm

I've always felt the two cases (Wetterling/Gosch) could be related. But who knows? One thing is for sure: unlike some others, I have found I can maintain healthy skepticism and STILL not throw out ANYTHING because it sounds too "out there." Even in some cases where we got a lot of crap info, we got some very good intel - intel we would have lost if we dismissed it out of hand because it was too "crazy."

G

 

[mssheila]

I'm very suprised that I've never heard anything about a witness saying they participated in this (maybe) murder. Can you link more info about this for me to read independently?