MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #10

[ELOCsoul]

I ADDED IN THE CORRECTION. <modsnip>

Yeah I almost didn't catch that note of correction. Honest mistake, no harm. Weren't you able to actually editable the post itself?? That's usually the best way.

 

[ThePhantom]

Wow. I just went back and re-examined posts from several years ago -- and it is impressive how thoroughly this case has been vetted by Websleuths.

1986-87 five boys were attacked in a location less than an hour away from where Jacob was taken.

There were two witnesses to Jacob's abduction in 1989 (albeit not under the best of circumstances to make an ID); early 1989 I think Jared saw the perp's face and cops were able to get DNA (no match to DR?); 13 years later and less than ten minutes away Joshua Guimond disappears (someone saw a jogger in the vicinity?).

Two disappearances and six attacks (did I miss some) in a fairly small geographic location. What are we missing? Do you think it's two different predators?

This has already been hashed and re-hashed but -- did Jared say the perp didn't look like DR? I think he got a pretty good look at the guy.

Finally, in my random musings for the night -- is it true that Vernon Seitz had a video of Jacob prior to his abduction? Thanks for your insights and info.

 

[Sasquatch321]

Wow. I just went back and re-examined posts from several years ago -- and it is impressive how thoroughly this case has been vetted by Websleuths.

1986-87 five boys were attacked in a location less than an hour away from where Jacob was taken.

There were two witnesses to Jacob's abduction in 1989 (albeit not under the best of circumstances to make an ID); early 1989 I think Jared saw the perp's face and cops were able to get DNA (no match to DR?); 13 years later and less than ten minutes away Joshua Guimond disappears (someone saw a jogger in the vicinity?).

Two disappearances and six attacks (did I miss some) in a fairly small geographic location. What are we missing? Do you think it's two different predators?

This has already been hashed and re-hashed but -- did Jared say the perp didn't look like DR? I think he got a pretty good look at the guy.

Finally, in my random musings for the night -- is it true that Vernon Seitz had a video of Jacob prior to his abduction? Thanks for your insights and info.

http://www.findjoshua.com/info/2010/07/03/wetterling-suspect-dan-rassier/

On April 28, 2003 — five months after Josh’s disappearance — the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department released information that it “received a call from an individual stating that they were driving off campus, just after midnight, on the night Joshua Guimond disappeared and that they saw someone jogging towards campus on County Road 159 wearing bright colored jogging clothing.”

Coincidentally, Wetterling suspect Dan Rassier is an avid road runner and one of his routes passes through the St. John’s campus (from the Rassier farm through St. Joseph on Co Hwy 2 to St. John’s University along Co Rd 51 and back to St. Joseph past the Abbey Church, St. John’s Prep School, the I-94 footbridge, and Hwy 75).

In a further coincidence, Josh played the euphonium and did some tutoring in brass instruments, which happens to be Rassier’s teaching specialty. It’s important that law enforcement authorities account for Rassier’s whereabouts on the night of Josh’s disappearance. If he is cleared in the Guimond investigation, it’s arguably less likely that he had any involvement in Jacob’s kidnapping.

 

[ThePhantom]

Thanks, Sasquatch -- that is discomfiting. What are your thoughts about a small "club" of pedophiles operating out of this area - sharing info/targets/pictures --- did you say the police took DR's computer

 

[Sasquatch321]

Thanks, Sasquatch -- that is discomfiting. What are your thoughts about a small "club" of pedophiles operating out of this area - sharing info/targets/pictures --- did you say the police took DR's computer

Not sure about the club of pedophiles, any evidence to back that up? DR's computer was seized in the second search of his farm.

 

[ThePhantom]

No, no evidence -- only speculation, because I'm trying to determine whether there was one person committing all the attacks in this area, or several.

 

[Trino]

http://www.findjoshua.com/info/2010/07/03/wetterling-suspect-dan-rassier/

On April 28, 2003 &#8212; five months after Josh&#8217;s disappearance &#8212; the Stearns County Sheriff&#8217;s Department released information that it &#8220;received a call from an individual stating that they were driving off campus, just after midnight, on the night Joshua Guimond disappeared and that they saw someone jogging towards campus on County Road 159 wearing bright colored jogging clothing.&#8221;

Coincidentally, Wetterling suspect Dan Rassier is an avid road runner and one of his routes passes through the St. John&#8217;s campus (from the Rassier farm through St. Joseph on Co Hwy 2 to St. John&#8217;s University along Co Rd 51 and back to St. Joseph past the Abbey Church, St. John&#8217;s Prep School, the I-94 footbridge, and Hwy 75).

In a further coincidence, Josh played the euphonium and did some tutoring in brass instruments, which happens to be Rassier&#8217;s teaching specialty. It&#8217;s important that law enforcement authorities account for Rassier&#8217;s whereabouts on the night of Josh&#8217;s disappearance. If he is cleared in the Guimond investigation, it&#8217;s arguably less likely that he had any involvement in Jacob&#8217;s kidnapping.

LE is not composed of dumb individuals. Do you not suppose that since a jogger was reported, that LE did, indeed, account for DR's whereabouts?

 

[Trackergd]

The crime scene being contaminated is pure speculation. LE, The media itself, and the Wetterlings are nowhere on record ever suggesting such. I think some of you are suggesting that LE somehow removed an unknown vehicles tire tracks from the driveway completely, which I would find hard to believe. Footprints and tire tracks were recovered from the scene.

RBBM I am going to respectfully disagree with you, and I don't do that lightly. I think there is enough evidence with the pictures I have seen to lean heavily towards a contaminated scene. Of the hundreds of missing person scenes I have been called to, I would would make an educated guess that 75% of them were contaminated by the time I arrived. This seems no different.

 

[KeepHopeAlive]

Respectfully snipped by me:

is it true that Vernon Seitz had a video of Jacob prior to his abduction? Thanks for your insights and info.

I was under the impression that the video Seitz had was of Jacob prior to the abduction, but he most likely obtained if after the abduction (recording it from the news or specials on Jacob, etc.). If he had video of Jacob that was never released by the media or the Wetterlings, I would think he would be very high up on the suspect list. Is this an accurate assumption?

 

[FindTim]

No search warrant was issued in 1989 for the DR property and homestead. One was issued in 2010, but not 1989. A search warrant would have been needed to search inside the Rassier house. The lack of a search warrant is more than enough proof to show that LE DID NOT search inside the Rassier home and farm after the abduction in 1989.

Now, where is the proof that DR has continually changed his story? If one is going to accuse the only named POI in this case, than the onus is on that person to show inconsistencies in what was reported. Newspaper quote's don't cut it. Audio or visually unedited proof does.

Likewise, do you have footage of LE on the night of the abduction to show they did not search DR's "homestead"?

 

[human]

Respectfully snipped by me:



I was under the impression that the video Seitz had was of Jacob prior to the abduction, but he most likely obtained if after the abduction (recording it from the news or specials on Jacob, etc.). If he had video of Jacob that was never released by the media or the Wetterlings, I would think he would be very high up on the suspect list. Is this an accurate assumption?

That makes perfect sense.

He lived in West Allis. I don't know what the highway was like then because they are aleays working on those highways. The trip is several hours and lots of fun.NOT!

It is a route of huge semis going from MPLs to Chicago. Ugh ugh ygh

 

[ELOCsoul]

Respectfully snipped by me:



I was under the impression that the video Seitz had was of Jacob prior to the abduction, but he most likely obtained if after the abduction (recording it from the news or specials on Jacob, etc.). If he had video of Jacob that was never released by the media or the Wetterlings, I would think he would be very high up on the suspect list. Is this an accurate assumption?

I believe what you've stated is accurate. There was a lot of hoopla over Seitz when his name surfaced. He was briefly a break in the of Michael Dunahee who was abducted in 1993 in Canada. IMO Seitz was thoroughly checked out and cleared.

 

[human]

Respectfully snipped by me:



I was under the impression that the video Seitz had was of Jacob prior to the abduction, but he most likely obtained if after the abduction (recording it from the news or specials on Jacob, etc.). If he had video of Jacob that was never released by the media or the Wetterlings, I would think he would be very high up on the suspect list. Is this an accurate assumption?

That makes perfect sense.

He lived in West Allis. I don't know what the highway was like then because they are always working on those highways. The trip is several hours and lots of fun.NOT!

It is a route of huge semis going from MPLs to Chicago. Ugh ugh ugh

If you do a map quest, it says the driving distance is 403 miles and 6 hours of driving.

Good luck with that. Road construction seems a permanent feature of those highways

 

[ELOCsoul]

No search warrant was issued in 1989 for the DR property and homestead. One was issued in 2010, but not 1989. A search warrant would have been needed to search inside the Rassier house. I the lack of a search warrant is more than enough proof to show that LE DID NOT search inside the Rassier home and farm.

Now, where is the proof that DR has continually changed his story? If one is going to accuse the only named POI in this case, than the onus is on that person to show inconsistencies in what was reported. Newspaper quote's don't cut it. Audio or visually unedited proof does.

How do you know there were no search warrants executed in 1989? It's documented in newspapers there were as many as 18 warrants served prior to the 2010 search. We only have information on about 5 or so of them. There is no reason to believe one or more of those were not served on the Rassier farm.

Regarding the changing of the story, that's not something that's ever been publicly documented. The operative words here are "publicly documented." But, based on unofficial information, if I were a betting man I would put my money on it that he changed his story.

 

[FindTim]

Easiest question I've ever answered on here. Because Dan has said there wasn't a warrant executed.

How do you know there were no search warrants executed in 1989? It's documented in newspapers there were as many as 18 warrants served prior to the 2010 search. We only have information on about 5 or so of them. There is no reason to believe one or more of those were not served on the Rassier farm.

Regarding the changing of the story, that's not something that's ever been publicly documented. The operative words here are "publicly documented." But, based on unofficial information, if I were a betting man I would put my money on it that he changed his story.

 

[FindTim]

Unofficial information is here-say and speculative. Dan has adamantly stated his story has not changed, and didn't change it after the revelations from Kevin.

But, based on unofficial information, if I were a betting man I would put my money on it that he changed his story.

 

[ELOCsoul]

IMO, thanking a post is not necessarily an endorsement of the content of the post, but more a respectful acknowledgment of the poster`s information or opinion.

I think the credibility of a blog reference is not with the blogger necessarily, but more with the source of the blogger`s information. In this case, information from the POI has to be filtered out with measured skepticism because their comments are naturally self serving.

 

[human]

Here is info on changing stories, but it is from newspaper accounts.

Since I am not LE, I don't have access to official reports, so what can we do?

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?4443-MN-Jacob-Wetterling-11-St-Joseph-22-Oct-1989-1

 

[human]

Unofficial information is here-say and speculative. Dan has adamantly stated his story has not changed, and didn't change it after the revelations from Kevin.

Where are the official Dan statements?

 

[FindTim]

I've never heard this account before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urvlRG2Ffss