MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #4

[cluciano63]

Jacob is on NG's Showpage, so I believe his case will be covered on the America's Missing Show (after her regular show) on Monday Feb. 28th.

 

[concentric]

Jacob is on NG's Showpage, so I believe his case will be covered on the America's Missing Show (after her regular show) on Monday Feb. 28th.

Hope there is some new information that we don't already know about.

 

[shergal]

Hope there is some new information that we don't already know about.

I hope she has all the correct info. ;-) I'm glad Jacob was included on her 50 missing.

 

[shergal]

Jacob's story is on NG right now.

 

[cluciano63]

I am watching and it does not seem as though there will be anything new, sadly.
I had forgotten how violent this abduction was. How horrible.

LE has the same POI they've had for years now...but not finding anything to link him so far, Daniel Rassier.
Did the search just a year ago, he still lives in same place, with his parents, he is now 54.
His parents hung up on NG when they called about this show.

 

[cluciano63]

LE saying some items are still undergoing testing.

 

[shergal]

I thought it was interesting Jane picked up on the perp telling the boys to lie in the ditch, almost proves he was local to even know there was a ditch there. (Because it was so dark out that night.)

 

[cluciano63]

This is kind of odd; Jean has on local LE and a reporter and she is asking the reporter questions about what was found at the search that LE would not talk about.
One thing the reporter had heard about is the newspaper clippings.
I was just surprised that she would ask the reporter that, maybe LE had hung up already.

 

[shergal]

This is kind of odd; Jean has on local LE and a reporter and she is asking the reporter questions about what was found at the search that LE would not talk about.
One thing the reporter had heard about is the newspaper clippings.
I was just surprised that she would ask the reporter that, maybe LE had hung up already.

Sanner said there were some things he could not disclose about their first search of the home back in 1990. DR's journal and his box of newspaper clippings were common knowledge here. DR did several TV interviews and brought them up himself. (When asked why he kept clippings and a journal his reply was "Why wouldn't I?")

 

[shergal]

They covered pretty much of the case, although they didn't mention Jared being abducted and assaulted earlier and that that was where part of the sketches came from. They also never mentioned the guy in the Tom Thumb.

Two things that surprised me; most of the experts on the NG show seemed to feel DR is the correct person to be looking at. The one guy (whose name I didn't catch) talked about how odd DR has been in all his interviews. The other surprise was that Natisha Lance is from MN. ;-) I didn't know that. She talked a bit about how life changed for her growing up after Jacob was taken.

Sheriff Sanner did say they hope to have results on the rest of those items being tested (the cedar chest and umbrella stand) "soon."

Patty is so quiet and humble, I'm glad they had Marc Klaas talk about all the good she has done in child protection laws.

 

[concentric]

This article has been posted before. But I noticed that none of the NG people asked what the "other items" were that were still being tested:

http://kstp.com/news/stories/s1765250.shtml

Sources tell KSTP.com, investigators removed several items from the farm, including a lawn chair, the base of a patio umbrella stand and a cedar chest. The items had been stored in an area above a four stall garage on the Rassier property.

We have also learned investigators seized a box from Daniel Rassier's bedroom containing news clippings and articles about the Jacob Wetterling abduction. That box also contained part of Rassier's journal.

Sources have confirmed to KSTP.com, during this summers two day search, investigators did not have a search warrant for the farm house, but rather just for the outbuildings and property. However, during that first day of the search investigators found enough evidence to go back to a judge and get a warrant for the farm house itself.

This is the third time the Rassier family farm has been searched, the first was immediately after the abduction, the second time was 6 years ago when investigators examined Daniel Rassier's computer.

Sources also confirm part of the reason why the farm was searched again this summer, was because new investigators took on the case and discovered evidence that had not been examined before. Another reason why investigators converged on the farm this summer is because of advances in technology.
---------------------
(I had for some reason down the line thought it was a coat rack that they took, but I guess not, it was an umbrella stand. Sorry for my confusion.)

 

[concentric]

No one has ever been really clear on what kind of black nylon mask the abductor wore. There are also other questions I have regarding the physical description.

Finally found the transcript for the NG Missing show about Jacob:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRI...that would be conspicuous one way or another.

 

[concentric]

Here's another thing that has never been clear to me:
----------------------------------------------------
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1102/28/ng.01.html

CASAREZ: Was this the first time you had searched inside the home?

SANNER: It had been -- the inside of the residence had been looked at very early on in 1989, 1990. But I can`t talk to what extent that that search was conducted.

 

[shergal]

Thanks, concentric. This comment stood out to me: "However, during that first day of the search investigators found enough evidence to go back to a judge and get a warrant for the farm house itself." If they found enough evidence for a search warrant, then how can they later say they really found no evidence?

I was glad to finally hear that it was a dark ski mask too, there have been so many reports that it was a woman's black nylon type mask over his face.

I'm curious why they can't talk about what they discovered during the first search in 89-90.

Here's the video link to the Nancy Grace show for anyone who missed it.
http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/28/jacob-wetterling-nancy-grace-americas-missing/

 

[margaret_diane]

Thanks, concentric. This comment stood out to me: "However, during that first day of the search investigators found enough evidence to go back to a judge and get a warrant for the farm house itself." If they found enough evidence for a search warrant, then how can they later say they really found no evidence?

I was glad to finally hear that it was a dark ski mask too, there have been so many reports that it was a woman's black nylon type mask over his face.

I'm curious why they can't talk about what they discovered during the first search in 89-90.

Here's the video link to the Nancy Grace show for anyone who missed it.
http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/28/jacob-wetterling-nancy-grace-americas-missing/

To my understanding, and based on my recollections from news media last summer... and initial preliminary results of testing.....
-> they found small bones / bone fragments in the ash pile on the first day of the search. They didn't know if these were human or animal.
-> this apparently was what got them the warrant that allowed for the search of the farm house...

If I'm mistaken, I apologize, but I'm 80-90% sure I remember reading that at some point, somewhere. I'll look for a source tomorrow when I'm a little more clear headed and hopefully less exhausted!!

 

[shergal]

To my understanding, and based on my recollections from news media last summer... and initial preliminary results of testing.....
-> they found small bones / bone fragments in the ash pile on the first day of the search. They didn't know if these were human or animal.
-> this apparently was what got them the warrant that allowed for the search of the farm house...

If I'm mistaken, I apologize, but I'm 80-90% sure I remember reading that at some point, somewhere. I'll look for a source tomorrow when I'm a little more clear headed and hopefully less exhausted!!

Thanks, margaret, I vaguely remember that now. I think they found bits of clothing also, because I do remember DR telling LE that they got rid of their own old clothes and stray animals from around the farm in their boiler.

 

[concentric]

I hope the NG Missing program covers the Joshua Guimond case.

Back to Jacob:

I am grateful that this program brings these cases front and center once again, so that it will generate questions in people's minds. For example, perhaps it will jog someone's memory about people in the area around the time Jacob disappeared.

 

[cluciano63]

I think LE has their suspect and is just hoping that whatever has not yet come back from the labs has some DNA or other evidence on it. If not, I don't think they will ever be able to make an arrest in this case. Reminds me of Etan Patz; LE has had their only suspect for decades and can't quite make the move to charge him.

 

[shergal]

An article from our paper today says that the NG show generated 11 new tips. The sheriff's phone number is at the bottom of article (area code is 320). I would encourage anyone who feels they have a tip or theory to call it in so it can be investigated.

CNN show elicits 11 new Wetterling tips

Investigators are going through 11 new tips in the 1989 Jacob Wetterling abduction after the case was featured on a national television program Monday night.

CNN’s “Nancy Grace” featured the 21-year-old case Monday as part of its “50 People in 50 Days” series. Eleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted Oct. 22, 1989, when a masked gunman stopped him, his brother and a friend as they returned home from a St. Joseph store. Wetterling’s brother and friend were released, but the man took Jacob.

The hourlong program revisited the case and looked at its effect on the community. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office phone number was posted throughout the show, asking people with information to call with tips.

Sheriff John Sanner said 11 tips came in and investigators will look into them for potential leads. The investigation is active and ongoing.

This past summer, investigators searched a St. Joseph Township farm near the abduction site. They took six truckloads of dirt and several other items.

In September Sanner said preliminary tests at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension lab did not identify any potential evidence. Other items are still being tested.

Sanner said Tuesday that he doesn’t know how long it will take before more results come in.

Taking the story to the national media is a way to give the case exposure and perhaps generate new information, Sanner said.

A person could have information that they think is insignificant, but could be quite important to the case, Sanner said.

“Let us decide if it fits in the bigger puzzle,” he said.

Anyone with information on the case can call the sheriff’s office at 251-4240.
_________

There are some comments there already also about why a mask would have been worn.

http://www.sctimes.com/article/2011.../1009/CNN-show-elicits-11-new-Wetterling-tips

 

[Jbrown324320]

The news about 11 new tips is encouraging. I really hope it leads to something. In my opinion, DR was not acting alone. He may had contact with some people at the Abbey.