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

[human]

Do you know if this picture is of the spot where Jacob's footprints ended? If so, I believe that point was about 40 yards up the DR driveway. Kevin has been quoted as saying he just pulled into the driveway far enough to just turn around. If that's the case, then the tracks by the footprints in the photo would not have been Kevin's. All speculation and assumption here, of course.

I have never seen the report that the tracks were 40 yards up the driveway

Do you know where that info is?

 

[kymmcd]

I kind of doubt that any Bahner would confide in a stranger on the internet asking questions about his family, kymmcd, but you can certainly try.

I'm curious why Diane did all these interviews with Seitz and Ben and then just posted it all on you tube. It might be interesting to find out from LE why her tapes were discounted. Maybe they know her better from her days as a bail bondsman? "Stearnstruth" does have posts godlikeproductions which is a very strange website - lots of conspiracy theories, etc. So hopefully you would get better info talking to her personally.

If you do talk to her, ask her who Lou was. ;-)

I will ask her about Lou when I do call her. I haven't tried calling her yet. I kind of got really depressed for a couple days reading some of the found dead threads. I had to take a couple days off and start reading some of the positive threads where people were found safe.

 

[Lotus]

Scroll down to the bottom of the page posted on this link:https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/alt.true-crime/y2fPmzdnsfU

It says:

Jacob Wetterling Case
2/27/2004

An investigator who worked the Jacob Wetterling case 14 and a half years ago is not giving
up on the theory the 11-year-old was taken by someone in a car.

FOX 9 news first reported new investigators are looking at local suspects from the
neighborhood. That happened after the innocent driver of a car spotted in the area that
night finally came forward.

A now-retired detective told FOX 9 on Friday there may have been another car at the scene
and Jacob's footprints appear to have led to the tire tracks of a parked car.


I know this is an old link and I cant find the rest of the article anywhere but I have to wonder if there was another car present that night in DR's driveway besides Kevins?

 

[ELOCsoul]

I have never seen the report that the tracks were 40 yards up the driveway

Do you know where that info is?

I cannot be sure of where the tracks in the photo was taken, but I assume the are photo is of where Jacob dug his toes into the ground, as if to resist. Numerous sources have stated that the footprints end at the 2nd pole in the driveway.

I went by the site today, and that 2nd pole is actually more like 125-150 yards from the road. So if the photo of Jacob's prints are from that point, and you can clearly see tire tracks in that photo - it doesn't make sense that the tracks would belong to Kevin's car. There would be no reason for him to be that far up the driveway. Kevin stated that after talking briefly to the first office on the scene, he just backed out and drove away.

 

[shergal]

I'm not sure where the idea of "Kevin's footprints" came from. I don't think I've ever heard that he even got out of his car. He heard it on his scanner, hopped in his car and drove there, pulled up, saw the bikes, evidently talked to some policeman who has never been heard from since, was told to leave because "we already know about this" or something similar by said cop, and pulled into DR's driveway to back up and turn around to leave.

You're right on Jacob's footprints being further up the driveway, they stop and are ground in deeper where he either tried to get away or was picked up - either to put in a car or to carry. The second light pole is quite a ways up the driveway - there are pictures on here - and it's right before the driveway turns toward Rassier's house. So either Jacob was picked up and carried/dragged into the grass at that point towards the house, or placed into a car that was already further up the driveway.

To me that implies DR's car though, unless he had an accomplice or friend visiting him while his parents were in Europe, because who would drive into that dead end drive in the middle of nowhere, never passing the boys on their bikes, and wait there in hopes some boys would come by after dark?

 

[KeepHopeAlive]

I'm not sure where the idea of "Kevin's footprints" came from...

Where did you read about Kevin's footprints? I haven't seen any mention of this. Maybe I missed something, or misinterpreted someone's comments???

 

[shergal]

Where did you read about Kevin's footprints? I haven't seen any mention of this. Maybe I missed something, or misinterpreted someone's comments???

ELOCsoul mentioned "kevin's footprints" in post #819 above. (orevious page) I was just saying there probably was no such thing.

 

[KeepHopeAlive]

Thank you. I re-read post #819 and I'm interpreting it differently. I think ELOCSoul was talking about Kevin's tire tracks, not his footprints...???

 

[ELOCsoul]

Thank you. I re-read post #819 and I'm interpreting it differently. I think ELOCSoul was talking about Kevin's tire tracks, not his footprints...???

That's correct - I was referring to Kevin's tire tracks. My point was that Kevin most likely turned around at the end of the driveway. The photo of Jacob's prints - I assume that pic is of where Jacob's toes dug into the dirt. If so, that point is about 150 yards up the driveway. In the photo you can see tire tracks, although we can't be sure if those tracks were made by authorities, or by the abductor, or by someone else.

 

[ELOCsoul]

I have a comment regarding the man who was witnessed "leering" at customers at the Tom Thumb on the day of the abduction. The abductor was wearing a mask, used the threat of a gun, and ordered the boys in an authoritative manner. That combination seems to be a calculated, thought out plan - even it were hastily made. To me, that's just not consistent with a creepy guy leering at customers in public. Likewise, the man who reportedly was at the Tom Thumb a couple weeks later, talking about the kidnapping - also not consistent with the abductor's methodical actions.

One more thing - I think it's possible the abductor did not actually have a gun. I've read an interview that Patty Wetterling gave, where she was quoted as the boys seeing a handgun or a rifle. In the dark, and given the panic of the situation - it's understandable they could not tell the difference. It's also quite possible they just saw something "shiny", which may not have been a gun at all.

 

[ELOCsoul]

Thanks, ELOC, I've posted Joy's blog here before, she did a really good job of driving the route and showing the area. If you are there in St. Joe, maybe you could visit with some of the senior citizens and see what rumors they heard at the time? We live 8 miles to the East and have friends who lived out near there back then and it's interesting sometimes to hear the theories they have.

Sure - I was actually just visiting the area for work. I've been through there monthly or so the last 7 years. I hadn't realized until a year or so ago that I was so close to the abduction site, and that piqued my interest. (Not that I'd ever forgetten the case - having kids myself, it's always been in the back of my mind). But you're right, it is interesting hearing the various theories.

 

[ELOCsoul]

Here is a little something that is probably not really significant, but something that I noticed. First, look at the picture below, and note where the 2nd telephone pole is indicated. That's the spot where Jacob's footprints reportedly ended. This photo represents how the poles exist today, and that is in fact the 2nd pole from the road today.

http://saintautumn.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/stjoe2.jpg

Now - look below at this collage of photographs of the crime scene, taken in 1989. Look at the bottom right photo in the collage. In this picture, you can see that there is a telephone post next to DR's driveway, immediately off the road. What this means is the indicating arrow on the above photo was really the 3rd pole from the road back in 1989. (The pic's will enlarge if you click on them by the way.) I've checked, the pole along the driveway next to the road does not exist today.

http://saintautumn.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/of-crime-scene1.jpg

So, I'm curious if Jacob's footprints only go up to what was the 2nd pole in 1989, or if they went up to what is the 2nd pole today?? Again, probably not overly significant - although if it's the latter, it could suggest more strongly that Jacob was abducted on foot.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[KeepHopeAlive]

Here is a little something that is probably not really significant, but something that I noticed. First, look at the picture below, and note where the 2nd telephone pole is indicated. That's the spot where Jacob's footprints reportedly ended. This photo represents how the poles exist today, and that is in fact the 2nd pole from the road today.

http://saintautumn.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/stjoe2.jpg

Now - look below at this collage of photographs of the crime scene, taken in 1989. Look at the bottom right photo in the collage. In this picture, you can see that there is a telephone post next to DR's driveway, immediately off the road. What this means is the indicating arrow on the above photo was really the 3rd pole from the road back in 1989. (The pic's will enlarge if you click on them by the way.) I've checked, the pole along the driveway next to the road does not exist today.

http://saintautumn.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/of-crime-scene1.jpg

So, I'm curious if Jacob's footprints only go up to what was the 2nd pole in 1989, or if they went up to what is the 2nd pole today?? Again, probably not overly significant - although if it's the latter, it could suggest more strongly that Jacob was abducted on foot.

Thanks,
Rob

Interesting observation. Has it ever been stated how far up the driveway (in feet, meters, yards, etc.) the footprints go? I thought there was mention of dogs being used to track his scent, also. Where did the dogs lose the scent?

 

[ELOCsoul]

Interesting observation. Has it ever been stated how far up the driveway (in feet, meters, yards, etc.) the footprints go? I thought there was mention of dogs being used to track his scent, also. Where did the dogs lose the scent?

I've never seen the distance quoted in terms of units of measure, only with reference to the 2nd telephone pole. The dogs lost Jacob's scent where his footprints indicated resistance, and ended. At that point, Jacob was presumably carried, put into a vehicle, or put into something else.

I've always wondered about he abductor's prints as well. Surely if Jacob's prints were found, the abductor must have also left a similar trail? I wish we could have access to more information that authorities have.

 

[KeepHopeAlive]

That is all I've heard/read about the pole, the footprints, and the scent, also.

The only answer that I've heard about the abductor's footprints was that they were covered up by the tire tracks. It still seems odd to me, though.

 

[ELOCsoul]

Once in awhile, a story comes along that reminds us why we keep trying:

http://gma.yahoo.com/man-arrested-1993-missing-fla-girl-case-025202364--abc-news-topstories.html

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Charge-Man-used-missing-boy-s-name-4100939.php

Henry K. Lee
Published 6:48 p.m., Friday, December 7, 2012

<snipped>

Behzad Mofrad, 46, stole the identity of Jacob Wetterling, who was 11 when he was kidnapped in Minnesota in 1989, and used it to establish a bogus identity, FBI Agent Todd Dorman wrote in an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Oakland.

 

[buffetoflies]

Oh, something I noticed about Minnesota is that their list of child molesters is very small. I don't believe they are listening them all. If you look in California, you will see sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many and that is because we list them ALL. We don't have degrees. If you are a molester, you are a molester (they only specify such things as a child 14 or under or a child 15 or 16). There's non of this numbering to do with whether you are likely to re-offend. Obviously psychologists have failed at figuring out if molesters will re-offend (we know this from the files made public from the catholic church rape cases).

The reason why it seems like there are so few is because there are about 30 million more people in California. It would be realistic to say there are 3 million chi mo's in CA, but to say there are 3 million in Minnesota? That's over half the population of 5.3 million!

I do agree that level II offenders should need to register. If you've done it even once that shows your preference is children, and will likely do it again seeing as how the person clearly isn't into relations with anyone their own age.
------------------------------------
http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Charge-Man-used-missing-boy-s-name-4100939.php

Mofrad used Wetterling's name to rent a post office box in Lafayette and to lease a 2013 BMW from an Alameda County car dealership, Dorman wrote.

If you google this guy's name, there is a link that says "California resident Behzad Mofrad, age 39, believed the case was &#8220;cold&#8221; enough that Kevin's name would not be recognized"

He sure isn't the brightest color in the box, is he? Jacob Wetterling is a very uncommon name (might be the only one) and his case was very high profile, and, in my opinion even now if you ask random people they'd be able to tell you the basic circumstances.

 

[SelTel]

RE: May 16, 1996: Search warrants authorities thought were sealed are released to the public. The warrants reveal three potential suspects authorities considered early in the investigation.

Can anyone provide copies of these search warrants or point me to a source who has copies?

RE: May 2004: Media reports surface that link Jacob’s abduction to the abduction and sexual assault of the 12-year-old Cold Spring boy. The boy was taken 10 months before Jacob. The victim comes forward and said he believes links exist.

Did the Cold Spring victim identify or describe specific links? If so, where is this documented?

 

[amber1]

MN has fewer residents than Cali, so it'd be realistic that there aren't as many listed in MN, vs. states like NY, CA or FL.