MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #5

[KeepHopeAlive]

Near the 1 year anniversary of Jacob's abduction - there was an article featuring Patty - she said this particular call really haunted her. This was the 7th such call from someone claiming to be Jacob, but the first 6 were hoaxes. This one had more substance. But you're right - the only way it really could have been Jacob is if he had picked up a flyer somewhere else and kept it (or remembered the # to call) until the opportunity to call arose.

If the caller was Jacob, it would not surprise me if he had seen his own poster (maybe even multiple times) and possibly a number to call, even if the poster wasn't at that particular location. His picture was everywhere.

 

[human]

So a man let him call, no problem?

 

[thenotebook]

I came across this link yesterday for the Unsolved Mysteries television show. It mentions that Jacob's case was never featured on the show, which is so strange! This case seems to be right up their alley?!?

"The case was requested by the Wetterling family to be on Unsolved Mysteries, but it was denied. It is profiled [on this website] because of its connection to several other disappearances on the show."

http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Jacob_Wetterling

 

[human]

I came across this link yesterday for the Unsolved Mysteries television show. It mentions that Jacob's case was never featured on the show, which is so strange! This case seems to be right up their alley?!?

"The case was requested by the Wetterling family to be on Unsolved Mysteries, but it was denied. It is profiled [on this website] because of its connection to several other disappearances on the show."

http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Jacob_Wetterling

What cases? I think the reference is to the Jared situation. That was the case denied?

I do not understand what they are talking about re links to other cases????

 

[Trackergd]

OK, back on the research trail after a brief hiatus...

At 5pm on Friday August 3, 1990 - a boy called the Stearns County Crimestoppers hotline claiming that he was Jacob, and was calling from a payphone in Forrest, Illinois. He asked for help but hung up quickly, saying he had to go.

The boy said he was calling from near a park, but authorities were working with the phone company and speculated the call came from the intersection of Hwy 47 and 24 in Forrest.

LE placed a story about Jacob in the local newspaper, along with his picture. A woman who works at a convenience store called and said she saw a boy making a phone call from a pay phone across from the convenience store. She said she then saw a man put the boy in a red station wagon and drive away.

The lead dried up after no one else came forward.

Source - 8/09/90 & 8/10/90 St Cloud Times

While there is a modern convenience store on one corner, there is an older building on one other corner that appears to be an enlarged old style filling/service station and may have been in service at the time. "park" may refer to something near where he has been held by the man.

 

[Trackergd]

Looks like there might be a ball park at the St Paul's church...and he would only know that if he were staying in the immediate area as it is not line of sight from the intersection......

 

[Trackergd]

South of 825 on Francis Ave there is a junk yard. Wonder if it was ever checked as well as the abandoned locomotive turn table just to the north on the other side of 825 (the round thing).

 

[thenotebook]

What cases? I think the reference is to the Jared situation. That was the case denied?

I do not understand what they are talking about re links to other cases????

I think what they mean is that this website (Unsolved Mysteries Wiki) only lists cases that were actually featured on the show. Jacob's case was never on the show (it was proposed by the Wetterling family to be featured on the show but denied for whatever reason), but they are still listing his case on the website because they think it's linked to other cases.

That is how I interpreted that anyway.

 

[shergal]

It is odd that Unsolved Mysteries wouldn't do a show on this. I wonder if they would reconsider now? I thought they were referring to other similar cases they had covered (Johnny Gosch, maybe? Or other missing boys) being similar to Jacob's case also. But we've always heard from the FBI that "Jacob's case was different." So, hmmm.

That's interesting ELOC, in your post above that that call resonated with Patty. I wonder if they ever drove out there and looked around? I think if it was my child, I'd have to go out there and check the area out.

Interesting points, trackergd, welcome to Jacob's thread.

 

[ELOCsoul]

That's interesting ELOC, in your post above that that call resonated with Patty. I wonder if they ever drove out there and looked around? I think if it was my child, I'd have to go out there and check the area out.

Yes - the FBI was in Forrest, IL for a few days after the boy called.

 

[ELOCsoul]

Tracker - hoping you will look at this case and give us your take on Jacob's footprints that "disappeared" about 40 yards into DR's driveway? We understand that dogs tracked Jacob's scent to the same spot, then it too disappeared.

It's been suggested the dry weather threw off Jacob's scent - but it just seems that will all the trees, brush, grass, dirt roads around there his scent should have been picked up again if Jacob had been abducted solely on foot.

 

[human]

The boy was not under the thumb of the man. He had enough to make a phone call.

I think only 911 and operator could be called without money.

He says that he is Jacob and that's it.

Does that make a bit of sense to anyone? Not to me.

If he could say he is Jacob, he could quickly give some info. Anything. License plate of car. Man's name. Anything.

 

[human]

Tracker - hoping you will look at this case and give us your take on Jacob's footprints that "disappeared" about 40 yards into DR's driveway? We understand that dogs tracked Jacob's scent to the same spot, then it too disappeared.

It's been suggested the dry weather threw off Jacob's scent - but it just seems that will all the trees, brush, grass, dirt roads around there his scent should have been picked up again if Jacob had been abducted solely on foot.

I gave info above somewhere on dogs from a poster on WS who was commenting on another case.

 

[shergal]

The boy was not under the thumb of the man. He had enough to make a phone call.

I think only 911 and operator could be called without money.

He says that he is Jacob and that's it.

Does that make a bit of sense to anyone? Not to me.

If he could say he is Jacob, he could quickly give some info. Anything. License plate of car. Man's name. Anything.

Unless he was terrified and saw the guy coming back. He may not have even known what city or state he was in. Hard to say.

 

[human]

Why would the man let him loose?

 

[Trackergd]

I will look back at the previous posts on this case. It has been my experience that when tracks and/or a scent trail end abruptly, the individual has been picked up or entered a vehicle. If picked up, a second set of prints (adult) should be visible. There are very rare cases where an individual knows how to walk backwards in their own prints, but a trained eye can usually see the indirect register and go back to where they stepped off to one side or another.

There have been a number of cases over the years where abducted boys and girls who live with their abductor long enough and have been threatened enough with death if they attempt to escape that they stay with their abductor and are even left at home alone during the day.

I just find it interesting that the boy making the call noted they were near a park when none are in line of sight of the intersection, yet there are at least three areas that appear to be open grassy areas that could be considered a park or ball field. That would suggest he is in the immediate area of the station and was familiar enough with the location and the actions of his abductor that he felt he had the time and ability to make the call without being caught and punished.

I would be looking at near by areas that had parks and looking hard at any remote houses or buildings that are out of the eyes of neighbors. I would also forward aged photographs of Jacob to all the local schools, clinics etc..

 

[human]

BBM. "If you try to run away I will kill your family"...he may have attempted to leave a breadcrumb.

Sure, but then why would Jacob take a chance on a phone call?

The perp would have no idea what Jacob said, so Jacob would be in big trouble for using the phone. The perp would assume the worst.

Hard for me to buy that story.

Didn't the tracking dogs follow Laci Peterson's route by car?

I think dogs can follow car scent.

I think dogs are far better trained nowadays

 

[human]

Interesting about dogs and scent

http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/_jthy/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=279

 

[human]

Very very informative about the different skills of dogs

http://www.westjerseyk9.org/types/

 

[human]

Another article

These are so interesting.

http://www.scentsabilitysearchdogs.com/-deployment-of-a-search-dog.html