MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #6

[cGorg]

Lou that is referenced in the Bahner Tapes is Louis Kohls. Long story on how he was found, took considerable googling but it is definitely the guy mentioned in the tapes.

On a side note, I have kind of a funny story about this too. A fellow sleuth messaged me and pointed out that my "handle" backwards, is "Lou S Cole". Amazing coincidence, but it's just that.

The ELO is for my favorite band, Electric Light Orchestra, and the Csoul is for another one of my favorites - Collective Soul.

I always knew you were ELO...but beyond that I didn't have a clue..couldn't make the connection of Csoul. The reverse ELOCSoul...is something beyond our control...THAT is beyond coincidental.

 

[human]

Jbrown...your text does not indicate whom you are speaking to but I assume it is me and my posts #643 + #645. If so, I apologize if I offended you. I agree with you 100%....looking for Jacob is no waste of time. I don't live in MN and only learned of Jacob's abduction 1 1/2 years ago. Since then, I have read WS every day and follow the links and do whatever research I can. I have kids and understand your comment about how tough it would be to function every day, in fact am very cognizant of the dangers for kids these days. The pain the Wetterlings have is something I cannot imagine. My comments were very cynical in nature...mainly directed at LE....it's been 24 years and nothing forthcoming. I realize information may be sensitive but simply waiting for the 'holy grail' of evidence doesn't seem an option when there has been so much information collected by WS posters on this forum. While this evidence may be worth waiting for, at my age, another 24 years may be too much, but more importantly, too much for Jacob's family. And so it is a good thing that people like you and others are willing to keep researching and looking for the truth.

I do not believe for one minute the reference was to you. To me, you are a dedicated searcher for Jacob. I got the sarcasm in your posts,

If you follow any cases at all, you will find once the perp is identified, there is much info LE has. They need to keep it quiet for many reasons.

They do not want the perp to know what they have, for one thing,

 

[Jbrown324320]

CGorg, I wasn't offended. I was just saying, if anyone hits a brick wall and wants to stop, they can. I am just going to keep going. It's a lot of work, a lot of info and Stearns County is not helping. I wouldn't blame anyone for stopping.

ELO, the exact arrest date for DAH was noon, Jan 24, 1990. He was arrested by sheriff deputies and the FBI.

 

[Jbrown324320]

I just couldn't imagine doing all this investigative work if I had a missing child myself. I wouldn't be able to do it, I wouldn't be able to afford to pay a private investigator. I am just glad to be able to help. Not sure if it is making a difference though. Some days it just feels like we are back to square one.

 

[ELOCsoul]

In the summer of 1989, an abduction attempt was made on a then 9 year old boy in the town of St. Joseph. The tactics used in this failed abduction were similar to those used in Jacob's abduction according to the FBI.

We've heard about this story before, the one with the light brown colored van that was sought after. The van had been seen in the family's neighborhood by at least 4 witnesses prior to the abduction. The boy was tormented with the thought that if he could have noted the van's license plates, that he could have saved Jacob.

And one thing that is particularly chilling about this, for the family of the boy that narrowly escaped, was that Jacob was abducted on this other boy's 10th birthday.

And in an interesting twist, this other boy's name begins with a "J". So, we have Jared, Jacob, Joshua, and this other boy "J" involved in abduction attempt or gone missing, or both - all in a 10 mile radius.

Sources: 10/29/89, and 10/22/94 St. Cloud Times.

 

[shergal]

In the summer of 1989, an abduction attempt was made on a then 9 year old boy in the town of St. Joseph. The tactics used in this failed abduction were similar to those used in Jacob's abduction according to the FBI.

We've heard about this story before, the one with the light brown colored van that was sought after. The van had been seen in the family's neighborhood by at least 4 witnesses prior to the abduction. The boy was tormented with the thought that if he could have noted the van's license plates, that he could have saved Jacob.

And one thing that is particularly chilling about this, for the family of the boy that narrowly escaped, was that Jacob was abducted on this other boy's 10th birthday.

And in an interesting twist, this other boy's name begins with a "J". So, we have Jared, Jacob, Joshua, and this other boy "J" involved in abduction attempt or gone missing, or both - all in a 10 mile radius.

Sources: 10/29/89, and 10/22/94 St. Cloud Times.

ELO, can you post pics of those 2 source articles in the media only thread on Jacob?
There seem to have been many abductions or attempts in this small area. (Johnny Gosch is a "J" too, you don't think it's someone with an obsession on names, do you?)

 

[thenotebook]

In the summer of 1989, an abduction attempt was made on a then 9 year old boy in the town of St. Joseph. The tactics used in this failed abduction were similar to those used in Jacob's abduction according to the FBI.

We've heard about this story before, the one with the light brown colored van that was sought after. The van had been seen in the family's neighborhood by at least 4 witnesses prior to the abduction. The boy was tormented with the thought that if he could have noted the van's license plates, that he could have saved Jacob.

And one thing that is particularly chilling about this, for the family of the boy that narrowly escaped, was that Jacob was abducted on this other boy's 10th birthday.

And in an interesting twist, this other boy's name begins with a "J". So, we have Jared, Jacob, Joshua, and this other boy "J" involved in abduction attempt or gone missing, or both - all in a 10 mile radius.

Sources: 10/29/89, and 10/22/94 St. Cloud Times.

Wow I've never heard of this before. Can you post the links to the articles? Did the attempt happen at night? Was the boy alone?

 

[Alyssa2013]

In the summer of 1989, an abduction attempt was made on a then 9 year old boy in the town of St. Joseph. The tactics used in this failed abduction were similar to those used in Jacob's abduction according to the FBI.

We've heard about this story before, the one with the light brown colored van that was sought after. The van had been seen in the family's neighborhood by at least 4 witnesses prior to the abduction. The boy was tormented with the thought that if he could have noted the van's license plates, that he could have saved Jacob.

And one thing that is particularly chilling about this, for the family of the boy that narrowly escaped, was that Jacob was abducted on this other boy's 10th birthday.

And in an interesting twist, this other boy's name begins with a "J". So, we have Jared, Jacob, Joshua, and this other boy "J" involved in abduction attempt or gone missing, or both - all in a 10 mile radius.

Sources: 10/29/89, and 10/22/94 St. Cloud Times.

That's really interesting. Thanks for the information. I always thought it was just coincidence that boys with "J" names were in attempted abductions or had gone missing, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[human]

Was that attempted abduction the guy in the van who had dark hair and glasses?

For that one, there is a composite drawing. He is younger.

 

[ELOCsoul]

Was that attempted abduction the guy in the van who had dark hair and glasses?

For that one, there is a composite drawing. He is younger.

Yes, that is the one. I am trying to post scans here but the system is not letting me.

 

[shergal]

Yes, that is the one. I am trying to post scans here but the system is not letting me.

If you load them to a site like photobucket, then you can just plug in the url and the pic will show up here.

 

[ELOCsoul]

OK, here are the scans of the articles about the kidnapping attempt on "J" in the summer of 1989.

Also, the attempt was actually in Stearns County, not necessarily in the town of St. Joseph.

 

[thenotebook]

Thanks for posting those ELOCsoul! It sounds like it was in St Joseph, b/c the mom references that in the second article.

This seems like such a strong lead that is virtually never mentioned now. I hadn't even heard of this until you brought it up a few days ago.

 

[human]

Thanks for posting those ELOCsoul! It sounds like it was in St Joseph, b/c the mom references that in the second article.

This seems like such a strong lead that is virtually never mentioned now. I hadn't even heard of this until you brought it up a few days ago.

Thanks to ELOC for posting.

It was all over the news after Jacob was abducted. All over the state. Don't know how much further the info went.

I am reaching into my memory. It is not St. Cloud State Reformatory I am thinking of. It is some other place around there for troubled youth. Anyone know what I am thinking I remember?

I thought at the time that the attempted abductor might be a youth from that place that I cannot remember

 

[ELOCsoul]

Thanks to ELOC for posting.

It was all over the news after Jacob was abducted. All over the state. Don't know how much further the info went.

I am reaching into my memory. It is not St. Cloud State Reformatory I am thinking of. It is some other place around there for troubled youth. Anyone know what I am thinking I remember?

I thought at the time that the attempted abductor might be a youth from that place that I cannot remember

See copy / paste of my post from August, below. Is this the facility you are referring to? When you say the attempted abductor might be a youth from this facility - do you mean the boy that was nearly kidnapped? Or do you mean the person that attempted the kidnapping??


08-11-2013, 03:07 PM
ELOCsoul ELOCsoul is online now
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Dah
It's amazing the things they used to put in the newspapers! DAH was hospitalized several times in the 1960's, although the Paynesville paper does not say for what - sometimes treated and released the same day.

He was also at the St Cloud Children's Home ( a Catholic charity) in the late 50's. The meeting minutes of the Village of Paynesville shows several entries where payment for his stay was approved by the Village Board.

 

[shergal]

I'm not sure, but I think you had to be under 16 to stay at the children's home. They did use it for "troubled youth" at one time. But I wouldn't think a kid under 16 would be attempting an abduction? Or would even own a tan van with white trim.

That suspect picture ELO posted (with the glasses and bangs) did look a lot younger though, than what I was thinking the age of Jacob's abductor would have been.

 

[human]

See copy / paste of my post from August, below. Is this the facility you are referring to? When you say the attempted abductor might be a youth from this facility - do you mean the boy that was nearly kidnapped? Or do you mean the person that attempted the kidnapping??


08-11-2013, 03:07 PM
ELOCsoul ELOCsoul is online now
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 244
Dah
It's amazing the things they used to put in the newspapers! DAH was hospitalized several times in the 1960's, although the Paynesville paper does not say for what - sometimes treated and released the same day.

He was also at the St Cloud Children's Home ( a Catholic charity) in the late 50's. The meeting minutes of the Village of Paynesville shows several entries where payment for his stay was approved by the Village Board.

Back when it happened ,I wondered if the perp had spent time at the facility and that is why he came to the area.

No,ELOC, that is not what I was thinking of. But what was it? Cannot even remember the tiniest bit of info that may indicate what the name of the facility is or was

 

[shergal]

Back when it happened ,I wondered if the perp had spent time at the facility and that is why he came to the area.

No,ELOC, that is not what I was thinking of. But what was it? Cannot even remember the tiniest bit of info that may indicate what the name of the facility is or was

Other than the St. Cloud Children's home, here are some possibilities, human:

The Prairie Lakes Corr./Detention Center in Willmar has a detention home for boys and one for girls ages 12 to 18. But according to their website, they've only been in operation under that name since 1991. However, before that, they were called the "Kandiyohi County Boys Group Home" - and that was around since 1975.
http://www.prairielakes.net/Boys/About.aspx

There are 2 former private homes at 1101 Washington Memorial Drive, right across from the old Rosewood Nursery, that were remodeled into one large group home, and they house troubled youth there for short stay, 4-6 months, ages 11 to 17. It is called the "St. Cloud Group Home" But I don't think that was around in 1989.

There also used to be a halfway house out on Minnesota Blvd. SE (the back road to the reformatory - near St. Ben's senior assisted living campus) that housed men who had served their prison time, but were not ready to be on their own yet. Some were on work release. They were all on probation and had curfews. I remember a couple incidents where guys walked off from there and were put back in prison. That was in existence in 1989. That may be the one you are thinking of, human. I'm not sure if it's still out there or not.

(There's the Easthaven halfway house for recovering alcohol and drug addicts in East St. Cloud - out on East St. Germain east of Hwy. 10 - but that is a newer program also. And it's just for addicts, not for former offenders.)
http://www.easthavenhalfwayhouse.com/home.html

Here's a resource link for all juvenile and adult halfway houses, treatment homes, and sex offender programs in MN:
http://www.intech.mnsu.edu/davisj/resource_list.htm

 

[cGorg]

Sorry as I don't have a link...maybe my memory serves me wrong...but wasn't there another attempted abduction where the boy was able to wriggle out of his coat and run away.....does this ring a bell for anyone? Or is this the same one as the Oct 28, 1989 article?

 

[shergal]

Sorry as I don't have a link...maybe my memory serves me wrong...but wasn't there another attempted abduction where the boy was able to wriggle out of his coat and run away.....does this ring a bell for anyone? Or is this the same one as the Oct 28, 1989 article?

Yes, there was. There was another (different) boy who got away from an abductor by wriggling out of his jacket and running off. That was right before Jacob was taken also. That happened over near the highway that runs through St. Joe. Someone was certainly trying hard out in St. Joe to abduct a boy!

I think LE's theory is that is why a gun was used with Jacob, so this time the boy would not get away.