MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #8

[thenotebook]

Shergal directed me to a particular video and it has answered some questions for me.

1. The tire print pattern I could not identify was the Red Honda ATV being used by the Sheriffs Department.

2. The print next to the tire tread print is deeper at the front than the back, and there is mounding on both sides, but no cracking in the mounds. The individual was leaning or being pulled forwards towards the vehicle. There is no forward force as there would have been a "plate" under the ball of the foot (a detached round compacted section pushed back).

That particular print line stops at the vehicle tread marks. Had they continued, I would see some evidence, even if a car or ATV had ridden over them.

If that particular print was 100% identified to be Jacobs, then he either got in or was forced into a vehicle. That particular print does not have a "stutter" showing resistance or hesitation. The tire track is a standard sedan ribbed pattern.

Hope this helps!

Tracker, are you able to tell if the print shown in the footage is that of Kevin's vehicle (the standard sedan ribbed pattern)?? And if his vehicle pulled in then backed out...have you seen pictures that confirm that?

 

[Sasquatch321]

He was an 11 year old kid with a gun pointed at him. I'm sure he was scared to death and got into the car as he was told. I've always believed in teh vehicle theory, even after LE dismissed it. It just doesn't make sense why else the prints would end abruptly. To pick him up in the air and walk him all the way up to DR's farm..?? I definitely think there was a vehicle.

As far as getting out of St Joe...it was a Sunday night, many people who had to work the next day were probably getting ready for bed. I could see how a car could easy go unnoticed and get onto the highway.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that up to 10 people accounted for the red chevette in town that night, from the tom thumb store.

 

[Sasquatch321]

I guess I was wrong, it was within the last three weeks.

"Oct. 25, 1989: Authorities receive several tips that a small red car had been seen in St. Joseph in the past three weeks."

Is there any evidence of how many witnesses noticed kevins car in Saint Joe that night? because if they noticed his, they would have noticed the other, more than likely. if there was another one.

 

[human]

based on the footprint, if it is no doubt Jacob's, to me it looks like he did get into a vehicle from a side door like you said sasquatch. I am not sure how LE came to the conclusion that a vehicle was not used. especially if the crime scene was contaminated.

Where is the documentation that the crime scene was contaminated?

We see video of plaster casts of SEVERAL footprints.

Where is the documentation that a car was parked there?

If it was parked and started up again, we would see different tire prints of s vehicle starting up again from a parked situation.

We must conclude then that Kevin is the abductor

 

[Sasquatch321]

I think the scene needs to be recreated today as it were back then. Place a vehicle where we think one was, place somebody where the kids turned around and looked back, start up the vehicle to see if it can be seen or heard, and study how a vehicle leaves tire tracks on that driveway.

 

[shergal]

I think the scene needs to be recreated today as it were back then. Place a vehicle where we think one was, place somebody where the kids turned around and looked back, start up the vehicle to see if it can be seen or heard, and study how a vehicle leaves tire tracks on that driveway.

And have the family living there come out after you with a shotgun. LOL. I don't think I'd want to attempt any such test. It would be great if LE could recreate that, but I'm not sure if it would be allowed by DR's family or if they'd need another warrant type thing to even do that?

Also, 25 years later, the road may be a denser gravel now than it was in 1989 and so not leave the same type marks and prints. Maybe they could try it just for prints in someone else's sand/gravel driveway?

 

[Sasquatch321]

And have the family living there come out after you with a shotgun. LOL. I don't think I'd want to attempt any such test. It would be great if LE could recreate that, but I'm not sure if it would be allowed by DR's family or if they'd need another warrant type thing to even do that?

Also, 25 years later, the road may be a denser gravel now than it was in 1989 and so not leave the same type marks and prints. Maybe they could try it just for prints in someone else's sand/gravel driveway?

I bet we could get in and out of there in 10 to 20 minutes without being seen. Ha Ha JK LOL I would hope it would be done legally and televised, that would be cool.

 

[Jbrown324320]

In this article, they talk to FBI Neil Neddermeyer who was the only person in MN who had a paper file on child sex predators. He said they were looking for a sexual psychopath. He had 28 great leads, but they all led nowhere. Its interesting to see who they looked at and why and their thinking of how the perpetrator would act and who would have done this. The second page is the most informative.



http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/med...race/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1#artanc

 

[Jbrown324320]

human, I think we know the scene was contaminated because Kevin's admission of driving on the scene before officers got there. Police believed him for unknown reasons, so they are basically admitting the scene was contaminated.

 

[human]

Yes, the scene was contaminated by Kevin . He left the most recent prints. That is obvious in the pictures . To me, it is clear he did not get into Kevin's car, There is no indication of a car that has been parked and started again.

Kevin drove in and back down. Apparently, LE with the accessibility to all kinds of technology and data bases and expertise concluded that no car was used.

I am sure they have studied hundreds if not thousands of tire prints, etc.

They have all kinds of info

 

[Sasquatch321]

Yes, the scene was contaminated by Kevin . He left the most recent prints. That is obvious in the pictures . To me, it is clear he did not get into Kevin's car, There is no indication of a car that has been parked and started again.

Kevin drove in and back down. Apparently, LE with the accessibility to all kinds of technology and data bases and expertise concluded that no car was used.

I am sure they have studied hundreds if not thousands of tire prints, etc.

They have all kinds of info

So the footprint was planted as if he was taken by a vehicle. I always said that we are dealing with very intelligent person in this case. And considering the footprint is found backwards from the point of abduction into the rassiers driveway, can anyone else on foot in town be responsible besides DR?

I can picture DR telling Jacob to twist his foot into the ground at that point in the driveway, he then lifts him up and backsteps into the grass.

 

[HEY YOU!]

Where is the documentation that the crime scene was contaminated?

We see video of plaster casts of SEVERAL footprints.

Where is the documentation that a car was parked there?

If it was parked and started up again, we would see different tire prints of s vehicle starting up again from a parked situation.

We must conclude then that Kevin is the abductor

Maybe there were tire tracks that crossed over another footprint at some point and that is what those casts were and why they ruled a car out once Kevin came forward. If there were footprints with Kevin's tracks over them then clearly Kevin cam AFTER Jacob was abducted...Also, the tire tracks are continuous with no shifting consistent with a car that stopped to pick up a passenger and then took off.

 

[Sasquatch321]

I have to say that after analyzing, researching, and making myself sound stupid at times, that I am now 75% vehicle used, 25% DR. And we can blame Kevin for his contamination, way to chase the fire truck buddy!

 

[human]

So the footprint was planted as if he was taken by a vehicle. I always said that we are dealing with very intelligent person in this case. And considering the footprint is found backwards from the point of abduction into the rassiers driveway, can anyone else on foot in town be responsible besides DR?

I can picture DR telling Jacob to twist his foot into the ground at that point in the driveway, he then lifts him up and backsteps into the grass.

If he did t, there was not much planning.

I do not think in the height of moments, much clear headed thinking is going on.

I think it rather obvious no car was used.

 

[human]

Probably Kevin had no idea what he was doing

 

[HEY YOU!]

If he did t, there was not much planning.

I do not think in the height of moments, much clear headed thinking is going on.

I think it rather obvious no car was used.

Did cops take any pictures at night right after the abduction when they initially arrived at the scene? I only see daylight pics, did they actually wait until morning? That would be plenty of time to take Jacob's sneaker and make a random print next to Kevin's tire track making it appear that Jacob was taken by car. Could DR have put the sneaker on his hand and reached over to jam it into the ground? I'm reaching here but it looks like they may have no pictures of that road from the night of the crime which would give DR time to clean up prints and add confusing evidence. Was a cop stationed at the driveway all night? I don't think so. How long was the crime scene unattended prior to sunrise?

 

[CanManEh]

i stated a long time ago that this is one well of many cases but this one in particuilar that needs to be on a 48 hours mystery or a dateline ..disappeared a tv show like that so that you can visualize better how this really went down reading about it is so much different then being able to actually see it in a documentry of some kind .when /if that happens i truly believe this case could come to a close i think it would bring about i don't know what that one memory or who knows a confession even but something i think would happen if they ever decide to do a show on this case ...

 

[Wisdom]

If he did t, there was not much planning.

I do not think in the height of moments, much clear headed thinking is going on.

I think it rather obvious no car was used.

I could not agree more Human! I'm not sure what everyone else is seeing but It's obvious to me that no vehicle was used after watching that video.

 

[CanManEh]

what video

 

[shergal]

Did cops take any pictures at night right after the abduction when they initially arrived at the scene? I only see daylight pics, did they actually wait until morning? That would be plenty of time to take Jacob's sneaker and make a random print next to Kevin's tire track making it appear that Jacob was taken by car. Could DR have put the sneaker on his hand and reached over to jam it into the ground? I'm reaching here but it looks like they may have no pictures of that road from the night of the crime which would give DR time to clean up prints and add confusing evidence. Was a cop stationed at the driveway all night? I don't think so. How long was the crime scene unattended prior to sunrise?

That one picture of the overhead of the abduction site (from a few pages back) looks like it was taken at night, possibly from one of the helicopters. LE was searching DR's woodpile when he first noticed their flashlights, which makes me wonder if they saw some footprints or bent down grass heading from the driveway toward the woodpile.

I do think they put up crime tape across DR's driveway that night (further East past where they found the prints) because DR couldn't get out in the morning because tape was across his driveway. He told in an interview about how he lifted the tape and walked under it - onto the crime scene - and then they had him drive around on the grass.

I'd have to check our timeline, but I think LE was out there quite late that night looking for Jacob and checking prints.