MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #9

[FindTim]

Sources need to be cited please.

LE says "most likely" all the tracks are accounted for.

 

[Wisdom]

I believe that Jacob's last footprint could have been planted in the wee hours of the morning after law enforcement went home. DR comes out with Jacob's sneakers and leans across Kevin's track and plants it perfectly to appear as if stepping in to a car. I believe he was also able to erase other prints at that time as well which explains why there appear to be so few.

Has anybody seen a perp footprint?

In my opinion it's unlikely that any footprints were intentionally planted. That would be a big risk to take with the police around and even if he thought they were all gone you just wouldn't know if someone was still around keeping an eye on the scene from a distance. Not saying it couldn't have happened that way...just unlikely.

 

[FindTim]

So again, this proves that LE completely contaminated the scene. If DR stated that this was the first time they had approached where the cars had turned around than I believe him. Also, he mentions "cars" when LE spoke with him. I wonder if LE has documentation to note that he spoke about more than 1 car turning around in his driveway?

How about a direct quote from DR on the subject? From April 2013...

Almost an entire week had passed, (it was Oct. 28th) yet this was the first time law enforcement had actually asked to see where the cars had turned around in the yard.
“As they were asking me where… about 15 horses were prancing about the area where the tracks had been all week! ~ DR

So Dan says the tracks lasted a week, (and this was UP by the house, BTW when they came to question him) until the horses pranced all over them. But LE had taken casts the next day (Oct. 23rd) of the driveway. IMO, they would have checked the entire driveway, and we only have seen pics of the lower portion of the driveway, because that is where Jacob's footprint ended.

From a source you were using:
http://www.joybaker.com/2013/04/01/a-few-answers-many-more-questions/comment-page-1/

 

[human]

I believe that Jacob's last footprint could have been planted in the wee hours of the morning after law enforcement went home. DR comes out with Jacob's sneakers and leans across Kevin's track and plants it perfectly to appear as if stepping in to a car. I believe he was also able to erase other prints at that time as well which explains why there appear to be so few.

Has anybody seen a perp footprint?

Yes,the perp,footprint is a problem isn't it.

 

[human]

So again, this proves that LE completely contaminated the scene. If DR stated that this was the first time they had approached where the cars had turned around than I believe him. Also, he mentions "cars" when LE spoke with him. I wonder if LE has documentation to note that he spoke about more than 1 car turning around in his driveway?

No citations, but it is on here somewhere.

DR stated that he had a student in the morning, so there is that car.

It is possible that DR was not thinking in the fever of idea of taking a child. He may have not thought out all of the issues such as tire tracks.

We are not hearing from LE. We are hearing DR's version of events.

A car racing up his driveway and then the same people returning to kidnap a child is beyond ridiculous . Did the kidnapper think the DR farm was filled with children? <modsnip>

 

[Jbrown324320]

I think LE made so many initial mistakes inadvertantly and purposefully with the case because 1) the small town police dept had never had a kidnapped child case before and didn't know the procedures and 2) the Rassiers are a big name in the community and I believe the chief of police at the time and the Rassier family were connected somehow (by Al R or belong to the same sort of community group or male group that didn't want to be found out). IMO.

 

[Sasquatch321]

I think LE made so many initial mistakes inadvertantly and purposefully with the case because 1) the small town police dept had never had a kidnapped child case before and didn't know the procedures and 2) the Rassiers are a big name in the community and I believe the chief of police at the time and the Rassier family were connected somehow (by Al R or belong to the same sort of community group or male group that didn't want to be found out). IMO.

I understand what you're getting at but lets not accuse LE of making mistakes on purpose. Every abduction becomes a learning experience for everyone involved.

 

[FindTim]

Right, but their errors have people all over this board accusing DR of abducting Jacob. With competent police work he may never have been a POI, but since they contaminated the scene so bad there left with having to have him as a POI, instead of a credible witness.

I understand what you're getting at but lets not accuse LE of making mistakes on purpose. Every abduction becomes a learning experience for everyone involved.

 

[thenotebook]

Planted to look like he was taken from there. There is no other explanation.

So you don't think the perp would have the wherewithal to not start a vehicle right away (so the boys wouldn't hear it)...but he'd think to carefully plant a footprint next to some tire tracks while somehow restraining Jacob??

I would say the 'not starting the vehicle for a minute or two' theory is much more likely IMO

 

[Jbrown324320]

I understand what you're getting at but lets not accuse LE of making mistakes on purpose. Every abduction becomes a learning experience for everyone involved.

Sasquatch, sometimes small town police officers cover up for people they know, stall investigations or "lose" evidence for people who are in a same group as them. No one is above suspicion in this case in my opinion, even LE.

 

[Sasquatch321]

Right, but their errors have people all over this board accusing DR of abducting Jacob. With competent police work he may never have been a POI, but since they contaminated the scene so bad there left with having to have him as a POI, instead of a credible witness.

<modsnip> LE waited until 2009 to name DR POI, that should be pretty telling as to what they know. We don't know even half of what they know, just remember that.

 

[Sasquatch321]

Sasquatch, sometimes small town police officers cover up for people they know, stall investigations or "lose" evidence for people who are in a same group as them. No one is above suspicion in this case in my opinion, even LE.

No way I'm not buying into bologna by LE in the Jacob Wetterling case.

 

[Jbrown324320]

Clipped from a St Joseph local paper article in 2010:


Rassier spoke of his frustration in a lengthy July 3 telephone interview with the St. Joseph Newsleader. He is frustrated, he said, because nobody has followed through with the information he so willingly shared about the &#8220;things&#8221; he saw that day. Rassier, citing &#8220;trust issues&#8221; with the media, declined to divulge the kinds of things he saw, although, when questioned further, he did more or less agree those &#8220;things&#8221; were people and/or vehicles. Rassier said he spent a good part of that day jogging on the road past the Delwin Ballroom, where a polka fest was taking place, and on his neighborhood roads, including the one on which Jacob was abducted, just before darkness fell. Jacob was taken on that road (91st Avenue) right at the spot where it intersects with the long driveway to the Robert and Rita Rassier farm.

Rassier said he &#8220;witnessed&#8221; things throughout that entire day and into the early evening. When he was not jogging, he spent all of the time at home Oct. 22. At that time - as now - Rassier has lived with his parents.

Another reason Rassier cited for not divulging details about the things he saw is because he does not want to tip off anyone guilty of the abduction.

http://www.thenewsleaders.com/person...nessed-things2 and http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118670&page=4

If he had trust issues with the media, why did he do so many interviews? And why did he not want to tip off the abductor? You would think one would divulge everything he knew to help find the child and not worry about what the abductor is thinking. IMO really think DR knows who did it and can't tell.

 

[Sasquatch321]

Clipped from a St Joseph local paper article in 2010:


Rassier spoke of his frustration in a lengthy July 3 telephone interview with the St. Joseph Newsleader. He is frustrated, he said, because nobody has followed through with the information he so willingly shared about the “things” he saw that day. Rassier, citing “trust issues” with the media, declined to divulge the kinds of things he saw, although, when questioned further, he did more or less agree those “things” were people and/or vehicles. Rassier said he spent a good part of that day jogging on the road past the Delwin Ballroom, where a polka fest was taking place, and on his neighborhood roads, including the one on which Jacob was abducted, just before darkness fell. Jacob was taken on that road (91st Avenue) right at the spot where it intersects with the long driveway to the Robert and Rita Rassier farm.

Rassier said he “witnessed” things throughout that entire day and into the early evening. When he was not jogging, he spent all of the time at home Oct. 22. At that time - as now - Rassier has lived with his parents.

Another reason Rassier cited for not divulging details about the things he saw is because he does not want to tip off anyone guilty of the abduction.

http://www.thenewsleaders.com/person...nessed-things2 and http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118670&page=4

If he had trust issues with the media, why did he do so many interviews? And why did he not want to tip off the abductor? You would think one would divulge everything he knew to help find the child and not worry about what the abductor is thinking. IMO really think DR knows who did it and can't tell.

"Another reason Rassier cited for not divulging details about the things he saw is because he does not want to tip off anyone guilty of the abduction."

What sense does that make, how are we supposed to catch the guy if DR is withholding information against the abductor?

 

[ELOCsoul]

Clipped from a St Joseph local paper article in 2010:


Rassier spoke of his frustration in a lengthy July 3 telephone interview with the St. Joseph Newsleader. He is frustrated, he said, because nobody has followed through with the information he so willingly shared about the &#8220;things&#8221; he saw that day. Rassier, citing &#8220;trust issues&#8221; with the media, declined to divulge the kinds of things he saw, although, when questioned further, he did more or less agree those &#8220;things&#8221; were people and/or vehicles. Rassier said he spent a good part of that day jogging on the road past the Delwin Ballroom, where a polka fest was taking place, and on his neighborhood roads, including the one on which Jacob was abducted, just before darkness fell. Jacob was taken on that road (91st Avenue) right at the spot where it intersects with the long driveway to the Robert and Rita Rassier farm.

Rassier said he &#8220;witnessed&#8221; things throughout that entire day and into the early evening. When he was not jogging, he spent all of the time at home Oct. 22. At that time - as now - Rassier has lived with his parents.

Another reason Rassier cited for not divulging details about the things he saw is because he does not want to tip off anyone guilty of the abduction.

http://www.thenewsleaders.com/person...nessed-things2 and http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118670&page=4

If he had trust issues with the media, why did he do so many interviews? And why did he not want to tip off the abductor? You would think one would divulge everything he knew to help find the child and not worry about what the abductor is thinking. IMO really think DR knows who did it and can't tell.

Information that he so willingly shared? It's not like a bag of chips that you would share with hungry friends. If it's material information one should be compelled to share it. Why would he make it a point to say he shared the information willingly??

 

[Jbrown324320]

If he knew the person who took Jacob or the license plate number, of course. I would expect him to not tell the media the exact person. Small town, most likely a local resident. Incorrect allegations. If he only had general information like he is saying- make and model of the cars, then I would tell all media everything. Did he think after he saw this "Kevin" person that he did it?

 

[Shay]

Clipped from a St Joseph local paper article in 2010:


Rassier spoke of his frustration in a lengthy July 3 telephone interview with the St. Joseph Newsleader. He is frustrated, he said, because nobody has followed through with the information he so willingly shared about the “things” he saw that day. Rassier, citing “trust issues” with the media, declined to divulge the kinds of things he saw, although, when questioned further, he did more or less agree those “things” were people and/or vehicles. Rassier said he spent a good part of that day jogging on the road past the Delwin Ballroom, where a polka fest was taking place, and on his neighborhood roads, including the one on which Jacob was abducted, just before darkness fell. Jacob was taken on that road (91st Avenue) right at the spot where it intersects with the long driveway to the Robert and Rita Rassier farm.

BBM

I've never noticed this before. So there would be fresh DR prints on the driveway right before the abduction...interesting.

 

[FindTim]

He has noted that he ran up his driveway on his return from the run that day.

BBM

I've never noticed this before. So there would be fresh DR prints on the driveway right before the abduction...interesting.

 

[FindTim]

As long as he told LE than I have no problems with holding information from the media. He's doing the one thing LE didn't do for him, he's not creating a feeding frenzy on anyone that could also be a POI.

Clipped from a St Joseph local paper article in 2010:


Rassier spoke of his frustration in a lengthy July 3 telephone interview with the St. Joseph Newsleader. He is frustrated, he said, because nobody has followed through with the information he so willingly shared about the “things” he saw that day. Rassier, citing “trust issues” with the media, declined to divulge the kinds of things he saw, although, when questioned further, he did more or less agree those “things” were people and/or vehicles. Rassier said he spent a good part of that day jogging on the road past the Delwin Ballroom, where a polka fest was taking place, and on his neighborhood roads, including the one on which Jacob was abducted, just before darkness fell. Jacob was taken on that road (91st Avenue) right at the spot where it intersects with the long driveway to the Robert and Rita Rassier farm.

Rassier said he “witnessed” things throughout that entire day and into the early evening. When he was not jogging, he spent all of the time at home Oct. 22. At that time - as now - Rassier has lived with his parents.

Another reason Rassier cited for not divulging details about the things he saw is because he does not want to tip off anyone guilty of the abduction.

http://www.thenewsleaders.com/person...nessed-things2 and http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118670&page=4

If he had trust issues with the media, why did he do so many interviews? And why did he not want to tip off the abductor? You would think one would divulge everything he knew to help find the child and not worry about what the abductor is thinking. IMO really think DR knows who did it and can't tell.

 

[shergal]

So again, this proves that LE completely contaminated the scene. If DR stated that this was the first time they had approached where the cars had turned around than I believe him. Also, he mentions "cars" when LE spoke with him. I wonder if LE has documentation to note that he spoke about more than 1 car turning around in his driveway?

No, Joy mentioned "cars" in her lead in question - DR's remarks were in quotes.