try this link
globegazette.com/jacob-wetterling.../article_2b0e6832-84d..
Oct. 25, 1989: Authorities receive several tips that a small red car had been seen in St. Joseph in the past three weeks. About two dozen red cars in the area are investigated. The FBI profile describes the abductor as a white man, 25-35 years old, employed in a low-skilled job with a low self-image probably stemming from a physical deformity such as acne or scars.
Nov. 17, 1989: A detailed description of a car involved in the attempted abduction of a 13-year-old boy in Roberts, Wis., is released. Someone calls a national missing childrens network and reports that Jacob is actually still in St. Joseph. Authorities investigate but nothing turns up.
Nov. 24, 1989: Authorities seek information on three cars seen in Jacobs neighborhood before the abduction.
Critical Time period:
August 3, 1990: A boy who called Crimestoppers from a payphone in Forrest, IL has not been proved to be a hoax so far. From the St Joseph Leader (Ledger?) newspaper from 8/17/90:
The call came on August 3, 1990. The caller said the following according to Chief Deputy Sheriff Jim Kostreba "He told the call taker he was phoning from Forrest, IL, and that he needed help". He said there was a red car involved and that he was with a man but he didn't know his name, and then he said he had to go and hung up." The call lasted less than a minute.
Illinois authorities released information to the media, and a woman who works at a convenience store called to say she saw "someone who she thought was similar to Jacob" two days before, in the store. She served the boy and the man and soon after saw the boy make a phone call from a booth across the street from the store. She saw the man put the boy into a red station wagon and drive off.
Kostreba acknowledged the dept receiving other calls that were hoaxes but "this call is different".
In another article, same issue of same paper, PW notes optimism about that call, saying that the woman reported that the boy was thin like Jacob, had a "shabbily-cut home haircut" and a large mole on his face. (Jacob has a small mole).
Summary:
The caller did not identify himself. However, he was calling a Crimestopper number. Given the reasoning skills and experience of a 12 year old, it might be understood (incorrectly) that he was JEW. Does anyone know if this number was specific to JEW or was set up for any number of cases? I think it appeared on a flyer with JEWs picture, correct? Then the boy could have reasoned his identity was understood. It might be advisable to set up numbers specific to cases for this reason, where that is not already done.
The caller knew he was in Forrest, IL. If 12 years old, how quickly would he learn the name of a town after arriving?
His hair was not professionally cut and this is consistent with captivity.
We have no reason to doubt the gross features of the womans recollection. However, details such as matching the boy to JEW can be questioned.
He described a red station wagon, which was also spotted in St. Joseph well before the abduction. If S1 were visiting S2, this could have been the car S1 was using. Could the blue sedan actually be a red one? Cant tell yet if this is special pleading to fit a narrative or not, so I need more to resolve this. I need something independent of both to rule on what S2 is really saying here. But the fact that it was a station wagon may argue for a completely different vehicle if this were found to be tied to JEW.
The woman responded to media attention 2 days after the fact and I am leery of testimony that she saw someone in which she stated it was someone who she thought was similar to Jacob. There are many kids who are similar to Jacob at this gross level.
Presumably, a call trace was only able to trace to a city block or two, therefore, her memory of a young male placing a phone call is not unlikely by itself.
Why would an abducted boy grab a pay phone across the street as opposed to going into the store (?) and talking to a clerk? This could indicate:
1. It is a hoax or
2. It could indicate that the perpetrator has a cover story to explain his legitimate custody of the boy; good enough that the boy believed talking to a clerk wouldnt do any good (a young boy might not be able to forecast the result of police intervention; namely, that police would have to resolve the mans legitimate custody if the boy claims otherwise).
3. Another option is that the boy believed the man to be so dangerous that clinging to a clerk might endanger the clerk. Under dire circumstances, this would require an unusual degree of empathy for a boy of that age.
The call was brief and if interrupted by a captor then at that point the captor was using psychological means to control the victim (the caller himself said he had to go and hung up apparently). Of course, he was also in a public place.
If the caller had less than one minute to access a pay phone one year from the abduction it weakly suggests a Histrionic personality for the captor, but this is weak and could be Axis I in any case.
It would be immensely helpful to know what conversation she had with the two when she served them.
It would be immensely helpful to know what the waitress said about the appearance of the man. Was a composite done? Anyone?
Taken together, all of this is tantalizingly close to showing the presence of Histrionic personality interrupting this phone call, but its not enough by itself. I believe if the waitress could provide (or provide again) a more complete description of the subjects, especially what was said when she waited on them, this could be resolved pretty easily.
May 2, 1991: PW sends 10,000 copies of a letter asking for help in finding her son. It generates a few leads, but nothing significant.
Jan. 4, 1992: A nationwide mass-mailing of a computer-enhanced photo of Jacob turns up no clues.
End Critical Time period
Ive plugged in what I have on the IL call, with some analysis.
~ svh