PA - Gretchen Harrington, 8, found murdered, Marple Twp, 15 Aug 1975 *arrest in 2023*

[vls12345]

If he's fighting extradition, I am also afraid he or his lawyer will claim that he was old/addled/confused when confessing.

Imo.

 

[Mama-dukes]

That's heartbreaking.

I know it is and 4 nobody 2 really bring it up at the time and just blow it off like it was ok back then is more upsetting if they pushed the subject maybe he would have been in jail 2 me reading it it was like normal o he’s done that before nothing 2 it kind of thing makes me sadder 2 know

 

[Mama-dukes]

I deleted because I clicked the link twice

 

[not negotiable]

Hey everybody! I've got another cold case. This one is in Pennsylvania... and unfortunately, there has not been much news about it.

Basically, 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington, disappeared while walking to Bible School in Marple Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Her body was found off a path through Ridley Creek State Park.

I found a couple of news article on the case.

http://www.thereporteronline.com/article/RO/20041015/NEWS01/310159989



Her father's career and her family's experience are recounted on this church website, as her father served as a pastor their for many years.

www.bromallrpc.org

We're the parents cleared? If she was taught to be cautious I'm leaning towards she new the person.

 

[Melquiades]

"It makes me so sad to read Gretchen's mom talk about how careful her girls were and how she couldn't imagine her going off with someone"

Maybe she didn't. Maybe the girl knew the person.

If she was cautious of strangers maybe the assailant was someone she knew and was familiar with perhaps a family member, friend, teacher, etc..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These posts from 2017 nailed it.

 

[CrimeSlog]

Maybe she did. Which begs the question: Did the police question everyone at the church? Did all the volunteers show up that day? Were any late, acting strangely/paranoid?

It has always bothered me that Gretchen walked WITH her siblings every day to the church, early in the morning, EXCEPT that morning. If a random SO was stalking, I would think he'd place her on low priority based on the fact that she was never alone...it would have been both a chore and a liability to target someone with siblings.

Who knew in advance she'd be walking alone that morning? What parent picked her up "on their way to work" that she knew? Did she actually make it to the church parking lot before a church employee gave into temptation?

In a weird way this reminds me of that axe murder that took place in Texas back in the 80s I think. A church volunteer for Sunday school leaves Bible school to pick up another child's swimsuit from her mom because they're planning a sleepover. Only things go batshit and she axes the mom to death, showers, then returns to bible school at the church. The mom was acquitted of axing her to pieces.

What specifically reminds me, though, is the Bible school/Summer bible camp theme. That there are so many volunteers and parents involved in such a production, people coming in and out, people standing in for others on certain days, etc -- particularly during a time when you could have anyone filling in for you for having anyone pick your kid up with no one batting an eye.

Wonder if LE scoured the church and staff at length.

Wow... this post was right on point!

Back in the 1970s, he was a pastor at a local church where Harrington was heading to attend summer bible school when she went missing.

Cold case update: Man charged with murder in 1975 death of Delaware County child

According to authorities, 83-year-old David Zandstra, of Marietta, Georgia, is charged with the 1975 murder of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington.

6abc.com

 

[Mama-dukes]

We're the parents cleared? If she was taught to be cautious I'm leaning towards she new the person.

The links don’t work just so you know

 

[vls12345]

The full story of the cold case murder of Gretchen Harrington in 1975

Media, PA- Delaware County authorities have announced a major breakthrough in a cold case dating back to 1975. Authorities announced that 83-year-old David Zandstra from Marietta, Georgia has been …

phl17.com

Detailed and disturbing info in the article.

"On investigation took a turn on August 19, when a small pair of shorts were found on a fence post in West Chester, PA. Zandstra was called in to talk to police, based around the fact that Zandstra provided such a specific description of Gretchen’s shorts, although technically he never saw her that day, since she never arrived to camp.

The shorts found in West Chester ultimately ended up not being Gretchen’s, but investigators were still left questioning how Zandstra knew such specific details about her shorts."

and

"C1, who was a friend of Zandstra’s children Mara and Kristen would often have playdates and sleepovers at their house. C1 told police that when she was 10 years old, she remembered Zandstra touching her groin area in the middle of the night, during two sleepovers. C1 told her friend Mara about what happened during the night, and Mara told C1 that this occasionally happens, and that she sometimes hears her sister crying in the middle of the night.

C1 went on to tell her parents, which resulted in C1 never sleeping over again. Investigators also found a diary entry in C1’s book noting that a man had tried to kidnap, her friend, Holly twice, and that she believed it might be “Mr. Z” (Zandstra) who kidnapped Gretchen."

 

[Vern]

Absolutely.

For sure as according to one of the earlier articles, "her underwear was hung in a tree". He said he beat her to death after she refused to undress. Obviously her underwear didn't magicly remove themselves from under her shorts and make their way into the tree. He's lying and that will count against him for sentencing.

 

[rob525]

One thing stands out. He is not remorseful, not even a little. If he was he wouldn't be fighting the extradition. And I have no doubt he will use some kind if diminished capacity defense against the confession.

 

[vls12345]

I hope LE are talking to DZ's daughters and are trying to get as many names of childhood friends they had, especially ones who came to sleepovers. His daughters must be reliving a lot of childhood trauma right now since his arrest and confession.

I wonder if the churches he was at have any kind of Sunday School or Vacation Bible School attendance lists from those years?

I am also wondering what he has been doing the last 20 years (since retirement)? Has he done volunteer work with children? I feel like people who commit SA and who are child sexual predators don't just randomly stop.

My heart goes out to Gretchen’s family and to all of DZ's victims (may be a large number).

MOO.

Comments based on info included in:

The full story of the cold case murder of Gretchen Harrington in 1975

Media, PA- Delaware County authorities have announced a major breakthrough in a cold case dating back to 1975. Authorities announced that 83-year-old David Zandstra from Marietta, Georgia has been …

phl17.com

"C1, who was a friend of Zandstra’s children Mara and Kristen would often have playdates and sleepovers at their house. C1 told police that when she was 10 years old, she remembered Zandstra touching her groin area in the middle of the night, during two sleepovers. C1 told her friend Mara about what happened during the night, and Mara told C1 that this occasionally happens, and that she sometimes hears her sister crying in the middle of the night."

 

[nhmemorymaker]

It is truly amazing to read this thread from the beginning....thread was started in 2014.
Posts above include some of those 2017 posts that are so spot on.

This case really shows some of the differences of our behavioral changes over the decades.

But it also has enormous questions.

Her family just didn't seem to actively push for truth and closure. Did they know, or think they knew. ??? Were they scared of something?

Also, there are truly "signs" of a true pedophile here. I hope there is continued investigation on this one. Too much fishy....

 

[neesaki]

Suspect arrested in 1975 killing of Delco girl: What we know

The suspect, David G. Zandstra, is fighting extradition to Pennsylvania, and the process could take months.

www.inquirer.com

Article has lots of info.

"The suspect, David G. Zandstra, is fighting extradition to Pennsylvania, and the process could take months."

and

"Zandstra is being held in jail in Cobb County, Ga., and has been denied bail. He has refused to waive extradition to Pennsylvania to face charges, authorities said Monday."

MyG….He removed her clothes after he killed her?
Or he lied and forcibly removed them beforehand. What a monster.

“Her clothing was folded neatly in a pile near her body, and her underwear had been hung like a flag from a tree branch “as if to call attention to the place,”

 

[vls12345]

Hadn't seen this in some other news stories. Truly a wolf in sheep's clothing. BBM. And MOO.

Prosecutors said Zandstra was a family friend and even helped search for her as hundreds aided to help find the little girl. Zandstra even presided at the 8-year-old's funeral, according to sources.

From:

Pastor charged with murder in cold case of 8-year-old Delco girl

David Zandstra, 83, was charged with multiple offenses in the killing of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington in Marple Township in 1975.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

It is truly amazing to read this thread from the beginning....thread was started in 2014.
Posts above include some of those 2017 posts that are so spot on.

This case really shows some of the differences of our behavioral changes over the decades.

But it also has enormous questions.

Her family just didn't seem to actively push for truth and closure. Did they know, or think they knew. ??? Were they scared of something?

Also, there are truly "signs" of a true pedophile here. I hope there is continued investigation on this one. Too much fishy....

I wouldn't assume that a family who has remained private in their grief over their years has been inactive when it comes to investigating her case and cooperating with authorities or that they somehow ignored signs that he was a predator. We really have no knowledge of that.

 

[Cedars]

I wouldn't assume that a family who has remained private in their grief over their years has been inactive when it comes to investigating her case and cooperating with authorities or that they somehow ignored signs that he was a predator. We really have no knowledge of that.

Also, people (including old-style police) often have very fixed ideas of who/what a predator of that kind is, and it might have been literally inconceivable that it could be your church pastor.

This may be why some predators go into their field, or feel emboldened to commit the crimes: they believe no one will ever suspect them, or dare whisper a word against them, even though they're in plain sight.

JMO

ETA: I just saw her father was pastor of the local church, Z was at the neighbouring church. IMO Z was not just targetting Gretchen, but enjoyed destroying her father, as well.

 

[FindingSabrina]

I love how my post alleging her murderer was a member of the church was deleted one day before the news broke...Surprise! It was a member of the church. If we don't stop protecting these sick, broken, men because we see them as "holy," this will never stop.

 

[Mama-dukes]

I love how my post alleging her murderer was a member of the church was deleted one day before the news broke...Surprise! It was a member of the church. If we don't stop protecting these sick, broken, men because we see them as "holy," this will never stop.

I know right I was afraid 2 just say something about it but it all over the place and this shows it and also how long it’s been going sad

 

[Mama-dukes]

It is truly amazing to read this thread from the beginning....thread was started in 2014.
Posts above include some of those 2017 posts that are so spot on.

This case really shows some of the differences of our behavioral changes over the decades.

But it also has enormous questions.

Her family just didn't seem to actively push for truth and closure. Did they know, or think they knew. ??? Were they scared of something?

Also, there are truly "signs" of a true pedophile here. I hope there is continued investigation on this one. Too much fishy....

I will do that thank you

 

[FindingSabrina]

I know right I was afraid 2 just say something about it but it all over the place and this shows it and also how long it’s been going sad

It's so frustrating. If clergy were investigated properly in 1975, her family would have had answers so much sooner. I live in a city in PA with an OVERWHELMING history of sexual abuse within the church, and no one acknowledges it. The separation of church and state, one of the primary reasons this country was founded, is so far from a reality.