Suspect - Daniel Heinrich

[MotherOcean]

It's really hitting me right now how much hope the Wetterlings had, hope which is now being dashed. It wasn't blind hope. They are too smart for that. But there were reasons to keep an outcome with a live Jacob in the realm of possibility. I'm so sorry for them now, and hope they can learn what happened and then finally grieve completely. They needed answers, but getting them is going to be painful.

Yes, it hit me too when I read the statement that they released yesterday. Their request for privacy gave me such a sick feeling in my stomach. It sounded like the requests that families make after a family member dies. I can't imagine how they have coped all these years. What are the chances that Heinrich, if he was the one who abducted Jacob, will make a confession and lead them to Jacob? I pray that is what will happen. I know he is an absolute sicko, but when I see his recent photo I see something in his eyes that give me a wee little flicker of hope that he will tell them where Jacob is. I don't see the level of coldness that I would expect to see. He is older now, after all. I wonder if he feels any shame whatsoever. Who knows, maybe he will confess. I know... chances are practically zero but maybe.

 

[Sigrun]

i think i recall reading it was the Wilmar regional treatment center. Now that place is a drug and alcohol treatment center. If it was back then, and that is what he was there, middle school is pretty young to have such a problem with that that you need to be forced into treatment for it.

Yes, it is. I just posted the name a couple of posts back. It had youth there for adolescent emotional problems, so I'm guessing that is the nexus with the POI.

 

[thenotebook]

On MPR (MN Public Radio) today they did an interview with Caroline Lowe, who was a long-time crime reporter in MN (and is a cop as well I believe). She said it was unprecedented that they did a full scale press conference and released so much information. She absolutely believes they have more info on Heinrich and they wouldn't have gone to so much trouble otherwise.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/10/30/jacob-wetterling-case-where-it-stands

 

[bucshunter]

Does anyone know how long the DNA technology has been around that helped LE identify DJH as JS's perp?

I feel somewhat angry that LE knew who DJH was all along, and the DNA evidence was there all these years. I realize in 1990 they would not have been able to make a match, but when?

Perhaps I am taking my frustration out inappropriately. The fact that the SOL has run out in JS's case is beyond frustrating. But I feel like local LE botched both JS's investigation and JEW's. If not for the attention Joy and Jared brought to these cases, would DJH be free man to this day? From the press conference yesterday I had the impression the FBI played a bigger roll in apprehending DJH. One year ago they revisited the case, and I have to imagine that is due to the attention thanks to Joy, Jared, Eloc and others.

It does strengthen my feelings on the difference amateur sleuthing can make in these cold cases and makes me feel proud to be a member of this website.

Joy, Jared Eloc yes they deserve kudos here...the local agency may have been the ones that loused this up...Jared may have quite a case against them

 

[NewEyes]

They have not given any detail on the 4 totes of boys clothes that were found. Do you suppose the information is there to lead him to JW?

 

[liz b.]

It was about 75 yards from the roadway parked along the side of DR's driveway.

TY. It does sound as though he parked and was waiting for the boys on their way home. And if the boys had gone someplace else other than that route home, well, the abductor could simply have waited for his next opportunity. jmo

 

[Ifollowthis]

We have not heard the address in St JOE where Heinrich lived have we? It was not the same time that Jacob went missing right?

 

[Sigrun]

We have not heard the address in St JOE where Heinrich lived have we? It was not the same time that Jacob went missing right?

Time of abduction: 121 Washburne Avenue Paynesville, not St. Joe. (with mother)
After abduction: 16021 CR 124 Paynesville (his father and another 17 year-old male unnamed)

I am not aware of any St. Joe address for the POI.

 

[NewEyes]

No, he lived in Paynesville with his mother at the time of the abduction and in November, moved out to live in the basement of his fathers house along with an unnamed 17yr old male. Now he lives in Annandale, but where was he in the years in between?

 

[Sigrun]

No, he lived in Paynesville with his mother at the time of the abduction and in November, moved out to live in the basement of his fathers house along with an unnamed 17yr old male. Now he lives in Annandale, but where was he in the years in between?

Skip traces show:

Annandale,MN
Saint Cloud,MN
Benson,MN
Paynesville,MN
Waite Park,MN

I'll have to dig into each to get all the dates.

Update: He moved around a lot so these dates are approximate:

Annandale,MN ?
Saint Cloud,MN 4 years
Benson,MN 3 years
Paynesville,MN ~ 30 years
Waite Park,MN 10 years (order uncertain)

His residency was sketchy and he shows multiple addresses at the same time in some instances, but he appears to have remained in the Paynesville area until Aug 1994 when he moved to Waite Park.

He also had relatives and other info I can't post.

 

[Sasquatch321]

“No way. There's no way. He would never carry a gun or anything like that. He has never had a gun,” Heinrich’s brother said.


http://www.fox9.com/news/41621282-story

 

[Jennifermn]

I found some dates, but they often overlap and skip around quite a bit.

Annandale - 2008-2015
Paynesville (South St.) - 2004-2008
Benson - 2003-2005
Paynesville - (Spruce St.) - 1997-1999
Waite Park - 1988-1997
Paynesville - (Maple St.) - 1988-1992

I didn't post the full addresses (not sure if that's okay or not) so I just listed the street names, but no house numbers on the Paynesville addresses since there were three listed.

 

[ELOCsoul]

Time of abduction: 121 Washburne Avenue Paynesville, not St. Joe. (with mother)
After abduction: 16021 CR 124 Paynesville (his father and another 17 year-old male unnamed)

I am not aware of any St. Joe address for the POI.

FBI profilers note that a person who commits a heinous crime such as the kidnapping of a child, or murder, often move to a new residence a few weeks after the crime.

 

[NewEyes]

Do we know anything about additional attacks in or around any of these residence locations in the years after Jacob's disappearance? It's hard to believe anybody this sick could give up his behavior abruptly. Unless something went so wrong with Jacob that it scared him from ever attacking again?

 

[Sigrun]

FBI profilers note that a person who commits a heinous crime such as the kidnapping of a child, or murder, often move to a new residence a few weeks after the crime.

Exactly, and this appears to be about 4 weeks after.

 

[Sigrun]

Do we know anything about additional attacks in or around any of these residence locations in the years after Jacob's disappearance? It's hard to believe anybody this sick could give up his behavior abruptly. Unless something went so wrong with Jacob that it scared him from ever attacking again?

Exactly what I'm wondering. I'm wondering if there are any cases in any of these towns, or areas nearby.

 

[sidvix59]

LE and the FBI had shoeprint and tire evidence from this guy 2 months after Jacobs kidnapping. Since they are releasing that information now and only naming him a POI, then why didn't they name him 26 years ago? It makes sense to wait if it brings a charge, but thats not happening.

To me this baffles me, how much they had on this guy (yes not enough to arrest) compared to how little they had on DR, but they named DR, searched him how many times, when it appears they have this guys footprints car prints with Jacobs at the point the sent ends? Unless Dr's car and shoe size also matches, he should never had been a named poi.

Sure we will never know but I wonder how much of this arrest was FBI/BCA versus Sheriff.

Seems to me they could have brought this guy in at the Statute of limations for Jared and at least tried.

 

[just jen]

I'm wondering... since one of the other boys with Jacob (I believe the initials were AL?) was also assaulted, though briefly before the perp took off with Jacob- it is mentioned he was fondled above his clothes I believe... I wonder if that item of clothing was saved, DNA (or possible hairs, fibers, something) was obtained from it and, while Heinrich is being held on the *advertiser censored* charges, a "front of the line" DNA comparison is being done to see if there is a match. That would be open and shut case then.

I full well believe Heinrich is 'our guy'.

<modsnip>

 

[Sigrun]

There may in fact be more to the story:

http://www.inforum.com/news/3872351...d-speculation-about-thursdays-wetterling-news

His summary is what some have said here: the Feds wouldn't be linking him to the JEW case unless they already know he did it.

 

[shergal]

Wonder if Heinrich and Feeney know each other. If Feeney was the "medical cop" at Tom thumb, perhaps he and heinrich worked together? Feeney admitted to being in the area that night

Or maybe they shared the same child *advertiser censored*. I wonder how many of these guys we have looked at (in our who's who) were on the same internet forums Heinrich was.