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Exclusive New Details in the Jacob Wetterling Abduction Case
By Cory Kampschroer
KSTP.com
September 28, 2010
Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner said today tests done at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have not uncovered any new substantial leads in the case, but the case remains under investigation.
Investigators seized several items during this summer’s search of the rural 158-acre St. Joseph farm.
Just as soon as law enforcement officials starting digging up the farm belonging to Daniel Rassier’s parents, Bob and Rita Rassier, we began uncovering new facts about the investigation.
The Stearns County Sheriff has confirmed Daniel Rassier is a person of interest in the Jacob Wetterling abduction. However, Rassier told KSTP.com he had nothing to do with the abduction of Jacob Wetterling.
While police are not revealing exactly what was taken from the property during the two day search that started June 30th, sources have told KSTP.com exactly what was seized.
During the search of the outbuildings and property, investigators removed six truck loads of dirt and ash.
The dirt and ash was taken to a nearby public works building, where investigators sifted through it looking for any evidence in connection with the Jacob Wetterling abduction.
KSTP.com has learned investigators did recover clothing articles and animal bones in the dirt and ash taken from the farm. Some of those items were sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension lab for testing.
Sources tell KSTP.com, investigators removed several items from the farm, including a lawn chair, the base of a patio umbrella stand and a cedar chest. The items had been stored in an area above a four stall garage on the Rassier property.
We have also learned investigators seized a box from Daniel Rassier’s bedroom containing news clippings and articles about the Jacob Wetterling abduction. That box also contained part of Rassier’s journal.
Sources have confirmed to KSTP.com, during this summer’s two-day search, investigators did not have a search warrant for the farm house, but rather just for the outbuildings and property. However, during that first day of the search investigators found enough evidence to go back to a judge and get a warrant for the farm house itself.
This is the third time the Rassier family farm has been searched, the first was immediately after the abduction, the second time was 6 years ago when investigators examined Daniel Rassier’s computer.
Sources also confirm part of the reason why the farm was searched again this summer, was because new investigators took on the case and discovered evidence that had not been examined before. Another reason why investigators converged on the farm this summer is because of advances in technology.
The K-9 searching the Rassier farm was flown to St. Joseph from Louisiana. The K-9 works very closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
We have also learned about a meeting between Daniel Rassier and Patty Wetterling within the past 10-months. Sources tell KSTP.com Wetterling requested a meeting with Daniel Rassier and asked him if he abducted Jacob.
Wetterling also asked Rassier if he had been playing a joke on the three boys and the joke went too far. During the meeting, Rassier told Wetterling what he saw the night Jacob went missing and again told her he had nothing to do with her son’s disappearance. …