IA IA - Jodi Huisentruit, 27, Anchorwoman, Mason City, 27 June 1995 #2

[bearfossils]

In light of Chris Revak being mentioned as a possible suspect in the last post:

Forgotten Wisconsin Cold Cases: Christopher Revak - Deadly Connections

[Deidre Harm] was 21 years old when she disappeared while bar hopping in downtown Wisconsin Rapids in 2006. For three years, her case was at a standstill with no credible suspect, until an anonymous tip pointed to Christopher Revak. He was a Wisconsin Rapids native who in 2009 was living and working in Missouri as an EMT.

By the time the Wood County Sheriff’s Department learned about him, he took his own life in jail while awaiting charges in the death of Rene Williams.

They, like us, have a whole lot more questions. For example, if Chris killed two women, are there more victims out there we just don’t know about?

“Obviously if he’s killed two, it’s likely there are more victims, and maybe some lived,” Wood County Sheriff’s Department Detective Lieutenant Scott Goldberg said.

Lt. Goldberg believes there was a sexual element to Chris’s crimes.

For example, the morning after Deidre Harm’s death, Johanna says when Chris got home, he pressured Johanna to have sex. Lt. Goldberg interprets this as Chris likely got some sort of sexual satisfaction from either the idea of or the act of violence.

According to Chris’s brother, Jennifer Beamish and Chris got married after graduating high school and eventually moved down to Missouri.

She didn’t stay there though. At one point, she lived in Mason City, the same town as Jodi. Although police believe Jennifer moved a few months before Jodi disappeared, it doesn’t clear Chris from their list of suspects.

“Her accounts to this date, this time where she was living in Mason City, she distanced herself from Chris and says he never came to see her or spoke with her,” Sgt. Prochaska explained. “Again, that’s something we’re still looking at again today.”

 

[StarryStarryNight]

In light of Chris Revak being mentioned as a possible suspect in the last post:

Forgotten Wisconsin Cold Cases: Christopher Revak - Deadly Connections

Thanks for this.
It makes it easier to try to figure out what the thinking is here.

 

[bearfossils]

Thanks for this.
It makes it easier to try to figure out what the thinking is here.

Not a problem. I was curious about how they established a link as well. To me, it seems like the major factors that contributed to the belief that Revak was involved are that:

• His wife/ex-wife lived in Mason City around the time of Jodi’s abduction, though she moved away a few months before the actual date of the abduction.

• He was a violent offender who had murdered and concealed the bodies of his victims.

To me, the connection is tenuous but worth exploring. After so many years and with such little evidence, any lead is worth fleshing out. However, I think it’s worth noting this quote from the same article:

“The manner that Jodi was taken was not just your normal, ‘I just took somebody out of a bar at the end of the night,’” Mason City PD Sergeant Terrance Prochaska said. “I mean, this was a planned event. This created an opportunity for somebody to be seen and they just got lucky is what happened. That’s the bottom line of this case. Somebody got lucky and I’m hoping to break that luck streak soon.”

Jodi Huisentruit was a morning news anchor at KIMT NEWS in Mason City, Iowa 29 years ago. The Minnesota native was beautiful, friendly, and outgoing. Her job also made her incredibly accessible to the public. Which in an abduction case is never good.

Sgt. Prochaska is the lead investigator on the case and has been working on it for 15 years.

“I had a lot of guys in this case who were obsessed with Jodi,” he added.

Revak found victims in bars he was lingering in, and involved his spouse at the time, to a degree. Jodi wasn’t abducted from a bar, and I have a hard time believing that Revak was lingering around the golfing event she attended the day before, or would really be able to slip into her social life or events. Law enforcement has stated that Jodi’s abduction seemed planned; while Revak took pains to hide the bodies of his victims, he seemed less organized in choosing them.

Also, it’s only a brief sentence, but it speaks volumes coming from a sergeant on the case— there were a multitude of males who were “obsessed” with Jodi, in one way or another.

It’s possible Revak was among these men, but again, there isn’t much in the way of evidence beyond speculation that ties him to Jodi. His modus operandi doesn’t really fit the crime. Him killing himself certainly obstructs any investigation into his involvement, but it’s uncertain that he would admit anything even if he was interviewed. He certainly felt compelled enough to avoid a conversation, let alone a confession to police, by killing himself, so who knows.

Hopefully his significant others and known domiciles have been thoroughly vetted by police for any links to Jodi. I think he’s low on the list for possibilities, though. Possible, but unlikely.

 

[Cedars]

Not a problem. I was curious about how they established a link as well. To me, it seems like the major factors that contributed to the belief that Revak was involved are that:

• His wife/ex-wife lived in Mason City around the time of Jodi’s abduction, though she moved away a few months before the actual date of the abduction.

• He was a violent offender who had murdered and concealed the bodies of his victims.

To me, the connection is tenuous but worth exploring. After so many years and with such little evidence, any lead is worth fleshing out. However, I think it’s worth noting this quote from the same article:



Revak found victims in bars he was lingering in, and involved his spouse at the time, to a degree. Jodi wasn’t abducted from a bar, and I have a hard time believing that Revak was lingering around the golfing event she attended the day before, or would really be able to slip into her social life or events. Law enforcement has stated that Jodi’s abduction seemed planned; while Revak took pains to hide the bodies of his victims, he seemed less organized in choosing them.

Also, it’s only a brief sentence, but it speaks volumes coming from a sergeant on the case— there were a multitude of males who were “obsessed” with Jodi, in one way or another.

It’s possible Revak was among these men, but again, there isn’t much in the way of evidence beyond speculation that ties him to Jodi. His modus operandi doesn’t really fit the crime. Him killing himself certainly obstructs any investigation into his involvement, but it’s uncertain that he would admit anything even if he was interviewed. He certainly felt compelled enough to avoid a conversation, let alone a confession to police, by killing himself, so who knows.

Hopefully his significant others and known domiciles have been thoroughly vetted by police for any links to Jodi. I think he’s low on the list for possibilities, though. Possible, but unlikely.

I agree, the forensic evidence is clear - someone knew where she lived, her early morning schedule at work, where she parked her car...and IMO had a detailed plan of where to take her...

I doubt that late-night bar hoppers would even know about her- they don't watch an early morning TV show that starts at 6 am.

BTW, anyone know how long into the morning her show went?

 

[bearfossils]

BTW, anyone know how long into the morning her show went?

From Beth Bednar’s book Dead Air:

The chilling reports were all over the airwaves that Tuesday morning, June 27, 1995. Jodi Huisentruit had not shown up for her job as morning anchorwoman at KIMT. She was supposed to have arrived at the station between three and three fifteen to begin preparations for the six o’clock morning broadcast. About four o’clock that morning, Amy Kuns, her behind-the-scenes producer on Daybreak, called Jodi’s apartment, apparently waking her. After mumbling a quick apology and giving an assurance that she’d be there as soon as possible, Jodi hung up the phone. That was the last time the two women spoke.

Kuns later admitted one of her first impulses was frustration with Jodi. It wasn’t the first time Jodi had been late, and the two had an agreement that they would call the other if one overslept. Jodi was usually the recipient of that call, according to Kuns, who went ahead and filled the gaps for her colleague, never suspecting that something unthinkable had happened. Jodi’s absence required Kuns to work doubly hard, not only to write and produce the show, but to solo anchor it as well. Kuns was understandably under pressure to meet a deadline, and as a result, she naturally pushed aside any immediate concern about Jodi’s whereabouts in her rush to get the show on the air.

The first call to police concerning Jodi’s disappearance was made by a KIMT staffer just after seven o’clock, when Daybreak was over. The staffer requested that a police officer stop by Jodi’s apartment to check on her. Kuns later commented that she sometimes carried a burden of guilt, being the last person to have talked to Jodi, even though, in hindsight, she no doubt realized that she would have been powerless to change the course of events that unfolded.

 

[Cedars]

From Beth Bednar’s book Dead Air:

Thanks, so it was an hour of local TV from 6 am to 7 am. How many barflies would even be up, and then want to watch a show like that?

The TV station itself likely knew their own demographics. Most likely people getting ready for an early departure to work, but not yet on the road (where they'd listen to radio). Maybe a lonely, early-rising unemployed guy who became obsessed and began stalking her.

 

[acutename]

If there was a hand print on her car, does that mean that they have DNA?

 

[bearfossils]

If there was a hand print on her car, does that mean that they have DNA?

Not sure, but considering it was 1995, I don’t think they would have swabbed for touch DNA. My assumption is that they kept the handprint in the same way they secure fingerprints.

I didn’t think they had DNA in the case, simply because the crime scene was a blitz attack in a parking lot, and Jodi’s body (or the presumed secondary crime scene) has never been found. I tried to look this up, and all I could really find is this blip from Jodi’s page on the Iowa Cold Cases website:

When the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) established a Cold Case Unit in 2009, Huisentruit’s disappearance was one of approximately 150 cases listed on the Cold Case Unit’s new website as those the DCI hoped to solve using latest advancements in DNA technology.

Although federal grant funding for the DCI Cold Case Unit was exhausted in December 2011, the DCI continues to assign agents to investigate cold cases as new leads develop or as technological advances allow for additional forensic testing of original evidence.

The DCI remains committed to the resolution of Iowa’s cold cases and will continue to work diligently with local law enforcement partners to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice for the victims and their families.

Dental information and charting is available and entered in Huisentruit’s case.

A DNA sample has been submitted and tests are complete.

I assume the DNA referenced is Jodi’s DNA, so it can be compared to UIDs or new evidence, if and when found. I’m not entirely sure though, to be honest.

 

[summergirl1]

It could also be DNA from Jody's family to identify her. They have no DNA from whoever did it.

 

[bearfossils]

I agree, the forensic evidence is clear - someone knew where she lived, her early morning schedule at work, where she parked her car...and IMO had a detailed plan of where to take her...

I doubt that late-night bar hoppers would even know about her- they don't watch an early morning TV show that starts at 6 am.

BTW, anyone know how long into the morning her show went?

This is key to identifying and verifying a viable suspect in this case: it was premeditated. To what degree is hard to know because of the size of the suspect pool, and the fact that strangers could develop an obsession with Jodi without knowing her personally or being a part of her social circle. At the very least, the offender was aware of Jodi’s home address and her regular schedule.

The chances that her killer randomly encountered her in a social situation, fixated on her then, and somehow found her home address and waited for her to come out in the early morning hours, seems extremely slim, if not impossible. If we are to believe Vansice, she spent the late evening hours with him, watching home videos from her recent birthday party before leaving his apartment and heading home. Regardless of where she came from, she most likely parked her car, and headed up to her apartment. What happened between then and when she was abducted, in the early morning hours, is unknown.

I doubt some barfly drunk that was lingering around the streets after last call was able to pull any of that off.

 

[summergirl1]

DEC 7, 2024

FindJodi asks for donations to continue search for missing Iowa news anchor

(ABC 6 News) – The organization FindJodi, Inc., a group dedicated to solving the disappearance of Mason City news anchor Jodi Huisentruit, is asking for support to continue its work.FindJodi has worked since 2003 to investigate leads and raise public awareness about Huisentruit’s disappearance...

www.kaaltv.com

On Friday, the organization posted to its website that funds are critically low and outside support is needed to keep the search going. FindJodi is a 100% donation-funded non-profit organization, though it has relied on the funds of its own members in the past to cover expenses.

You can donate to FindJodi here.

On Saturday, Huisentruit’s family created a new Facebook page called Jodi’s Hope.

That facebook page is very informative. There's interesting info about what they think in regards to unsealing the search warrant..

 

[Cryptic]

If there was a hand print on her car, does that mean that they have DNA?

I am thinking..... had the print been left in 2025, maybe. But... with the print being left in 1995, I doubt it.

 

[Cryptic]

If we are to believe Vansice, she spent the late evening hours with him, watching home videos from her recent birthday party before leaving his apartment and heading home.

As a side note, one of the early suspects was an older man who had hosted one of apparently several birthday parties she had that year.

8 track type footage shows him to be large, likely spry and enjoying being the host. He evidently had a platonic friendship with the Jodi- but also mixed in a dose of paternalism.

He survived two search warrants. One at his apartment shortly after Jodi's disappearance and another two years or so after he moved out of the complex. The second warrant was designed to be a: "Surprise! Yes, still on the case. Step aside please, search warrant- again".

Both warrants, however, came up dry.

 

[summergirl1]

I am thinking..... had the print been left in 2025, maybe. But... with the print being left in 1995, I doubt it.

Fingerprint technology has improved, too. But I don't think they have enough evidence from the print that any improvement in fingerprint or DNA technology will ever solve the case that way. Some cases, yes, or perhaps..this case, no.

 

[Megnut]

"As a family, we’ve received a number of inquiries about the legal battle currently playing out in the courts with Jodi’s case. Without getting too deep into the weeds, we all agree that if the release of the information would hinder the investigation in any way, then the search warrant should remain sealed."

Family of Jodi Huisentruit releases statement regarding possible unsealing of search warrant

The family of Jodi Huisentruit has released a statement regarding the possibility of a search warrant being unsealed, in connection to a possible person of interest.

www.kttc.com

 

[StarryStarryNight]

"As a family, we’ve received a number of inquiries about the legal battle currently playing out in the courts with Jodi’s case. Without getting too deep into the weeds, we all agree that if the release of the information would hinder the investigation in any way, then the search warrant should remain sealed."

Family of Jodi Huisentruit releases statement regarding possible unsealing of search warrant

The family of Jodi Huisentruit has released a statement regarding the possibility of a search warrant being unsealed, in connection to a possible person of interest.

www.kttc.com

I will support the family if this is what they want but frankly I’ve always thought after 30 years any unsolved case should be opened up.
If there are still things only the killer would know, keep that sealed. Maybe something in the rest of the file will catch somebody’s attention.

 

[summergirl1]

Without knowing what info is in the search warrant, I'm not sure whether it should remain sealed or not. I'm guessing it will remain so, but we will see..

 

[summergirl1]

Private investigator speaks out regarding potential unsealing of search warrant in Jodi Huisentruit case

A private investigator working the Jodi Huisentruit missing-persons case spoke out in regard to a request for the state of Iowa to unseal a search warrant pertaining to a person of interest in her disappearance.

www.kttc.com

 

[summergirl1]

Lawyers spar in search warrant case tied to Jodi Huisentruit disappearance - Radio Iowa

A judge heard arguments Monday on whether a sealed search warrant as part of the case of missing Mason City TV anchor Jodi Huisentruit should be unsealed. Attorneys representing private investigator Steve Ridge claim the warrant regarding GPS data for two vehicles connected to potential suspect...

www.radioiowa.com

 

[summergirl1]

Why new evidence could be unsealed in cold case of missing Iowa news anchor

www-azfamily-com.cdn.ampproject.org