MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #12

[HEY YOU!]

The perp HAD to see the boys on the way to Tom Thumb since NO cars passed them on the way back. All occupants of cars that passed them on their way to the store have been cleared.

That means the perp was very near to the abduction location already. They KNEW the boys would be coming back that way. They only had 15-20 minutes to get into position and put on a bulky coat, boots, grab a gun and put black pantyhose over their head and get to abduction location.

 

[scotgirl]

Perhaps the focus on the farmhouse is the right way to go as it fits with someone from there seeing them on the way down and waiting for their return. Could there have been anyone with DR that night who carried out the abduction, thereby involving DR in the clear up. Someone he would cover for. He may regret that now but feel he would be crucified if he came clean. I know there has been some previous discussion on whether he had anyone with him but would there be any way to investigate that now?. After all his parents were away, having the place to yourself would be a good time to have friend(s) over.

 

[HEY YOU!]

Who was so confident that they could walk up a private driveway with a boy at gunpoint with no worries of a resident walking out of their home or coming up or down the driveway in a vehicle? Who would risk being caught in a kidnapping? This perp was careful enough to disguise their face with black stockings and body with a bulky coat, why be so careless as to risk getting caught on someone's driveway? How did that perp know that he would be safe in that location?

 

[scotgirl]

Maybe someone who knew that resident

 

[HEY YOU!]

Maybe someone who knew that resident

There is no evidence of a guest at the DR home that night.

 

[scotgirl]

Did the sketch of the two drivers, the one with the black hair and beard and the other with the glasses turn out to be a couple of the drivers they needed to account for?

 

[scotgirl]

Wow sorry it's so big. Not very good at this

 

[HEY YOU!]

With all due respect, scotgirl you need to read back through the old threads. As we've said, all drivers that passed the boys on the way to Tom Thumb were accounted for and cleared.

 

[Trino]

Who was so confident that they could walk up a private driveway with a boy at gunpoint with no worries of a resident walking out of their home or coming up or down the driveway in a vehicle? Who would risk being caught in a kidnapping? This perp was careful enough to disguise their face with black stockings and body with a bulky coat, why be so careless as to risk getting caught on someone's driveway? How did that perp know that he would be safe in that location?

This is not an inner city driveway. It's a longer drive to a farm house.

 

[scotgirl]

With all due respect, scotgirl you need to read back through the old threads. As we've said, all drivers that passed the boys on the way to Tom Thumb were accounted for and cleared.

I know they were all accounted for what i'm saying is are these two sketchs those drivers or have they never been identified

 

[shergal]

I know they were all accounted for what i'm saying is are these two sketchs those drivers or have they never been identified

I don't know if they were ever identified, (I don't believe LE has disclosed that) but these are guys who were seen driving in the area in the week before the abduction happened. I could tell you who they look exactly like to me, the one on the right was probably the art student because he looks just like a local artist I used to work with. The guy on the left looks exactly like a guy who used to bike all over town, but is dead now. We don't even know if they were related to Jacob's abduction, they were just seen driving in that area.

I agree with Hey You that you should go back to thread 4 and 5 and read there, lots of this has already been discussed. It's a lot of reading, but interesting.

 

[shergal]

The 20/20 show on Jacob is going to be televised again for anyone who missed it earlier. This is not the John Walsh show, but is an earlier show hosted by Chris Cuomo and titled "A Mother's Search" which had a reenactment of the crime. The general consensus by posters here when watching it earlier was that some parts of the reenactment weren't accurate, they had the abductor coming from the north of the road, instead of the east, but overall it was well done.

Monday 20th October 2014
6:00pm 20/20 on ID » A Mother's Search on Investigation Discovery HD

"Patty Wetterling's 11-year-old son is kidnapped; Patty turns her search into a national crusade to find other missing children."

"20/20 on Investigation Discovery" is on channel 192 on DISH, Channel 254 on Charter cable, and Channel 285 on Direct TV.
If you don't live in the St. Cloud area you can find which channel it is on for you here:
http://www.investigationdiscovery.com/channel-finder.htm

 

[HEY YOU!]

This is not an inner city driveway. It's a longer drive to a farm house.

True, but that doesn't dismiss the fact that the perp felt comfortable there. The perp went to the trouble of disguising themselves so they don't get recognized which means they are trying to be careful. Following that line of thought, why park on a private driveway and take that risk? Why not park your car in that area across from DR driveway instead? That would have made more sense then parking in a private driveway.

 

[scotgirl]

I don't know if they were ever identified, (I don't believe LE has disclosed that) but these are guys who were seen driving in the area in the week before the abduction happened. I could tell you who they look exactly like to me, the one on the right was probably the art student because he looks just like a local artist I used to work with. The guy on the left looks exactly like a guy who used to bike all over town, but is dead now. We don't even know if they were related to Jacob's abduction, they were just seen driving in that area.

I agree with Hey You that you should go back to thread 4 and 5 and read there, lots of this has already been discussed. It's a lot of reading, but interesting.

Well thanks at least for answering my question. I realise it's probably annoying for long time posters to go over old ground but there are LOADS of posts on Jacob's story. Perhaps i'll not bother posting anything else until i get the chance to read back through the threads. It might be worth bearing in mind that sometimes new discussion of old topics can lead to different directions.

 

[Caoutchouc]

Don't let people get u down, scotgirl. There's a fine line between due diligence and fresh eyes. Plus a) much of what has been discussed is NOT fact and shouldn't be taken as such b) a ton has been erased recently due to a massive purge of posts which were considered to be in violation of WS rules and c) just because you're new or haven't posted a ton doesn't mean you don't have valuable insight. I lurked for years before signing up for an account.

 

[j123]

True, but that doesn't dismiss the fact that the perp felt comfortable there. The perp went to the trouble of disguising themselves so they don't get recognized which means they are trying to be careful. Following that line of thought, why park on a private driveway and take that risk? Why not park your car in that area across from DR driveway instead? That would have made more sense then parking in a private driveway.

What is the concrete evidence that he felt comfortable, though? For all we know, he may have been thanking his lucky stars and laughing at the police for not catching him. If someone did happen to see him, he had a disguise, a gun, and a hostage; realistically, there was very little anybody could have done to stop him aside from calling the police. There are many places besides DR's driveway that would have been true. And any other witnesses that came about inadvertently wouldn't have better information than the two he knowingly created. I completely see your point, and I think it's very likely you're onto something. But I also wouldn't be surprised if he thought he was taking an enormous risk.

 

[chaplain1]

Don't let people get u down, scotgirl. There's a fine line between due diligence and fresh eyes. Plus a) much of what has been discussed is NOT fact and shouldn't be taken as such b) a ton has been erased recently due to a massive purge of posts which were considered to be in violation of WS rules and c) just because you're new or haven't posted a ton doesn't mean you don't have valuable insight. I lurked for years before signing up for an account.

Agree, we are just showing we care for Jacob. I have my opinions, but I am glad others are looking at it too.

DR proactively reached Joy to get out something else that questions his role. Unfortunately, without the car tracks it is hard to see how he w.as not involved, especially given weird behavior Sas quack has mentioned.

1) Jared is courageous and awesome for doing media.

But, why would someone not bother to disguise themselves in a town 15 minutes away but wear a mask in jw's case? Also, with the other cases, one child was snatched and molested.

2) another premise the curious one has thrown out is that they were not many "sociopathic" child sex offenders at the time. I believe at least three halfway houses existed in the town plus the well known abbey program for religious. All of these people were investigated.
3) who else would have been comfortable enough to do this crime but dr? Only other possibility is some kind of child accident, but hard to believe they would have hidden this for 25 years

 

[human]

This is not an inner city driveway. It's a longer drive to a farm house.

And that is why it is more incredible.


Living out in the country, first of all, one does not know if the residents will greet you with a gun.

Being found on a long driveway makes the warning signals go off in a person who may run across someone on their driveway at night. We who live in the country do not take kindly to strangers on our driveways. As a matter of fact, we who live on roads that are not well traveled are very aware of cars on the road because it is not that usual

 

[HEY YOU!]

Agree, we are just showing we care for Jacob. I have my opinions, but I am glad others are looking at it too.

DR proactively reached Joy to get out something else that questions his role. Unfortunately, without the car tracks it is hard to see how he w.as not involved, especially given weird behavior Sas quack has mentioned.

1) Jared is courageous and awesome for doing media. Why would someone not bother to disguise themselves in a town 15 minutes away but wear a mask in jw's case? Also, with the other cases, one child was snatched and molested.
2) another premise the curious one has thrown out is that they were not may "sociopathic" child sex offenders at the time. I believe at least three halfway houses existed in the town plus the well known abbey program for religious. All of these people were investigated.
3) who else would have been comfortable enough to do this crime but dr? Only other possibility is some kind of child accident, but hard to believe they would have hidden this for 25 years

Why did DR reach out to Joy and not to Patty to clear his name?
I don't believe Jared and Jacob are connected. Different MOs and description.
There is no other POI.
DR is the only person placed at the scene of the crime.
When Patty asked DR if maybe this was a prank gone wrong, I thought that may be a possibility. Maybe DR was too crushed to tell her the truth? If that's the case, then he really needs to give them closure.
I honestly think it was a pre-planned fantasy turned reality for DR. I'm sure he had seen these kids before and knew where they were going and where they were coming back to except this time his parents were gone and it was pitch black. He disguised his face with his mother's black stockings and his body with a bulky coat. In reality, he only had just enough time to carry it out. Just my opinion.

 

[Caoutchouc]

Why did DR reach out to Joy and not to Patty to clear his name?

*shortened to respond in part

I think this might show DR's lack of sociopathic tendencies and dare I say even support his innocence.

Think about it. A true sociopath would've gone directly to Patty. Plus, as a named POI he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. I can't blame him for not going to her first. (I also don't think he abducted Jacob. It just doesn't fit)