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

[Dave K]

Anyone know which agency gave DR his polygraph and "cleared" him on that basis? When one of the buildings on DR's property burned down, was LE ever able to take samples of the ashes? Would the dogs have alerted to that location prior to it burning down though (or after)? If DR had kept JW in his house, then somehow managed to hide him in one of the outbuildings -- wouldn't the dogs have alerted in either his house or at an outside structure on the property? Was DR's car checked by dogs? Why were the police less than thorough when initially investigating him? The FBI was called in early -- I'm disappointed that they were unable to locate any evidence.

I have no knowledge of who administered DR's Polygraph. It's also, my understanding that they have not even shared the results of it with him, much less anyone else; so, I think that it's never been put out that the polygraph 'cleared' him; however, it's a good point, that they've had the polygraph results all along, and they never seemed too interested in him till many years later, just a few years ago; so, from that, it's somewhat safe to assume that he didn't look that bad according to the polygraph! At least that would be my thinking, at this time. Also, I really agree with you; the FBI was in this Early On, and I'm just Really Disappointed that there has not been better results because of that.

 

[shergal]

Here are features on Jacob from tonight's (10/22/14) 10 pm news.

FOX 9 (Has video):
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/26868557/porch-lights-on-for-jacob-wetterling-a-25th-time

CBS4 (Has video):
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/...mother-continues-searching-for-answers-jacob/

ABC5 (No video):
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S3597547.shtml

 

[human]

Personally, to me, the concept that LE automatically discounted a vehicle being involved, when they heard from Kevin; is Completely Bogus!!! Makes no sense to me at all, and frankly, I don't think any other combination of circumstances can even come close to ruling out that a vehicle was used. Following that; the whole issue of cars in/or Not in the driveway is a pretty complex subject, with pretty much area for speculation; but, also with not much of anything solid that we, or anyone, has to go by. I'm personally, not ready to speculate on that just yet.

And they have DR as a POI why? Because there are no available child molesters ?

And the BCA ,FBI, and Stearns county decided to spend thousand of dollars to dig up rhe farm because.....?

 

[Dave K]

And they have DR as a POI why? Because there are no available child molesters ?

And the BCA ,FBI, and Stearns county decided to spend thousand of dollars to dig up rhe farm because.....?

Well, I'm somewhat new here. I first became familiar with the story when it first aired on "The Hunt" on CNN on Sep 1st. But, I recorded that and re-watched it several times; following that, I've only been reading this site for a couple of weeks now, but, I have read an awful lot, before I posted anything which was last night for the first time. I've also read a considerable amount from other sources in the net. Following that, it's my understanding, and hopefully you or anyone else will correct me if I'm wrong, but, as far as I'm understanding, DR had never really been considered a POI, at least not the Single, or the Most Significant POI, until like 2003 or 2004 when Kevin came forward and talked about having been in the driveway. As far as I can see, this is correct and DR had for many years not really been a POI, at least to any extent, although he was interviewed, polygraphed, and all, which would only be natural due to his proximity to the crime scene; and frankly, as I stated in an earlier post, I think there is No Way that his house and property should have Not been searched that night or secured that night and searched the next day! But, again, to me, it makes No Sense, that they heard from Kevin and automatically concluded that there was No Vehicle involved in Jacob's abduction. I feel like I should be putting Kevin in quotes, like "Kevin" because really I'm not certain if anyone Really Knows much about him. I'd be curious if anyone can clarify that about DR not really being a POI until 2003/4.

 

[shergal]

Well, I'm somewhat new here. I first became familiar with the story when it first aired on "The Hunt" on CNN on Sep 1st. But, I recorded that and re-watched it several times; following that, I've only been reading this site for a couple of weeks now, but, I have read an awful lot, before I posted anything which was last night for the first time. I've also read a considerable amount from other sources in the net. Following that, it's my understanding, and hopefully you or anyone else will correct me if I'm wrong, but, as far as I'm understanding, DR had never really been considered a POI, at least not the Single, or the Most Significant POI, until like 2003 or 2004 when Kevin came forward and talked about having been in the driveway. As far as I can see, this is correct and DR had for many years not really been a POI, at least to any extent, although he was interviewed, polygraphed, and all, which would only be natural due to his proximity to the crime scene; and frankly, as I stated in an earlier post, I think there is No Way that his house and property should have Not been searched that night or secured that night and searched the next day! But, again, to me, it makes No Sense, that they heard from Kevin and automatically concluded that there was No Vehicle involved in Jacob's abduction. I feel like I should be putting Kevin in quotes, like "Kevin" because really I'm not certain if anyone Really Knows much about him. I'd be curious if anyone can clarify that about DR not really being a POI until 2003/4.

DR was not named as a POI until AFTER LE searched his gravel pit, farm and home in 2010.

 

[Sasquatch321]

DR was not named as a POI until AFTER LE searched his gravel pit, farm and home in 2010.

What kind of read can be made from that? To me it's the great answer in disguise.

 

[Trino]

And they have DR as a POI why? Because there are no available child molesters ?

And the BCA ,FBI, and Stearns county decided to spend thousand of dollars to dig up rhe farm because.....?

IMO because some new investigators decided to make a name for themselves.

 

[Trackergd]

Please explain why LE pretty much eliminated a car when Kevin came forward?

The car would have had to back up-- highly unlikely on a dark driveway or it would have had to drive to the house and come back down the driveway.

So we have Kevin's car and the mysterious car with a child and woman.

No need to mention any of that though when talking to LE and they say there was a kidnapping at the end of the driveway.

Perhaps LE would have gotten more response if they had mentioned that there were wood thieves out. Now that would have been IMPORTANT!

Driving up a driveway and parking on a driveway that is so narrow that if the homeowner came out in a car, one would be BUSTED!

To me , the whole scene is ludicrous,

I guess I have reviewed about 6 photographs of the abduction area. I did not see any "backup" marks in any of them. That should have been very obvious.

 

[Trackergd]

What kind of read can be made from that? To me it's the great answer in disguise.

It might be. I have tried very hard not to fixate on DR to the exclusion of anyone else, notably because if DR is the guilty party, he might have had help. Then again, with what I have seen so far in evidence (and lack thereof). I am wondering if DR was named a POI simply to show "something" was being done, even if it was "smoke and mirrors".

 

[scotgirl]

Question for Tracker. DR stated that earlier that day a tan car had come up his driveway and turned very quickly in his yard and sped away. Why then by the next day were there no signs of that car. Only signs of what LE decided were Kevin's car tracks. Is it not possible then that due to the type of surface on the drive car tracks were easily erased/unreadable. If i was the abductor i would reverse up the drive for a quick getaway probably only to the point where Jacob's footprints stop.

 

[scotgirl]

The car that DR saw with the woman/child in the seat must have been Kevin's. If it had been the kidnappers then DR would have seen another car (Kevin's) after that since he was awake by then. He did also say that he wasn't sure if it was a false memory formed during the hypnosis that he saw the woman/child. I agree with you Tracker about the smoke and mirrors theory. So many leads, so many possible suspects. It seems like so many good possibilities which just seem to disappear into the investigation and all we are told is it didn't pan out. Why? i want to know why some of these suspects were ruled out.

 

[HEY YOU!]

What is the distance between Kiwi Ct and Tom Thumb?
What time was the phone call to their parents?
What time did boys leave their house to go to Tom Thumb?

 

[Trackergd]

Question for Tracker. DR stated that earlier that day a tan car had come up his driveway and turned very quickly in his yard and sped away. Why then by the next day were there no signs of that car. Only signs of what LE decided were Kevin's car tracks. Is it not possible then that due to the type of surface on the drive car tracks were easily erased/unreadable. If i was the abductor i would reverse up the drive for a quick getaway probably only to the point where Jacob's footprints stop.

Very good points. If there are no track signs of the car coming up the driveway, turning around and no "explode off's" from rapid acceleration, was there ever a tan car? It's hard to erase tracks. Why? because when you erase tracks, you erase everything...it is unusual to find undisturbed ground. Birds, animals, insects and humans leave tracks all over the place...to have an area devoid of any prints screams "something is unusual here". I found prints and evidence of human activity on the dry lake bed at Groom Lake NV. About the most inhospitable place I have ever been.

 

[Trackergd]

The car that DR saw with the woman/child in the seat must have been Kevin's. If it had been the kidnappers then DR would have seen another car (Kevin's) after that since he was awake by then. He did also say that he wasn't sure if it was a false memory formed during the hypnosis that he saw the woman/child. I agree with you Tracker about the smoke and mirrors theory. So many leads, so many possible suspects. It seems like so many good possibilities which just seem to disappear into the investigation and all we are told is it didn't pan out. Why? i want to know why some of these suspects were ruled out.

I wonder how many individuals interviewed and suspects cleared were family members of LE and families of "influence and high regard" in the St Paul area? I have never got an answer to that question.

 

[Trino]

I wonder how many individuals interviewed and suspects cleared were family members of LE and families of "influence and high regard" in the St Paul area? I have never got an answer to that question.

You may mean the St. Cloud area?

 

[Matthew1026]

What is the distance between Kiwi Ct and Tom Thumb?
What time was the phone call to their parents?
What time did boys leave their house to go to Tom Thumb?

According to Google Maps the distance from Kiwi Ct to Tom Thumb would have been about 1.35 miles.

 

[thenotebook]

Call me crazy, but I took a walk tonight to the spot where Jacob was abducted. It’s surprising how dark it gets after you pass Dale Street, even with so many porch lights on in the neighborhood… I almost turned around and headed back home. I can only imagine how much darker it would have been 25 years ago when there would have been less lights to light up the sky. I got to the end of the driveway about 9:15, about the same time that the boys were approached. IF there was a car parked at the red dot where Jacob’s footprint was, there is NO way that I would have been able to see it. (That is to say if the red dot is placed at the correct spot)

Wow, you are BRAVE!!!

 

[human]

IMO because some new investigators decided to make a name for themselves.

So who are they? No one has heard their names. And if they wanted to make a name, they had a reason to think they would make that name.

Otherwise, why not go for DAH? They could bust open a serial rapist and maybe killer. Now that would make a name.

Instead, we get DR. Ho hum. Plain old guy with glasses. Casper Milquetoast. Boring.

 

[human]

Well, I'm somewhat new here. I first became familiar with the story when it first aired on "The Hunt" on CNN on Sep 1st. But, I recorded that and re-watched it several times; following that, I've only been reading this site for a couple of weeks now, but, I have read an awful lot, before I posted anything which was last night for the first time. I've also read a considerable amount from other sources in the net. Following that, it's my understanding, and hopefully you or anyone else will correct me if I'm wrong, but, as far as I'm understanding, DR had never really been considered a POI, at least not the Single, or the Most Significant POI, until like 2003 or 2004 when Kevin came forward and talked about having been in the driveway. As far as I can see, this is correct and DR had for many years not really been a POI, at least to any extent, although he was interviewed, polygraphed, and all, which would only be natural due to his proximity to the crime scene; and frankly, as I stated in an earlier post, I think there is No Way that his house and property should have Not been searched that night or secured that night and searched the next day! But, again, to me, it makes No Sense, that they heard from Kevin and automatically concluded that there was No Vehicle involved in Jacob's abduction. I feel like I should be putting Kevin in quotes, like "Kevin" because really I'm not certain if anyone Really Knows much about him. I'd be curious if anyone can clarify that about DR not really being a POI until 2003/4.

The R family was super respected. I think until the out of towners came, no one would consider an R in the world of crime.

I am sure they had examined and accounted for tire tracks except for ONE set.

Oops. Kevin. Mystery solved.

These people included the FBI. I think they knew stuff like footprints and tire tracks because of crime in general.

 

[Matthew1026]

I was reviewing the Case Facts thread and noticed one thing that is incorrect in the Who's Who post. FJT is listed as a former parish priest in St. Joseph, but he is actually the current parish priest and he is not an admitted sex offender on restriction.