MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #15

[ELOCsoul]

I see the book details says something about 11 POI's. Are 10 of those people discovered and looked at before Kevin came forward?

Where do you see something about 11 POI`s?

 

[ELOCsoul]

Which Sheriff worked the longest on the case? We know Charlie Grafft retired soon after the abduction. Does anyone know how long Kastreba was on it before Sanner took over?

I believe that Sanner and Kostreba are about even in that regard. Sanner took over just before Kevin came forward...

 

[Sasquatch321]

Where do you see something about 11 POI`s?

My mistake, it says Chapter 11 "persons of interest". What I'm saying is the only info released as to a suspect since 2003 are DR, Hubers, Feeney, and the death of Seitz. There are a host of old suspects before that, during the quest to find the vehicle that left the tire tracks.

 

[livstabler]

I wonder how long it took DR to get to work the next morning. If he did have Jacob in his car which wasn't searched as he left the next morning where could he have gone to get rid of the body/evidence before arriving at school. Although that's pretty brazen to assume he wouldn't get searched on the way out. Takes some stones to do it right under LE's nose.

Wouldn't be that much out of the way to stop at the quarries on his way to work...

 

[nmogren]

I just saw on the news that a 5 year old boy was run over in St. Joe today and the driver fled.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kemo]

This thread has been at an impasse for years yet it continues to generate active participation from quite a few posters. The teaser on this thread is that a horrific crime has occurred and all POI's have been eliminated except one. But, and it is a big "but", no evidence against this POI has been disclosed or leaked.

Some of us seem to trust the judgement of Sheriff Sanner and assume that he is holding back some compelling evidence. Other seem to be inclined to exercise the presumption of innocence when no evidence has been presented. I am among the latter.

I think one of the reasons some folks continue to believe DR is guilty, is that there are simply no POI's left and without any "strong" suspect, the case becomes unsolvable. Someone might confess or some critical evidence might turn up, but there is nothing proactive that .Law Enforcement can do.

Based on my own experience as an amateur sleuth, I am suspicious that there really is no evidence being held back. Once DR was identified as a POI, there must have been contact between the School Board, the college and any other employer DR may have had and Law Enforcement at a very high level. It would further the case against DR if he were to lose his employment or experience suspicion and alienation from his support network and it would be unconscionable to let him continue to work with children if there was any real evidence that he did this crime. The fact that he continues to work with the apparent support of his employers and coworkers convinces me that Sanner had nothing of substance on DR. (In is true that the school district would have had a hard time firing him, DR would have no contractual protection with the college. They could have non-renewed his contract without any particular justification.

 

[Sasquatch321]

This thread has been at an impasse for years yet it continues to generate active participation from quite a few posters. The teaser on this thread is that a horrific crime has occurred and all POI's have been eliminated except one. But, and it is a big "but", no evidence against this POI has been disclosed or leaked.

Some of us seem to trust the judgement of Sheriff Sanner and assume that he is holding back some compelling evidence. Other seem to be inclined to exercise the presumption of innocence when no evidence has been presented. I am among the latter.

I think one of the reasons some folks continue to believe DR is guilty, is that there are simply no POI's left and without any "strong" suspect, the case becomes unsolvable. Someone might confess or some critical evidence might turn up, but there is nothing proactive that .Law Enforcement can do.

Based on my own experience as an amateur sleuth, I am suspicious that there really is no evidence being held back. Once DR was identified as a POI, there must have been contact between the School Board, the college and any other employer DR may have had and Law Enforcement at a very high level. It would further the case against DR if he were to lose his employment or experience suspicion and alienation from his support network and it would be unconscionable to let him continue to work with children if there was any real evidence that he did this crime. The fact that he continues to work with the apparent support of his employers and coworkers convinces me that Sanner had nothing of substance on DR. (In is true that the school district would have had a hard time firing him, DR would have no contractual protection with the college. They could have non-renewed his contract without any particular justification.

He is the only public named POI 21 years after the abduction. As to paragraph 1, there is a batch of circumstancial evidence against DR right now-

1. Newspaper clippings of the abduction
2. A journal withth his thoughts about the case
3. Photos related to the abduction
4. A cedar chest with traces of blood
5. Umbrella stand
6. Lawn chair
7. LE asks him to confess and just end it
8. LE accuses him of changing his stories
9. When did he become a witness?
10. Crosses under the crime scene tape
11. No response to Pattys Letter
12. Pattys letter found amongst his box of newspaper clippings journal videotapes and photos
13. Publically labled a POI
14. Videotaped news recordings of the abduction
15. In an interview he begins by saying he hopes jacob is out there somewhere, then later doubts the crime will ever be solved.

I have to believe naming a POi 21 years after the abduction means something big. Whether he is responsible or not, something is about to go down soon.

 

[bucshunter]

This thread has been at an impasse for years yet it continues to generate active participation from quite a few posters. The teaser on this thread is that a horrific crime has occurred and all POI's have been eliminated except one. But, and it is a big "but", no evidence against this POI has been disclosed or leaked.

Some of us seem to trust the judgement of Sheriff Sanner and assume that he is holding back some compelling evidence. Other seem to be inclined to exercise the presumption of innocence when no evidence has been presented. I am among the latter.

I think one of the reasons some folks continue to believe DR is guilty, is that there are simply no POI's left and without any "strong" suspect, the case becomes unsolvable. Someone might confess or some critical evidence might turn up, but there is nothing proactive that .Law Enforcement can do.

Based on my own experience as an amateur sleuth, I am suspicious that there really is no evidence being held back. Once DR was identified as a POI, there must have been contact between the School Board, the college and any other employer DR may have had and Law Enforcement at a very high level. It would further the case against DR if he were to lose his employment or experience suspicion and alienation from his support network and it would be unconscionable to let him continue to work with children if there was any real evidence that he did this crime. The fact that he continues to work with the apparent support of his employers and coworkers convinces me that Sanner had nothing of substance on DR. (In is true that the school district would have had a hard time firing him, DR would have no contractual protection with the college. They could have non-renewed his contract without any particular justification.

Excellent post, well done.

 

[Trackergd]

I wonder how long it took DR to get to work the next morning. If he did have Jacob in his car which wasn't searched as he left the next morning where could he have gone to get rid of the body/evidence before arriving at school. Although that's pretty brazen to assume he wouldn't get searched on the way out. Takes some stones to do it right under LE's nose.

DR was not a suspect or POI at that time. LE had no presumption of guilt or suspicion and no reason to search his car, which probably would have required them holding him and the car while a warrant was obtained had he refused to allow a search. To me it appears that it did not even occur to the officers on the scene to stop and search his vehicle the next morning when he was leaving.

 

[Trackergd]

Looking at the current aerial photographs, there is no way in my mind that someone could have mistaken a driveway for a road. If we are honest with ourselves, how many times have any of us driven down a driveway thinking it was a road? I lived in Texas for a while and the farm driveways are much the same, as they are in rural parts of Pennsylvania and other states. I never mistook a driveway for a road.

 

[Trino]

He is the only public named POI 21 years after the abduction. As to paragraph 1, there is a batch of circumstancial evidence against DR right now-

1. Newspaper clippings of the abduction
2. A journal withth his thoughts about the case
3. Photos related to the abduction
4. A cedar chest with traces of blood
5. Umbrella stand
6. Lawn chair
7. LE asks him to confess and just end it
8. LE accuses him of changing his stories
9. When did he become a witness?
10. Crosses under the crime scene tape
11. No response to Pattys Letter
12. Pattys letter found amongst his box of newspaper clippings journal videotapes and photos
13. Publically labled a POI
14. Videotaped news recordings of the abduction
15. In an interview he begins by saying he hopes jacob is out there somewhere, then later doubts the crime will ever be solved.

I have to believe naming a POi 21 years after the abduction means something big. Whether he is responsible or not, something is about to go down soon.

It's been 5 years since naming a POI (21 years), yet he has never been charged. Something big is about to go down soon? What is "soon?"

Just a couple of comments...
What does crossing under the crime tape have to do with anything? He was asking how he was supposed to get out of his driveway to go to work.
Numbers 4, 5, and 6 are irrelevant, since nothing has come from them.
Number 7: would you confess to a crime you did not commit?

Actually, I hope Jacob is out there somewhere, but I doubt the crime will ever be solved. Am I a POI?

 

[thenotebook]

This thread has been at an impasse for years yet it continues to generate active participation from quite a few posters. The teaser on this thread is that a horrific crime has occurred and all POI's have been eliminated except one. But, and it is a big "but", no evidence against this POI has been disclosed or leaked.

Some of us seem to trust the judgement of Sheriff Sanner and assume that he is holding back some compelling evidence. Other seem to be inclined to exercise the presumption of innocence when no evidence has been presented. I am among the latter.

I think one of the reasons some folks continue to believe DR is guilty, is that there are simply no POI's left and without any "strong" suspect, the case becomes unsolvable. Someone might confess or some critical evidence might turn up, but there is nothing proactive that .Law Enforcement can do.

Based on my own experience as an amateur sleuth, I am suspicious that there really is no evidence being held back. Once DR was identified as a POI, there must have been contact between the School Board, the college and any other employer DR may have had and Law Enforcement at a very high level. It would further the case against DR if he were to lose his employment or experience suspicion and alienation from his support network and it would be unconscionable to let him continue to work with children if there was any real evidence that he did this crime. The fact that he continues to work with the apparent support of his employers and coworkers convinces me that Sanner had nothing of substance on DR. (In is true that the school district would have had a hard time firing him, DR would have no contractual protection with the college. They could have non-renewed his contract without any particular justification.

While I agree with your comments about DR, he is not the only POI in the case. There are other suspects that have not been cleared. They just haven't been publicly named.

That said, I completely agree that if LE had anything at all on DR, even the smallest piece of evidence...he would have been arrested, charged, and certainly removed from his teaching position. The fact that NOTHING has come to light 5 years later and he's still teaching means they have absolutely nothing on him IMO.

 

[Trino]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/authorities-kids-adult-custody-30276072

Interesting case. Would the Wetterlings be in a similar situation had this happened today?

 

[Ifollowthis]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/authorities-kids-adult-custody-30276072

Interesting case. Would the Wetterlings be in a similar situation had this happened today?

Probably, a lot of us 1970s and prior parents would be. I am so glad my kids got to be free range kids. Ten and have to be with a parent is ridiculous, my ten years old would have been embarrassed to have mom with him all the time.

 

[Trackergd]

I may be a lone voice in the wilderness, but I still think the Kevin's account of his activity the day of the abduction is BS.

 

[chaplain1]

I may be a lone voice in the wilderness, but I still think the Kevin's account of his activity the day of the abduction is BS.

Can you say more?

 

[Cappuccino]

I may be a lone voice in the wilderness, but I still think the Kevin's account of his activity the day of the abduction is BS.

He certainly sounds like a strange one.

 

[thenotebook]

He sounds like a made-up person, but I suppose he must be real if Joy was able to interview him. The whole story is fishy.

 

[Cappuccino]

I can't figure out how it took police all those years to know about him when he says he spoke to a police officer at the scene that night.

 

[kemo]

A big problem with Kevin's story is that it was 15 year after it happened that he came forward. Memory can be tricky. It isn't just that, over time, we forget details, but that we "remember" things wrong. I hope the police got to the girlfriend immediately and got a detailed statement from her as well as the others involved in the story.

Something that has always struck me as fishy about this case is the fact that no one from Law Enforcement came knocking on DR's door right away to see if he had seen or heard anything.