The Mystery of Jackie Theel Missing 5 Sept 1944 from Paynesville, MN

[Richard]

The Mystery of Jackie Theel
By Michael Jacobson

On Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1944, six-year-old Jackie Theel attended his first day of school in Paynesville. His mother later told the Press that he had talked about going to school for weeks and was so excited that he did not eat breakfast.
As far as anyone knows, he did not eat lunch either.

Jackie Theel attended only a half day of school. He left school to walk home for lunch that day and disappeared. "He was in first grade, his first day of school. He was supposed to come home for lunch, but we never saw him," said Fay, his younger brother, who was four-years-old when Jackie disappeared.

"When he didn't come home from school, that's when (mom) called the sheriff," said his sister Annabelle (Theel) Krupke, who was 16 when Jackie disappeared.

This picture of Jackie Theel was used in news stories and missing persons reports after his disappearance in Paynesville in September 1944.

"I didn't think it was that big of deal," Annabelle continued, of her first reaction to her brother's disappearance. "In a town the size of Paynesville, I figured someone would see him."

But the mayor and several businessmen could not find Jackie. Then, everybody looked.

For days, family members, Boy Scouts, businessmen, farmers, and hundreds of volunteers searched for Jackie. Farmers were asked to look on their property. Every building in town was searched. The Civilian Air Patrol brought a plane to town to help the search, and bloodhounds were used to trace Jackie's movements.

"It seems to me that the town of Paynesville was pretty much closed down for three days," said Fay, who now lives on Highway 23 between Roscoe and Richmond.

There was nice weather on the first day of school that year, recalled Annabelle. Then, when they started searching for Jackie the next day, the weather turned cold, rainy, and nasty, she said.

His disappearance was statewide news, covered by the daily newspapers and radio.

Clues in the case were few.

Jackie Theel, wearing a blue-and-white sailer's suit, walked from the Theel house - which stood on the corner of Lake Avenue and Railroad Street, a block west of downtown, now an abandoned lot - to school. In 1944, the school was located where the current elementary school stands now.

At 11:30 a.m., his teacher sent Jackie home for lunch, asking him if he knew the way home before letting him go.

Then, according to bloodhounds that later tracked his movements, he walked down Augusta Avenue, a block west of Washburne, when the Theel house was located a block east of Washburne. The bloodhounds tracked Jackie to the Crow River, just west of the North American Creamery (now AMPI). There, the tracks of a small boy were found, going west along the river.

The bloodhounds found Jackie's scent on the west end of town along Highway 23, which ran along the same path in 1944 that it does today. But then the scent disappeared, just like Jackie.

A couple returning from Long Lake, near Hawick that day, reported seeing a small boy wearing a blue suit standing along Highway 23 around 1 p.m. that afternoon.

And, later that evening, two local boys reported seeing "a small boy enter a light grey car on Highway 23" around 4:45 p.m., the Press reported in September 1944.

According to his missing person's description by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Jackie was 37 inches tall, weighed 45 pounds, had blue eyes, blond hair, and a medium build when he disappeared.

"They had no clues," said Fay about the mystery. "They had searched everywhere they could."

Almost immediately, too, rumors started to fly. Annabelle and Fay, in the 60 years since their brother disappeared, have heard all the stories: that Jackie was kidnapped, that he drowned, that their father killed him, that their father sold him, etc.

Unfortunately, parents are suspects in these types of cases because sometimes they are responsible. But their father, according to Annabelle and Fay, was not home the day that Jackie disappeared. He was a trucker and had to be called in South St. Paul to come home, they said.

That did not keep him from being a suspect, though. Their father, Harold, was a loner, said Annabelle. "A man of few words," according to his cousin Manford Theel, who still lives in Paynesville.

They later found bones in the family well, said Annabelle, but they proved to belong to a dog.

And, as to the rumor that their dad sold Jackie, if their dad could have sold kids for $500, he should have sold more, said Annabelle with a laugh. After all, their family did have 15 kids but little money in those days. "You could buy a piece of candy for a penny, and no one had a penny," said Annabelle.

Annabelle and Fay don't believe their brother drown, either. "If he would have drown," said Fay, "they would have found his body eventually."

While their father never showed much emotion, their mother was traumatized by Jackie's disappearance, according to Annabelle and Fay. "Ma turned grey overnight," said Fay. "She had salt-and-pepper hair, but she turned white practically overnight."

His mother was still upset about Jackie's disappearance in the nursing home, said Fay, and it was "always a sore spot."

"You don't get over something like that," added Annabelle.

"I'd say, after 10 or 15 years, they never said a word about it," said Fay. "It was alwa

ys on my mother's mind." "You can only hash over something like that for so long," said Annabelle, especially when they are no answers.

Jackie Theel's real name is Victor John, but the family always called him "Jackie," said Annabelle and Fay. Their mother never revealed his real name, said Fay, so she could use it to identify him if he ever came home.

Their parents, Annabelle and Fay believe, always blamed the teacher for letting Jackie walk home alone. Their mother had sent a note that morning telling the new teacher to keep Jackie at school until a brother picked him up to walk home with him for lunch.

According to the Press articles from September 1944, the teacher asked Jackie if he knew the way home and he pointed. But another news article said Jackie pointed west when the teacher asked him if he knew the way home, while the Theel home was northeast of the school building.

A year later, Fay started school. But a few days before his first day, his mother walked him to school and then pretended to be lost, forcing him to find the way home, he said. Their mother never again allowed anyone to wear a sailer suit, which Jackie was wearing when he disappeared, said Fay.

Jackie was "quiet" and a "homebody," according to Annabelle.

Annabelle and Fay were told that Jackie was "slow," though it is not clear what that means. That word used to be used to indicate someone who was mentally challenged, though neither Annabelle nor Fay think Jackie was severely retarded, since he was sent to school.

What they do remember clearly is that Jackie was not allowed to go far from home. "They never let him go anywhere," said Annabelle. "I think he pretty much stayed home."

Though the kids always did the errands, their parents never sent Jackie uptown to buy groceries, said Annabelle.

The kids would have to get water, fetch milk from a farm on the outskirts of town, and would go to their aunt's house, added Fay. "I knew that town backwards," said Fay.

But, Jackie did not, they agreed.

So, if Jackie had tried to walk home from school that day, and gotten lost, even if it looked familiar, he probably would not be able to find his way home, said Annabelle.

Annabelle and Fay believe that the bloodhounds traced their brother's movements. That he probably tried to walk home but ended up two blocks west of their house and was lost. Then he followed the river to the west end of town, where two eyewitness reports place him along Highway 23.

By then, said Annabelle, he probably would have been crying, and he might have been an easy target.

"I tend to believe that someone saw him wandering and picked him up," said Annabelle. "I don't see how it could have been anything else."

Fay, too, believes that Jackie was most likely kidnapped. At the time, soldiers could get out of the army if they had dependents, which could have been a motive, he said.

Both Annabelle and Fay are suspicious of the sighting of car picking up a boy wearing a sailer's suit and looking like Jackie on the same day he disappeared. That someone else would be spotted in Paynesville who was dressed like Jackie and looked like Jackie on the same day he disappeared is quite a coincidence, according to Annabelle and Fay.

Two local boys saw "a small boy enter a light grey car on Highway 23" at 4:45 p.m. that afternoon, according to the Press from Sept. 14, 1944. The Press reported that the Willmar Police checked this lead and found that the driver was a soldier traveling with his brother who stopped in Willmar to get his starter fixed.

But both Annabelle and Fay wonder what the Willmar Police did to check that lead and find it odd that no one who knew Jackie was asked to identify that "brother."

The Willmar Police Department does not have records dating back to the 1940s, according to their records department. And the newspaper accounts from 1944 raise some questions for Annabelle and Fay.

If the local boys did not report seeing that car until Tuesday evening, was the car still in Willmar? If not, did the police actually speak to that driver and see his "brother"? Or did they just ask about the car the next day and were told at the garage that the man was a soldier who said he was traveling with his brother?

Annabelle got a letter from a former Paynesville school teacher who reported seeing someone that resembled a Theel getting off a navy ship in California in the 1960s. He signed his name, "Jackie Theel," and told the teacher that he had been adopted. Was that their brother?

"It's impossible to know," said Fay about his brother's fate. "You don't know if he's dead or alive."

In the 1980s, Fay was told that a man came to Tuck's Cafe in Paynes-ville, looking for his family, but could not find any Theels in the phonebook.

Though he reported this story to the FBI, which was the last time he was in contact with law enforcement about his brother's disappearance, Fay and Annabelle have doubts about the story. First, there were Theels in the Paynesville phone book in the 1980s, and second the man reportedly talked to an old-timer who would have known some Theels still in town.

Whatever happened to their brother - who would now be 66 years old, if alive - Annabelle and Fay hope for the best. "Hopefully, he had a good life," said Annabelle. "That's all we've ever said."

Since Jackie was only six and did not have any assets and no reason to be declared dead for estate purposes, he is still listed as missing.

Fay, though, recognizing that the people who knew Jackie as a child are getting scarce, thinks it may be time to honor his brother. Fay is considering putting a memorial to his brother in the Salem Cemetery. It would read something like this:

Jackie Theel
Born: February 15, 1938
Missing: September 5, 1944

Links
http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/1383dmmn.html
http://www.paynesvillearea.com/news/HeadlinesArticles/0922theel.html

[miles_draken]

Very interesting case. If Jackie Theel is still going by his nickname and real last name I would think that an extensive name search would reveal his current whereabouts if he is indeed still alive. THe story of the teacher who recognized him as a Theel getting off a Navy ship in California is strange. DId the teacher approach him and speak with him? Also when the man returned to town looking for family I would think that everyone would recognize the name. Interesting story, I feel there might be a chance this boy is alive and may have indeed been told he was adopted. I wonder how hard these siblings have looked for their brother in recent years with the advent of the internet and everything the world is a much smaller place.

[emma l]

I agree.............It would be reasonably easy to find such a person if he were living under the same name. Most people try and conceal abducted children and so any kind of searches don't show them up. They are firmly under the radar.

But if Jackie was looking for his family, he might well know of his identity and just think he was legally adopted. He might even suspect otherwise and have vague memories................ he could very easily still be alive now and thinking of them.

I wonder if Jackies family have thought about setting up a website and doing a little press to see what turns up? I have a feeling they might be pleasantly suprised.......................

[Richard]

I believe that it has been through the efforts of the local paper in Paynesville that this story has come to light, 60 years after Jackie's disappearance. The world may seem a smaller place today with the internet and mass communications, but back in 1944 the small town of Paynesville (population less than a thousand) was Jackie's whole world. For someone to have simply vanished from the relative security of a rural farming town would have affected everyone there.
I was particularly drawn to this story for a couple of reasons. First because of the long time interval since Jackie disappeared, and Second because I too "got lost" in a small Minnesota town when I was six years old. I can so easily imagine Jackie's confusion and feelings that day, going from total joy of the first day of school, to missing lunch and being alone and afraid.
I had never heard of Jackie, but it is likely that everyone in Minnesota (at the time) knew of him. Perhaps that is why the Creamery man whom I approached for directions dropped everything he was doing to call my Grandfather - who in turn dropped what he was doing to drive two blocks to pick me up. I couldn't understand why it was such a big deal. I pretty well knew where I was, but had not gone far enough to reach my Grandfather's restaurant. I was the talk of the town for a couple of days as "the kid who got lost in Goodhue"! Hard to believe that I would become a Long Range Celestial Navigator in the Navy 17 years later.
Although I personally doubt that Jackie is still living, it would indeed be interesting if he too had later become a Navy man. It would be nice to know what home port and ship the sailor in the story was assigned to. It would not be hard to check it out.

[joellegirl]

That is a very interesting case Richard. Please keep posting-you have come up with some very interesting cases I never heard of. I agree with the other posters that with the internet and DNA, Jackie's family might have a chance to locate or at least maybe find out what happened to their brother. A very old case(well, one of many!) that has always been on my mind is Evelyn Hartley from LaCrosse, Wi, who went missing while babysitting on Oct 24, 1953. There were definite signs of a struggle and blood on the ground outside the house. There was an extensive search but she has never been found. I think it was a random abduction and she is most likely buried somewhere out in the countryside and the chances of finding her remains aren't very good. There is supposedly a book in the works on her disappearance.I've posted about her many times and if you scroll down to the 3rd page on this cold case forum you will see it, though one of the links doesn't work anymore. Sorry to go off topic and sounding repetitive, but I was just curious what your thoughts were on the Hartley case, (if you've even heard of it). since it is a very old case like the Jackie case.

[Richard]

That is a very interesting case Richard. Please keep posting-you have come up with some very interesting cases I never heard of. I agree with the other posters that with the internet and DNA, Jackie's family might have a chance to locate or at least maybe find out what happened to their brother. A very old case(well, one of many!) that has always been on my mind is Evelyn Hartley from LaCrosse, Wi, who went missing while babysitting on Oct 24, 1953. ..... I was just curious what your thoughts were on the Hartley case, (if you've even heard of it). since it is a very old case like the Jackie case.

Yes I have heard of the case and I read some of this forum's earlier threads on it. I have not formed any theories on it yet, but would be very interested to learn more about it. Her photo looks familiar somehow, hard to say why. Maybe I have seen it before.
My Grandfather - the same one I mentioned in my previous post - was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin and lived there as a boy before moving with his parents and family to Minnesota. I wonder how wide spread news of Evelyn's abduction was, and if he might have heard of it.
La Crosse is right on the Mississippi River, which separates Minnesota from Wisconsin at that point. My guess is that Evelyn was either taken somewhere in Wisconsin, or to Minnesota initially.
Since there was no report of any ransom demand, and no other known motives, I would think that she was probably killed by her abductor and buried somewhere within a hundred miles of La Crosse.
That said, I do know of another case from 1950 of a girl who was abducted by an older man who kept her with him for over a year before she was able to escape and go to police. So there are a number of possible scenarios.

[joellegirl]

Hi Richard,
If your grandfather was in LaCrosse in 1953 he must have heard about Evelyn. Her abduction actually made the papers all over the country, and it was a major major story in LaCrosse. My dad was a teenager at the time and he and my Grandma (and the rest of his family and most who lived there at the time)remember that time very well when the city was turned upside down with endless searches and residents were very afraid -things like that never happened in LaCrosse before.It still is a big story in LaCrosse and two residents of the city are writing a book. I am very familiar with LaCrosse, having family there for all these years. My family and I were there twice this summer, and both times I drove past the house where Evelyn was abducted from. It is your typical small ranch in your typical 1950's subdivision. So hard to believe what happened there 51 years ago. It was real eerie to see the basement window where she was pulled out of before forever vanishing.In my thread way down on the 3rd page of this forum I have a link to an article about a man who said he and another man abducted and killed Evelyn and buried her near LaFarge, WI. (maybe 25 -30 miles south of the city)There have been many stories like this over the years with nothing coming of it, but I hope this story was looked into. I hope the book will be out soon. The LaCrosse Library website has several archived newspaper articles about the case.

Sorry again for hijacking your thread about Jackie, which is a very sad story. You know, if both Jackie and Evelyn were alive today the would both be 66. Evelyn would have turned 67 this Nov 21 I believe ( a date I got from an old newspaper article).

[Richard]

>> A couple returning from Long Lake, near Hawick that day, reported seeing a small boy wearing a blue suit standing along Highway 23 around 1 p.m. that afternoon.
And, later that evening, two local boys reported seeing "a small boy enter a light grey car on Highway 23" around 4:45 p.m., the Press reported in September 1944.<<

These two excerpts from the Paynesville news story bother me. The first is probably accurate, but would have been made by someone after learning of Jackie's disappearance. Someone trying to help. And it pretty well matches other evidence in the case; time frame, clothing description, and later dog scenting.
But the statement from the boys seeing Jackie almost four hours later? After school was long out? It could be that these boys knew more than they were telling, or it could be that they were simply trying to get some attention by "getting into the act". The big question would be "WHEN did this story come out?" Was it immediately after it happened, or was it after the case had become well known around town and in the press?

[emma l]

I see what you mean. Its very unlikey that Jackie would be wandering round at that time without anyone spotting him. What time was Jackie reported missing I wonder? If it was before 4.45pm then everyone would be on the lookout ,which means a child wandering down the highway fitting Jackies description would have alerted people. Anyway, its just not plausible that it was him at 4.45pm, where had he been all day? Stood by the highway?!!

So either- those 2 boys concocted that story in order to cover something up, or they were mistaken..................Maybe the boys panicked and heard the other story about the sighting of Jackie and decided to create a diversion. It really does depend on when this statement was given- and by who. How old were the boys? Were they alone? What were they doing on the highway anyway?

Maybe the children came across Jackie on the highway some time before 4.45pm and something happened…….. ………………maybe they heard the story of the other sighting and decided to elaborate, as kids do. Maybe they saw a similar looking child getting into a car. In which case why wasn’t this person ever traced? I actually think that the least likely scenario is that they saw Jackie. Theres just too big a time gap. I wonder why, or if, the police investigating this didn’t think of it at the time? I wonder if a timeline was created for Jackie as it is for most missing people now?

I found this on the Doe Network …………snip “according to bloodhounds that later tracked his movements, he walked down Augusta Avenue, a block west of Washburne, when the Theel house was located a block east of Washburne. The bloodhounds tracked Jackie to the Crow River, just west of the North American Creamery (now AMPI). There, the tracks of a small boy were found, going west along the river.
The bloodhounds found Jackie's scent on the west end of town along Highway 23, but then the scent disappeared”……………….”
http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/1383dmmn.html Theres a photo on here as well.

So at some stage he was on the highway that much we know. He scent disappeared there ,which would lead us to believe that someone picked him up. Or knocked him down and took him with them. How busy was the highway then I wonder? Would there have been sufficient witnesses to a car accident?

[Richard]

I see what you mean. Its very unlikey that Jackie would be wandering round at that time without anyone spotting him. What time was Jackie reported missing I wonder<<

>> So at some stage he was on the highway that much we know. He scent disappeared there ,which would lead us to believe that someone picked him up. Or knocked him down and took him with them. How busy was the highway then I wonder? Would there have been sufficient witnesses to a car accident?

The story states that Jackie was reported missing when he failed to return from school. That makes me wonder if his mother reported him missing when he failed to show for lunch, or if it was when school let out (Probably around 3PM?)

If you check out the link to the Paynesville Newspaper, and scroll to the end of the article, there is a map which shows the town and Jackie's probable route. Highway 23 actually runs through a part of the town.
Remember the time was 1944, and gas rationing was the order of the day. The slogan "Is this trip necessary?" was posted in many places. Traffic back then was nothing at all like it is today, but it is likely that a number of cars would have passed through/by on Hwy 23.
My feelings about the later 4:45PM sighting are like yours. It just does not make sense. I feel that this little boy was probably picked up at or around 1PM. Although folks back then would not have been as wary of letting children go off to explore and play, it would have been obvious to most townsfolk that it was the first day of school, and a lone little boy wandering around the highway would not have gone unnoticed for long. Someone from that town would have done something to return the little boy to his mother in the space of 4 hours! And certainly, little Jackie knew where the town was! Even if he had gotten turned around a bit, he would probably have gone up to some house or store after a while.
It would be interesting to know who the "local boys" were, what their ages, and where they were all afternoon. Were they in school? Also, what the circumstances were that prompted them to present their 4:45PM little boy-getting-into-a-gray-car scenario. In a small town like Paynesville, every kid KNEW all the other kids. Wouldn't they have known something was not right and have reported it?
How did police narrow the car down to the one with the two men so quickly? Did the boys give them a license plate number? Or did they describe the car in such detail, that the mechanic immediately called in his information? Perhaps the answers might lie in other newspaper stories and old police files.

[joellegirl]

So it sounds like the next step for someone trying to solve this today would be to see if these"local boys" names are in the police files and use the internet to try and see if they are still alive and be questioned. Or maybe they and/or family are still in the area. I know that is easier said than done, and these "boys" would most like be (if alive)in their 70's now, but who knows, maybe two old men are walking around harboring a dark secret(then again maybe not). It was a whole different mindset then and I can see how no one seemed to think the boys had anything to do with it, but I agree that this later sighting of Jackie seems the less likely of the two sightings. Even though in general people didn't think much of a child wandering around a small town in those days I would think someone would have saw him and at least asked him if he were lost or needed help, especially with him walking along a highway. But it was mentioned that his siblings remembered that while they were allowed to wander and run errands, Jackie was never allowed to. Maybe he didn't know the town as well and was too shy to speak up.. Still I would think some one would have noticed him before 4:45pm. I don't know much about law enforcement but I'm guessing it's probably not as easy as it sounds to question these men without enough evidence. Maybe there is hope though, that people looking at this case with today's eyes and wisdom may see something the people and law enforcement back then didn't see.

[englishleigh]

...and came up with this:

Theel, Jackie
1829 Harvard Ave
Independence, MO 64052-3823
(816) 833-0061

Hmmm....

[2sisters]

I wonder if it is him. Does anyone have contact infor for the family to give that to them?

[miles_draken]

I did that search and came up with Jackie Theel in Independance, MO, which is only 3 hours from me. What are the odds that it is the same guy? Is there a way to age verify the person?

[joellegirl]

I looked on anybirthday.com but didn't find a Jackie Theel, or Victor Theel. I found a Jack Theel but he was born in 1951. Not everyone is on this site, but try your own name and it might come up. I'm not sure what records this site uses but quite a few people I know are on there. There are many people with the last name of Theel-wonder how many might be directly related to him.

[Richard]

Jackie Theel was born February 15, 1938. So he would be 66 years old if living today. He was one of 15 children in his family. Michael Jacobson, author of the quoted 22 September 2004 article, recently interviewed Jackie's brother Fay and sister Annabelle. So, yes there are immediate relatives still living.
It would be interesting to contact Mr. Jacobson to see if his article has generated any new information, tips, or comments.
The map in his article is an interesting one in that it shows the school, Jackie's house, the point of the alleged sighting at Highway 23, and a point where the blood hounds picked up his scent some days after the disappearance.
That point would have meant that Jackie was within a very short distance from home - assuming the scent was left on the day he disappeared. Note that it is in the area of a river and a railroad - the Soo line. A theory not mentioned in the article might be that Jackie could have been abducted by migrants or tramps who rode the rails, rather than by someone driving a car on the highway. September would have been the time that migrant workers would have been around to assist with the farm harvests.

New Link to the article with map
http://www.paynesvillearea.com/News/HeadlinesArticles/archives/092204/0922theel.html

[emma l]

The map is interesting................One of the most obvious possibilites would be that Jackie fell into the river. But he would more than likely have been found by now. Although not defientley........It would seem that he just wandered around in a town where most children, if not most people knew each other by sight,for hours and nobody questioned why he wasnt at school or if he was lost. Wasn't Jackie distressed about being lost, did no-one spot him? Or maybe, as it was mentioned before, someone did spot him in this vulnerable state and that lead to his disappearance.

The article says that the lead with the 2 boys was checked and that this was a man travelling with his brother............Although it IS possible that this was Jackie, as no-one from the family identified the "brother", I feel like this lead is a real red herring. It just doesnt make any sense. I wonder
if the boys identified the man and his brother- i agree with you Richard, how were these people traced? Did they give a licence number?

The real lead is the man on the boat who said he was adopted and signed his name Jackie Theel. This would be reasonably easy to trace......I wonder if anyone has simply checked the records of this boat and found out who this person was? Why didnt the teacher ask where jackie had been? Why didnt she alert someone? Was she actually Jackies teacher? Maybe she had the conversation about him being adopted in passing and then realised afterwards that he had signed Jackie Theel. Then again, if Jackie really had some kind of learning disability, would he really be in the navy?

It is SO frustrating that theres no information on the net!!!

[Richard]

The map is interesting................One of the most obvious possibilites would be that Jackie fell into the river. But he would more than likely have been found by now. Although not defientley........It would seem that he just wandered around in a town where most children, if not most people knew each other by sight,for hours and nobody questioned why he wasnt at school or if he was lost. Wasn't Jackie distressed about being lost, did no-one spot him? Or maybe, as it was mentioned before, someone did spot him in this vulnerable state and that lead to his disappearance.

The article says that the lead with the 2 boys was checked and that this was a man travelling with his brother............Although it IS possible that this was Jackie, as no-one from the family identified the "brother", I feel like this lead is a real red herring. It just doesnt make any sense. I wonder
if the boys identified the man and his brother- i agree with you Richard, how were these people traced? Did they give a licence number?

The real lead is the man on the boat who said he was adopted and signed his name Jackie Theel. This would be reasonably easy to trace......I wonder if anyone has simply checked the records of this boat and found out who this person was? Why didnt the teacher ask where jackie had been? Why didnt she alert someone? Was she actually Jackies teacher? Maybe she had the conversation about him being adopted in passing and then realised afterwards that he had signed Jackie Theel. Then again, if Jackie really had some kind of learning disability, would he really be in the navy?

It is SO frustrating that theres no information on the net!!!

All of your questions are good ones. Because of the long time interval, unfortunately most of these "clues" or reported sightings have become legends associated with the story. Like second hand or third hand information repeated so often that they become intermixed with the actual facts of the case.
Looking at the map and reading the story, my gut feeling is that Jackie started out in the wrong direction, moving west instead of north. After walking for four to six blocks in the wrong direction, and seeing nothing familiar, he came to the highway - which he probably had been told not to cross. And at this point; hungry, confused, and frightened - one of two possible scenarios occurred.
First, someone in a passing car may have indeed picked him up - more likely between 1 and 2PM. Had the car been traveling generally NORTH on Hwy 23 (the side Jackie was probably on), then that car would have proceeded down "main street" and past Jackie's house on the way through town. This would have been a big risk by a would be kidnapper.
Secondly, Jackie might have realized his navigational error when reaching the Highway, and then turned north toward the Creamery. Certainly he would have known his way home from there. But perhaps he was seen by someone there and taken toward the river, and then to a train car? Knowing what the train schedule was for September 1944 might provide valuable clues. Jackie could have been thrown from the train somewhere between Paynesville and the next stop on the line, or might have been taken to a camp of migrant workers.
The problem here is with the sequence of clues. Most likely the reports of sightings of Jackie by the Highway at 1PM and 4:45PM came first, and police focussed on them in tracking down the men in the gray car.
As is so often the case, the scenting dogs were not called in until a few days later, and AFTER rainy, cold weather had set in. The dogs did not track Jackie all the way from the school, as implied by the story, but rather PICKED UP his scent by the Creamery and tracked him moving West toward the River rhere the scent ended (but note that the railroad was also right there).
Scenting/Tracking dogs are absolutely unbelievable in their abilities. A well trained dog knows immediately upon discovering the scent which direction to move - even days after the track has been laid. They would have ignored the "back track" (that is where Jackie had been) and gone in the direction that he moved. Some dogs can be trained to back track, but this would be an exception because their instinct tells them to go forward.
It should be asked also if Jackie had been near that side of the Creamery or near the river at any time in the days prior to his disappearance. That might have tended to rule out the dog scent evidence if he had been there in recent days before he went missing.
The way that the map is numbered, would indicate that Jackie passed within a block of his house, then went to the river and then proceeded down the highway. That does not make much sense. I feel that it was more likely the other way around and that the 4:45 sighting was a case of mistaken memory, mistaken identity, or simply not true. Again, perhaps locating either or both of the boys who reported this might yield a different story today.
Concerning people with learning disabilities serving in the Navy or other branches of the service... The story did not indicate that Jackie was in any way severely retarded, only that he might have been "a little slow". There are many men and women serving in our armed forces today and in the past who have various learning disabilities. I do not mean at all any disrespect by that, only that it might be quite possible for Jackie to have served in the Navy if he had passed the entrance exams with acceptable scores.
I have no idea who the teacher in question was or why he or she did not ask the obvious questions. I wonder if it might be just more of the legends generated by the mystery of the story. With some specifics as to where the home port was, or what the name of the ship was, the Naval Historical Center at the Washington (DC) Navy Yard, or the National Archives at Suitland, MD, or the National Personnel Records Center at St. Louis, MO might be able to confirm the existence of a sailor named Jackie Theel in 1960.
It would certainly be good literary writing to have this lost little boy dressed in a sailor suit, later become a world traveled sailor. By the way, sailors were often referred to in olden days as "Jack Tars" or simply as "Jackies". In the early 20th Century, boys bands were often outfitted in sailor suits and referred to as "Jackie Bands". And even today, the sailor uniform with bell bottom, button fly trousers, jumper top, and square knot tie are referred to as "Cracker Jacks".

[Richard]

>>It is SO frustrating that theres no information on the net!!!<<

I meant to comment on this. There are many many cases such as Jackie's that are not on the internet. Not yet, anyway.
On-Line Newspaper archives usually only go back as far as 1999 or so, with some exceptions. The place to go for some good articles and interesting cases is to a library which has microfilm files from newspapers. That is where some of these cases came from before they were written up and posted.
It is strange how it works. I have written a few articles and submitted them to a website or two. Then in a matter of a few years, when you do a google search on one of the names, numerous websites pop up. A case that was completely cold and unknown is suddenly well known and available to people around the world.
Of course, there are also many police files waiting to be profiled as well, but often those files are kept confidential by the investigating agency.

[Dark Knight]

I wonder if it is him. Does anyone have contact info for the family to give that to them?
I imagine this is his brother, since it is in the same state as where they grew up:

Fay & Eileen Theel
21593 Finley Cir
Richmond, MN 56368-8339
(320) 597-2614

[Richard]

The map in the story refers to the railroad north of Paynesville as the "Soo Line". While this is now the official name of that railroad, back in 1940 it was the line's popular nickname. The official name in 1940 was "Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Sault (pronounced Soo) Saint Marie". It would be interesting to see what the train schedule was like for that line back on 5 September, 1940. Quite possibly it had regular stops that were published in the newspapers.
Even though the local police claim to have no files going back to 1940, it is most likely that the FBI was involved in the case because this was likely a kidnapping, and the FBI was automatically involved in ANY kidnapping case after the Lindbergh baby had been abducted. This would mean that files should be available from the FBI with a proper Freedom of Information Act request.
Regarding the address of Mr. Fay Theel, that is probably an accurate one, since the story relates that he still lives near Highway 23 and Paynesville. Richmond, MN is only a few miles up Hwy 23 from Paynesville.

[emma l]

Richard! I am overwhelmed by all your theories- my brain just doesnt work that quickly! I hate to think of him being thrown from a train, but of course it may have happened. The cross referencing of missing people/bodies found is not even at its best today, so it is a distinct possibility that he may have turned up somewhere else, in another state even. He also may have turned up alive somewhere else- which is a much nicer thought................

I wonder if Jackies family have considered putting up a website- although it mind not yeild Jackie himself (although, as we don't know what happened to him, it obviously might) it might well jog someones memory about something they saw or someone they knew............

[Dark Knight]

Regarding the address of Mr. Fay Theel, that is probably an accurate one, since the story relates that he still lives near Highway 23 and Paynesville. Richmond, MN is only a few miles up Hwy 23 from Paynesville.
Perhaps we should send one Theel's contact info to the other?

[Richard]

An interesting book about 21 Prisoner of War Camps located in Minnesota
during World War II is "Our War Effort: Swords into Plowshares" by Dean Simmons. The book mentions the extreme manpower shortage in Minnesota in 1944, and how enemy Prisoners of War worked alongside Migrant Workers to assist in the fall harvest.
Besides the local populace, there were many temporary residents throughout the state.

Link
http://www.stthomas.edu/magazine/showarticle.cfm?ArticleID=-1611985779

[Gary L. Theel]

Jackie Theel is/ was my uncle. My father, Tom D. Theel, was the brother that was to walk him home for lunch the day he went missing, and while growing up we would travel to MN. from Florida to visit with my grand-parents. Each time we neared Paynesville he (my father) would talk about the day uncle Jackie disappeared and the "cloud" that hung over the family and the mystery around the disappearance. When he would speak his voice would sometimes break, and you could hear the sadness in his tone. He would occasionally talk of some of the rumors that followed the story too. I guess, looking back in retrospect, this could be why we were so guarded as children. If anyone can help me find more information and history on this case it would be greatly appreciated. It would give me some peace of mind maybe get answers to some of the questions that 1) were never pursued or 2) were never asked. My f ather passed away March 22, 2004, so I can’t get more info from him, but I have spoken with my mother, and she too agrees that my search for answers "is what daddy would want".

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

SPC Gary L. Theel, IAARNG

1900 Cedar St. Apt. E-104

Norwalk, IA 50211

515-865-1199

gary.l.theel@us.army.mil (java-script:main.compose('new','t=gary.l.theel@us.army. mil'))

gltheel@hotmail.com (java-script:main.compose('new','t=gltheel@hotmail.com') )

[PaulaKay]

Gary -

I only live about 1/2 hour away from Paynesville, so if you'd like me to see if I can get into the archives from back then, please let me know. I'll help in any way I can.

Paula

[tennessee]

Gary,

I wish you all the best in your search for what happened with your uncle. His story is heartbreaking. Please keep us updated as you continue your search.

[Gary L. Theel]

...and came up with this:

Theel, Jackie
1829 Harvard Ave
Independence, MO 64052-3823
(816) 833-0061

Hmmm....
Thank You For the lead. Much to my regret it was yet another dead-end. This Jackie Theel is a 28 y/o female. However, I'm pretty she she is curious about this case now too.
Again THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!

[meggilyweggily]

I did a search for Jackie's name on NewspaperArchive and came up with nada. Nothing for Jackie Theel, Victor Theel, or Victor John Theel. Same with NewsLibrary. It seems that the Doe Network casefile, the Charley Project casefile, that one news article, and web boards like these are the only traces Jackie has on the internet. Sigh...maybe his family should make a web site.

[Richard]

Gary,
You might start by sending a "Freedom of Information Act Request" to the FBI to see what kind of files they might have on your uncle Jackie's case. I do not know for certain that they were involved, but it is quite possible since the Lindburgh kidnapping preceeded it, and it led to legislation which made the FBI involved in any kidnapping case.
Also, try contacting Michael Jacobson of the Paynesville newspaper. He researched and wrote the article quoted in this thread, and it is quite possible that he has more information and copies of the origional news stories in his files.
Best of luck to you in your search.

Jackie Theel is/ was my uncle. My father, Tom D. Theel, was the brother that was to walk him home for lunch the day he went missing, and while growing up we would travel to MN. from Florida to visit with my grand-parents. Each time we neared Paynesville he (my father) would talk about the day uncle Jackie disappeared and the "cloud" that hung over the family and the mystery around the disappearance. When he would speak his voice would sometimes break, and you could hear the sadness in his tone. He would occasionally talk of some of the rumors that followed the story too. I guess, looking back in retrospect, this could be why we were so guarded as children. If anyone can help me find more information and history on this case it would be greatly appreciated. It would give me some peace of mind maybe get answers to some of the questions that 1) were never pursued or 2) were never asked. My f ather passed away March 22, 2004, so I can’t get more info from him, but I have spoken with my mother, and she too agrees that my search for answers "is what daddy would want".

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

SPC Gary L. Theel, IAARNG

1900 Cedar St. Apt. E-104

Norwalk, IA 50211

515-865-1199

gary.l.theel@us.army.mil (http://java-script:main.compose('new','t=gary.l.theel@us.army. mil')/)

gltheel@hotmail.com (http://java-script:main.compose('new','t=gltheel@hotmail.com')/)

[Gary L. Theel]

Gary,
You might start by sending a "Freedom of Information Act Request" to the FBI to see what kind of files they might have on your uncle Jackie's case. I do not know for certain that they were involved, but it is quite possible since the Lindburgh kidnapping preceeded it, and it led to legislation which made the FBI involved in any kidnapping case.
Also, try contacting Michael Jacobson of the Paynesville newspaper. He researched and wrote the article quoted in this thread, and it is quite possible that he has more information and copies of the origional news stories in his files.
Best of luck to you in your search.
Richard,
Thank You for your continued support. I have contacted the MN. division of the FBI, unfortunatly I have met yet another dead-end. They have NO RECORD of this case in either electric or hard copy file form. However they did point me in the direction of the FBI offices in Washington DC, and said they may have it archived, because it is so old. So.... I am now waiting for a reply from them. I am also giving serious thoughts to getting UNSOLVED MYSTERIES involved to see if they can turn up information that we have not or can not. Please keep digging for info. all leads are being actively pursued in this search for answers. Again, THANK YOU ALL for your assistance in this matter.

[meggilyweggily]

Unfortunately I think Unsolved Mysteries has been off the air for a few years -- it still does reruns but does not make anymore new shows.

[Gary L. Theel]

I've recieved a reply from both FBI Headquarters in Washington DC and The National Archival Records Division of the FBI in Maryland and there is NO RECORD or report on file in any form. I was refered to The Department of Justice witch is also in Maryland to search for records there. So far, NO LUCK. If anyone has any other suggestions they would be welcomed and appreciated. AS ALWAYS THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HELP YOU"VE GIVEN UP TO THIS POINT!!!

[Usher737]

So sorry to hear that Gary! Keep trying! Do not give up! You deserve answers and I think it is possible he is still alive.

[Richard]

I've recieved a reply from both FBI Headquarters in Washington DC and The National Archival Records Division of the FBI in Maryland and there is NO RECORD or report on file in any form. I was refered to The Department of Justice witch is also in Maryland to search for records there. So far, NO LUCK. If anyone has any other suggestions they would be welcomed and appreciated. AS ALWAYS THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HELP YOU"VE GIVEN UP TO THIS POINT!!!
The FBI's response to you was very fast. A good indication that they are blowing you off, rather than actually doing any searching of the archives. Remember that this is an organization that would still be looking for the Unibomber if the Washington Post and NY Times had complied with their request to keep his "Manefisto" out of print.

The Minnesota FBI Office is quite correct to direct you to Washington DC, since their records probably only go back a few years locally. The National Archives at Suitland, MD or College Park, MD would probably be where the FBI file on Jackie is kept - if it was investigated by them, and if it still exists. There are some pretty good archive researchers and employees who could help you find something.

The problem would be coming up with the proper case file number to begin with. With that number, you could direct a specific request for it. Some records can only be viewed if first cleared by an FBI Point of Contact. The Archives could tell you specifically who that person is and what his address and phone number are. The FBI is a huge organization, and most of its employees would have no idea who you really need to speak with or what kind of records are held.

Perhaps a search of Minnesota newspaper archives would get you more information. They might indicate if the FBI was involved and might even identify the agent in charge of the investigation.

What information do the Minnesota State Police have on the case? I would think that after the local police had searched for a time, that they would have contacted the State Police.

[PaulaKay]

Richard - I have volunteered to check the local newspapers (St Cloud and Paynesville) archives, but haven't been able to do so yet. I will be posting whatever new articles I find.

[Gary L. Theel]

I have spoken with some of my family and little to my knowledge my grand-mother kept a scrapbook on this entire case. We (my mother and I) are trying now to find out who ended up with the scrapbook, when grandma passed away. But my mom says she very distictly recalls seeing an artical in this scrapbook that states that the FBI and the State Police were both involved. I have told my family about the incredible out pouring of assistance I have recieved from all of you, and they have asked me to express thier gratitude as well. When we finally figure out what has happened in this very mysterious case, I assure you all, that your help in this mattere WILL NOT go untold nor un-noticed.
AS ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!

[Richard]

Richard - I have volunteered to check the local newspapers (St Cloud and Paynesville) archives, but haven't been able to do so yet. I will be posting whatever new articles I find.
PaulaKay,
There is probably an index available at one of your major libraries which lists "Newspaper Holdings" for the many various cities and villages in Minnesota. Such a book would be of great assistance in locating microfilm or bound copies of old newspapers. Check out a map of Stearns County (St. Cloud is the County seat) and Kandioyohi County (Wilmar is County Seat) to see what towns are in the vicinity of Paynesville and compare it to the Newspaper index to see what papers might have covered Jackie's disappearance.

Meeker County (Litchfield is the County Seat) is adjacent to both Stearns and Kandioyohi Counties, and towns there might also have covered the story in their local papers.

The county police (sheriff?) records in those counties might also hold some information.

Besides looking for stories about Jackie's disappearance, you might look for daily train schedules for the day that he went missing, to determine when the trains passed through Paynesville, and which way they were headed. The main line which passed through Paynesville was the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault St. Marie RR. It was popularly referred to as "The Soo Line" even then.

Jackie's scent was followed to the Railroad by tracking dogs, where they lost it. It is posible that he may have been abducted by one of the migrants or hobos who traveled the rails back then.

Best of luck in your research.

[Gary L. Theel]

Today, I recieved a call from the archival department at the Department of Justice. The gentelman I spoke with informed me that he had completed a search of the records at both the Department of Justice and the FBI archives and much to my disappointment found, (you guessed it):banghead: NO RECORD :furious: or any further information on this matter. The editor of the Paynesville Press and I have spoken a couple of times, both on the phone and via e-mail. He assures me that he too is compileing the notes and information he has and is going to forward them to me :o . With any luck, after the research is done, we will find some resolution to this matter.

[nicbok]

Hi Gary,
What an amazing story! Let me add my luck wishes to you in your search. I had another thought - were there any army bases nearby in 1944? I know the military is often more secretive than the government authorities in these matters but that may be a lead worth pursuing, if your family really believes he was abducted. One other person also mentioned the fact that a solider may get out of the army if he has a dependant - were any soliders discharged at that time for that reason? Or a more sinister reason?
Perhaps if there were any soldiers dishonourably discharged around the same time, or if it's at all possible to access records listing disciplinary action taken against soldiers, maybe there's a clue there?
Good luck!

[Gary L. Theel]

As you all know, I have been in contact with the editor of the Paynesville Press. It seems someone is smiling down on me :dance: , because he has sent me any and every newspaper article that has had Jackies name printed in it, to include my Grandparents obituaries. Much to my delight, not only did it have the names of the investigating agencies and the persons in charge of the investgations from the individual agencies. It also has the names of the two mysterious "boys" who seen him gitting into the "lite grey colored car". I have not had the opportunity to follow up on them yet, but as I understand it, AT LEAST ONE OF THEM IS STILL ALIVE!!!! :woohoo: :D . I'm trying very hard not to get too exited about this glimmer of hope, but it is difficult when this seems to be the first ray of light that has been shed on this case since my search began. AS ALWAYS, Thank You All for the help and encouragement you have offered to me in my journey and search for answers. Keep the suggestions coming. All leads are followed up on. :clap:

[Richard]

As you all know, I have been in contact with the editor of the Paynesville Press. It seems someone is smiling down on me :dance: , because he has sent me any and every newspaper article that has had Jackies name printed in it, to include my Grandparents obituaries. Much to my delight, not only did it have the names of the investigating agencies and the persons in charge of the investgations from the individual agencies. It also has the names of the two mysterious "boys" who seen him gitting into the "lite grey colored car". I have not had the opportunity to follow up on them yet, but as I understand it, AT LEAST ONE OF THEM IS STILL ALIVE!!!! :woohoo: :D . I'm trying very hard not to get too exited about this glimmer of hope, but it is difficult when this seems to be the first ray of light that has been shed on this case since my search began. AS ALWAYS, Thank You All for the help and encouragement you have offered to me in my journey and search for answers. Keep the suggestions coming. All leads are followed up on. :clap:
Gary,
Sounds like you have some very good paths to search now. Please keep us posted, and let us know if we can help in any way.

[nicbok]

Just bumping this up to see if there's any updates from Gary?

[kimberdawn]

Just wanted to say I am keeping Jackie's family in my thoughts and prayers- hopeing they find much needed answers to this long ( too long) mystery.

[Richard]

With schools starting up again, remember Little Jackie Theel who disappeared on his first day of school 5 September 1944.

[camracrazy]

Has anyone researched the Jackie Theel at this address:
Jackie Theel
58 Elm Blvd
Babbitt, MN 55706-1214
Tel.: (218) 827-3211

Wouldn't that be something if he had remained in MN all this time?

Also, since he may have been seen getting off a Navy ship, maybe someone could try and get his naval records?

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq19-1.htm

From that site:
"Through the Freedom of Information Act (http://www.archives.gov/foia/index.html), the public has access to certain military service information without the authorization of the veteran, or the next-of-kin of deceased veterans. Examples of information which may be available from official military personnel files without an unwarranted invasion of privacy include: name, service number, rank, dates of service, awards and decorations and place of entrance and separation. If the veteran is deceased the following may also be available: place of birth, date and geographical location of death and place of burial."

[emma l]

Good sleuthing camracrazy! I'm pretty sure no-one has researched that Jackie and I see theres a phone no there, but what would you say?!!!!!

I did notice that Gary Theel has posted here- (Jackies nephew) and that he had a lead in that he managed to find out that at least 1 of the witnesses who claims he saw Jackie getting into a car is still alive. I wonder if theres any news on this?

[mysteriew]

Have you tried contacting the area newspapers and asking them to run a memorial article? Many of the people who would have been adults back then, who may know something will be in the end stage of their lives now. If they ever knew something or had suspicions of someone, they may be more willing to step forward now, if they are reminded of the circumstances, if they know family is still searching.

[camracrazy]

Snipped:
The map in the story refers to the railroad north of Paynesville as the "Soo Line". While this is now the official name of that railroad, back in 1940 it was the line's popular nickname. The official name in 1940 was "Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Sault (pronounced Soo) Saint Marie". It would be interesting to see what the train schedule was like for that line back on 5 September, 1940. Quite possibly it had regular stops that were published in the newspapers.

Here is the website for the Soo Line Historical and Technical Society: http://www.sooline.org/home.html

If you click on "Contacts" it tells you how to place an ad in the Soo quarterly magazine. It could be that someone reading the magazine could have an old train schedule. Or, you could join the mailing list at:
SooLineHistory-subscribe@egroups.com (SooLineHistory-subscribe@egroups.com)

Maybe someone on that list could help.

[Richard]

Here is the website for the Soo Line Historical and Technical Society: http://www.sooline.org/home.html

If you click on "Contacts" it tells you how to place an ad in the Soo quarterly magazine. It could be that someone reading the magazine could have an old train schedule. Or, you could join the mailing list at:
SooLineHistory-subscribe@egroups.com (SooLineHistory-subscribe@egroups.com)

Maybe someone on that list could help.
I think that these links might prove useful in this very old and intriguing case. Of course, there are many possibilities and theories concerning what happened to Jackie on 5 September 1944, but when all things are considered, it is a very likely possibility that he was abducted.

A very thorough search was made for Jackie, and 61 years have now passed, during which Jackie's body could have been found, if he had died in Paynesville. That Jackie, a boy of five years old, might have had run away, kept his own name, joined the Navy, and lived to an old age, although an interesting theory, is probably not too likely.

Two more likely scenarios would be that Jackie was either abducted by someone driving by/through Paynesville in a vehicle, or that he walked to the train station and was abducted by person or persons riding the rails.

Gasoline, oil, and tires were under strict rationing in 1944, and driving of motor vehicles was at a minimum. IF a person or family owned a car in 1944, it was probably only one, unlike today, where a family owns an average of three or four vehicles. This should be considered when trying to envision a possible auto abduction theory.

Rail travel, especially by hobos and migrants, was a normal reality in Minnesota in 1944. September is the start of the harvest season, and many farmers' sons were serving in the armed forces. Migrant workers were in abundance, looking for farm work. Many of the small towns in Minnesota were "Railroad towns" which sprung up along the train lines, and every town had a place where these migrants congregated, camped, and sought work.

I feel that, although Jackie had walked away from school in the wrong direction, he soon realized his error when he came to the big highway. At that point, he could have walked back to school, or seeing where he was, walked in the direction of the railroad, which ran right by his home. Dogs later did pick up his scent near the Creamery (near the train station) and tracked him West, along the railroad tracks where they lost his scent.

[docwho3]

I realize this is probably not a match (due to it being in the late 1950's) but its late & I feel like sharing so even if this isn't a match I hope its still interesting for someone.

When researching something else I ran into a story about 'the boy in the box' murder victem. He was thought to be only about 4 to 8 years old but 'could have been older' because he was so malnourished at time of death.
I had closed the window with the webpage when my tired brain suddenly connected 2 things:
1.One of the last allegedly confirmed tips was that the boy had been sold to a couple and then been murdered & that another child who was allegedly there when the murder took place said the boys name was Jonathan,
Someone with access to sensitive information about the case leaked to the media that the men had traveled to Ohio for an interview with a witness and returned with a name for the boy - Jonathan.
The Times has confirmed through sources that those reports were accurate, as was the rest of the story that the boy had been sold to a wealthy Main Line couple and was killed by a so-called “caregiver” who slammed him into a bathroom floor after he had vomited.
The alleged killer died in or about 1985. Her husband had preceded her in death. The witness in Ohio was a child living in the Main Line home at the time of the boy’s killing. She called Philadelphia police on Feb. 25, 45 years to the day after the discovery of the boy.http://www.northeasttimes.com/2002/0731/boy.html

Jonathon isn't a far name from 'John',

2.and I think one of the webpages described the boy as :
'To anyone who lived in the Philadelphia area in the 1950s, the widely-distributed post-mortem photo of the blonde-haired boy is "a picture that is indelibly emblazoned in our memory," Avery said'
http://www.vidocq.org/northeast/boybox.html

And this pic of Victor John Theel looks like light colored hair to me
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/t/theel_victor.jpg

More articles here but scroll down to find them
http://www.iper1.com/iper1-odp/scat/id/Society/Crime/Murder/Boy_in_the_Box

I know, I know, time for me to rest . ..yawwwwwn.

[Paradise]

The picture of the boy in the box will haunt me forever. I just find the way he looks in the pictures where they have him "posed" so chilling. Here's some more info on the boy in the box...I think this is an interesting thought that he might be Jackie Theel.

WS Thread:
http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21461&highlight=Boy+Box

America's Unknown Child:
http://americasunknownchild.net/default.htm

CourtTV Story:
http://www.courttv.com/news/hiddentraces/boyinthebox/boyinthebox_page1.html

Full site devoted to the case, it has some great newspaper articles:
http://boyinthebox.bravehost.com/

Bust of what the boy's father possibly looked like:
http://www.fallenwall.org/bitb2.html

[joellegirl]

Jackie Theel was born on Feb 15, 1938 and was six years old when he vanished in 1944.. The boy in the box was found in February 1957, when Jackie would have been 19 years old. It is an interesting thought, but I don't think they could be one and the same.

[docwho3]

Jackie Theel was born on Feb 15, 1938 and was six years old when he vanished in 1944.. The boy in the box was found in February 1957, when Jackie would have been 19 years old. It is an interesting thought, but I don't think they could be one and the same.I agree that you are probably right & I only tossed it in as a long shot and maybe also to remind myself that just such a fluke link may one day pay off.

[Richard]

I agree that you are probably right & I only tossed it in as a long shot and maybe also to remind myself that just such a fluke link may one day pay off.
In this case, where Jackie was only six, and the other little boy about that same age but some 13 years later, it is most unlikely that there would be a match. However, there was a recent match between a missing woman and a Jane Doe, in which a LOT of the information was way off, particularly the age.

[joellegirl]

I agree that you are probably right & I only tossed it in as a long shot and maybe also to remind myself that just such a fluke link may one day pay off.

I've actually had the same ideas with other cases, where it would be such a long shot but I think well, crazier things have happened. So I know what you are saying. Sometimes, like you said, a fluke link is what it will take to solve a cold case.

It is a good thought, if only the cases of Jackie and the Boy in the Box weren't separated by so many years.

It's frustrating to think that many of the cases we all discuss here probably have just one simple missing link that is needed to solve them, but that one thing, like one person who knows something speaking up, is so hard to find.

So keep on thinking-as long as people like us keep trying to find the answers in these cold cases they have a chance to be solved.

[docwho3]

I've actually had the same ideas with other cases, where it would be such a long shot but I think well, crazier things have happened. So I know what you are saying. Sometimes, like you said, a fluke link is what it will take to solve a cold case.

It is a good thought, if only the cases of Jackie and the Boy in the Box weren't separated by so many years.

It's frustrating to think that many of the cases we all discuss here probably have just one simple missing link that is needed to solve them, but that one thing, like one person who knows something speaking up, is so hard to find.

So keep on thinking-as long as people like us keep trying to find the answers in these cold cases they have a chance to be solved.
Ty. Back to the case: Someone downthread mentioned the possibbility of a soldier kidnapping a child for leave - I think. I looked up the town name & the year. There were a few entries on a webpage about rail mishaps. One of the trains later wrecked with a load of soldiers on it. (There is a little confusion as to exact year of the accident but it shows soldiers went through.) This causes me to think that the soldier perp idea is a bit more likely than it might first seem. I forgot to copy the web address but I might be able to find it again if needed.
I know its not much. Hope it helps.

[Richard]

Ty. Back to the case: Someone downthread mentioned the possibbility of a soldier kidnapping a child for leave - I think. I looked up the town name & the year. There were a few entries on a webpage about rail mishaps. One of the trains later wrecked with a load of soldiers on it. (There is a little confusion as to exact year of the accident but it shows soldiers went through.) This causes me to think that the soldier perp idea is a bit more likely than it might first seem. I forgot to copy the web address but I might be able to find it again if needed.
I know its not much. Hope it helps.
The railroad seems to me to be a very likely way that little Jackie was taken from Paynesville.

I tend to doubt that a soldier traveling by rail would have been the perpetrator. Of course, it could happen, but generally soldiers had a place to be, an time to be there, and were always in uniform. Often they traveled in groups and had to be accountable for their actions and presence.

It is a much greater possibility that a migrant worker or hobo traveling the rails, and answering to nobody could have taken Jackie. They were all over Minnesota during and before the War looking for work on the farms, and September is the start of the harvest season. With so many young men in the military, and a large need for food in wartime, there was a resultant need for migrant workers.

[Marilynilpa]

The railroad seems to me to be a very likely way that little Jackie was taken from Paynesville.

I tend to doubt that a soldier traveling by rail would have been the perpetrator. Of course, it could happen, but generally soldiers had a place to be, an time to be there, and were always in uniform. Often they traveled in groups and had to be accountable for their actions and presence.

It is a much greater possibility that a migrant worker or hobo traveling the rails, and answering to nobody could have taken Jackie. They were all over Minnesota during and before the War looking for work on the farms, and September is the start of the harvest season. With so many young men in the military, and a large need for food in wartime, there was a resultant need for migrant workers.
It seems that in a case like this, there are three possible motives - sex, money, or fear. Sex isn't out of the question, no matter how perverted that seems. Money could be a motive, if Jackie was taken for the purpose of selling him to someone. Fear could be a motive if Jackie, wandering around lost, happened to see something he shouldn't have and was taken so he couldn't tell anyone.

What you say about it possibly being migrant workers or hobos riding the rails certainly seems feasible. These are people who passed in and out of towns all the time, without anyone paying them a great deal of attention.

[Richard]

Bumping this up in memory of little Jackie Theel.

I believe that the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Sault St. Marie Rail Road played a part in Jackie's abduction. It was known as the Soo Line even back then. If any Railroad buffs could dig up a train schedule for September 1944, perhaps one could check to see if any trains went through town around the time Jackie went missing.

[Gary L. Theel]

I appologize for having not posted in such a long time. A few things have changed in my life, so I have not had a lot of free time to do as much research as I'd like to. I've taken a full time position with the National Guard as a Recruiting and Retention NCO, been promoted to Sargent, and my wife and I have purchased a new home. The job takes up alot of my time; however, the search for answers continues. My new address and information follows. Please keep the tips and suggetions coming !!!!!!
I look forward to hearing from you soon,

SGT Gary L. Theel,
RRNCO, IAARNG

1801 Merle Huff Ave.
Norwalk, IA 50211

641.521.3608

gary.l.theel@us.army.mil (http://java-script:main.compose('new','t=gary.l.theel@us.army. mil')/)

gltheel@hotmail.com (http://java-script:main.compose('new','t=gltheel@hotmail.com')/)

[Trino]

Minnesotan here... I'm just thinking about theories mentioned here - don't really have a solution.

Life was quite different in MN during the 1940's than today. The chance of a hobo riding the rails with a child, passing through hobo camps with a child, and throwing a child off a train without the body ever being seen by either an engineer or another hobo, although possible, seems a reach. Trains had a lot more manpower running them than today and were more open. If people on one train didn't see a body, surely someone on another train would. Then, too, unless a train was stopped, it would be a bit of a maneuver to get a kidnapped child plus yourself on a moving train.

Servicemen rode passenger trains, most didn't hop a freight, and most had a focus of getting home ASAP. It seems to me that a soldier would have had to take Jackie from a depot, since trains just don't stop in the middle of nowhere. Anyone know how far the depot was from where Jackie may have wandered?

MN, during WWII, definitely had a big migrant population, since many men were off fighting. German captured soldiers were even used to harvest crops; most, however, were under guard - seems they could not have abducted Jackie during daylight hours.

One thing I find strange is that Jackie disappeared in the middle of the day. During the war, it was nearly impossible to get gas/tires for a car, and most people didn't drive very far, so a car abduction probably would have been local.

[Richard]

Minnesotan here... I'm just thinking about theories mentioned here - don't really have a solution..... Anyone know how far the depot was from where Jackie may have wandered? ...
One thing I find strange is that Jackie disappeared in the middle of the day. During the war, it was nearly impossible to get gas/tires for a car, and most people didn't drive very far, so a car abduction probably would have been local.
Good observations. Yes, the train depot was located in the northwest corner of town, and not far from Jackie's home (only about a block west of it).

Dogs were called in (days later) and it was reported that they picked up his scent near the Creamery and train tracks. However, being so close to his home, that scent could have been left at a time prior to the first day of school.

Some boys reported seeing Jackie (or a small boy) walking near the main North/South Road. As a young 6-year-old boy, he had probably been told not to cross such a busy road. He may have seen the trains to the north, and got his bearings, heading north toward the depot.

[Richard]

Bumping for little Jackie Theel.

I wonder if there are any railroad enthusiasts who might know where to locate an old Sault Saint Marie, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul Railroad (aka the Soo Line) timetable for 1944.

Knowing what trains went through the town at what times and what other stops were on the line, might provide some clues.

[jyram]

As a native MN, this captured my attention. I have no additional theories to add but want to lend my support.

[Richard]

Sept 5th will mark the 63 year anniversary of Jackie's disappearance on his first day of school.

School is starting up again across the country. Keep an eye out for kids going to and from school, and be especially careful when driving.

[Richard]

bumping case up...

[Shecky]

Bumping for Jackie. I'm a new member here, and this case has intrigued me for years.

[Gina_M]

This is the first I've heard of this case...thanks for bumping it up. I tried searching for the railroad timetable on ebay...didn't find that specific one, but I found a user who sells a lot of different transportation memorabilia including railroad timetables. They have a website as well:
http://www.locomobilia.com/index.html
Perhaps Gary or someone would like to contact the owner and see if he can find a copy of this timetable.

A theory I had about the "2 boys" who supposedly saw Jackie later in the day - maybe they actually saw him earlier in the day, but were ditching school and didn't want to get in trouble so they said they saw him after school let out. Just a theory that crossed my mind as I was catching up on this thread.

I hope we can find out more about what happened to Jackie.

[forthelost]

http://www.forthelost.org/calikids/VTheel.doc