Jacob Wetterling

[mushyb]

I notice that this was being discussed on the other thread and thought i'd start a thread for Jacob. It has always touched me as well. i was a just a couple of years older then Jacob when i was on a vacation through minnesota with my family. his picture was everywhere we went. it still is up in lots of places. everything about his abduction is just so scary. i just wish his family could get some answers.

Jacob Wetterling
http://www.courttv.com/news/hiddentraces/wetterling/wetterling_page1.html

Jacob Wetterling Foundation
http://www.jwf.org/

my thoughts are that he was abducted by a sexual predator. minnesota has a lot of undeveolped forest and unfourtunatley IMO he is out there somewhere.

[River]

It is so hard to believe that he's been gone for 12 years. I remember this case because I used to order from Fingerhut a lot. They are based in St. Cloud and they stuffed my orders with his missing persons flyers and asked for them to be distributed. (Everyone ordering from Fingerhut got the flyers, which was the most awesome idea, I just wish it had brought him home).

Would you like to invite his mother here to post?

[Peekaboo]

It always seemed to me that the abductor may have known Jacob. How could he have known they would come by that isolated area, when they normally did not?? Was he in the store when they got the movie, and heard them say where they were headed?? I'm sure that was checked out, however.
I read on another board (wish I could remember where) that the catholic church would send priests who had molested children to someplace called st. johns abbey. The poster stated this wasn't far from the area where Jacob lived. S/he stated that s/he believed the abductor was someone at the abbey.
It could also be connected with a pedophile ring; hence the kidnapper asking the age of the boys, and choosing Jacob. These children can be sent anywhere, even overseas; from what I've read.
My heart goes out to the parents. After all the leads, and all these years; still nothing.
I think it would be wonderful if Patty would join us; she would have a lot of support on WS.

[MrsMush99]

This is one case that has always stuck with me. I wish the family could have some closure. It would be wonderful to invite his mother to post here. I agree with Peekaboo. She would have a lot of support here at WS.

[mindys]

This is one case that has always stuck with me. I wish the family could have some closure. It would be wonderful to invite his mother to post here. I agree with Peekaboo. She would have a lot of support here at WS.
Me too. Oh how I wish there was something, anything, in the form of information on what happpened to him.

[Trino]

I don't know how the Wetterlings cope with Jacob's disappearance. I'm sure there must not be a day that goes by without both his mother and father thinking of him. Jacob's been gone for 12 years, no evidence, no movement on the case. How can you resign yourself to a story without an ending?

You're possibly correct in saying that the forests of northern MN may harbor secrets. Many years ago in Akron, OH two teens were taken from a front porch. The boy had testified against a dealer, so the police knew who to suspect. Still, there was no evidence, no linking. Seven years later their bodies were found in a national forest. There has never been an arrest.

[cappuccina]

...which gives me the chills 'cause my kids play hockey... is that the perp. was an offender who hung out regularly at the hockey rink....or....that this was somehow hockey related as in some type of rivalry gone amok....Now before you jump to conclusions and say this is crazy....those of you who played hockey or whose kids play hockey will totally understand this....there are a few absolutely psychotic hockey parents out there...

Some coaches in my kids' league are lobbying to take names off of jerseys, jackets, hats, etc. because they feel it could open kids up to being vulnerable....this is so sad....that we even have to think like this...

[mindys]

...which gives me the chills 'cause my kids play hockey... is that the perp. was an offender who hung out regularly at the hockey rink....or....that this was somehow hockey related as in some type of rivalry gone amok....Now before you jump to conclusions and say this is crazy....those of you who played hockey or whose kids play hockey will totally understand this....there are a few absolutely psychotic hockey parents out there...

Some coaches in my kids' league are lobbying to take names off of jerseys, jackets, hats, etc. because they feel it could open kids up to being vulnerable....this is so sad....that we even have to think like this...Where I live it has become really popular to have a bumper sticker ON your vehicle with your kids activity logo, like a soccor ball, cheerleader, hockey sticks, with their first name on it. I just don't know about that.

[WasBlind]

Putting a child's name on anything nowadays is very dangerous. It gives a predator a way to act like they know the family.

Each family should have a password, so that a child knows if a person is really a messenger for the family, in the case of an emergency.

My girlfriend in Texas had her name on her keychain my last trip home, and when I explained to her how dangerous it was, she took it off, thank God!

All of us can do things to protect ourselves.
Blessings to all, Lanie

[cappuccina]

...an activity sticker in general is OK....I have generic soccer and hockey ones on my car...

What I no longer do is to put my child's name, or anything with their specific team on my car...

The password thing is excellent...we have picked really obscure words/references and words/phrases in other languages (not easily guessed)...

[Trino]

Re: individual safety for kids and others

Before the new site there were a couple of threads about personal alarms. I purchased two. The alarm would have probably helped Dru Sjodin (shopping mall), but I don't know if it would help all cases, probably not JW, since there were two other boys present (rather isolated road). There has to be someone, preferably an adult, around to hear you. I mt. bike, inline skate and the alarm could probably go off without anyone being aware. Still, a personal alarm is probably a good buy for kids and adults.

[WasBlind]

I wrote to Patty Wetterling, inviting her here, and also to Missing Persons Day. I heard back from the Manager of Community Outreach and Education
for the Jacob Wetterling Foundation, today. She has forwarded my letter to Patty. If I hear anything, I will post it.
Blessings to all, Lanie

[Trino]

Cappuccina, although there are some crazies in hockey - my sons played in MN - JW's disappearance probably wasn't sports related.

I had a post erased, think I know why, so I'll be more gentle. One FBI agent investigating the case lived in our neighborhood. He never talked to me, but his wife did. One common theory (12 years ago) was that J was abducted out of MN, possibly out of the US. St. Cloud is located near an interstate, the Canadian border is easy to reach. At that time crossing the border was a snap. Theories may have changed/been upgraded since then.

The most interesting thing is that the abductor uttered one sentence, asking which boy was the oldest. Would a pedophile do this?

[cappuccina]

....unfortunately, people who shouldn't be at youth sports games can also be there for the wrong reasons...

Last year, my husband and two other soccer dads confronted a man who was following a particular high school soccer girl around and looking at her with binocs. He had no reason to be at the soccer game...They hald him until the police came...

The man who abducted Jacob could have been first stalking him from the rink...

I think he asked the question he did because he was trying to get Jacob, and was confused as to which one he was..

[Trino]

I have not heard of possible stalking of Jacob before your post, certainly not from the FBI wife. Of course, anything is possible. I don't recall talk of suspicious person around rinks or any place that Jacob went. I'm sure that was thoroughly checked. Was Jacob abducted in early fall?

I have heard of pedophiles who frequent sporting events, one around our area who stalked a girl at a swim meet, including taking pictures. It was her parents, present at meets, who first wondered about the weirdo and who turned him in to police.

[Up2theminute]

When I first saw this case on Dateline or 20/20 (sorry, I can't remember which one, it's been a couple of years) the family did mention the possibility that there could have been a pedophile stalker that had been scoping out Jacob at his hockey games. I'm not sure how strongly they pursued that theory but I remember it being discussed.

It's also mentioned in the Court TV, Hidden Traces section:

Another theory is that the abductor stalked Jacob. The secluded crime scene suggests that the abductor did not just stumble upon the scene. And the reports of a suspicious man at the Tom Thumb store appear to back that up.

Later, Jerry Wetterling recalled a moment from earlier on the day of the abduction that could also lend support to the stalker theory.

That afternoon, Jerry and his two sons were skating at a hockey tryout. There were about 20 spectators. Suddenly, Jacob slipped out of sight.

“It was very strange but very real,” Jerry remembered. “I had this sense of danger for Jacob. I can almost point to the spot on the ice where it happened to this day.”

After relocating his son, Jerry’s feeling subsided. He thought nothing of it until a few days after the abduction.

“It prompted me to wonder if possibly the abductor had been in the ice arena at that time, in a sense looking at Jacob or stalking him,” Jerry said.

Hidden Traces - Jacob Wetterling - page 3 (http://www.courttv.com/news/hiddentraces/wetterling/wetterling_page3.html)

[Trino]

Is there any chance that Jacob's case will be revisited? Is the FBI willing to reinterview people? Maybe if the case becomes active again, someone with knowledge of the case will come forward.

[Lil]

Last night on our local news, MN FOX channel 9 at 9:00, they led in with "new evidence in the JW kidnapping". I have not checked the channel 9 web site, but they may have the story on there. It had to do with tire tracks and the mystery of the tire tracks being solved, as well as a local man that was not followed up on which may have been botched by the police. They also had the girl, then a college student working at the Tom Thumb, and now an adult, who was the last person to see Jacob before the abduction. If I followed the segment correct, a then 21 year old male heard the call on his scanner and sped to the scene, only to be the first to arrive. When the police got there, he spoke briefly with them, turned around and left. They never took his name. He has now come forward as the owner of the tire tracks, being too afraird at the time, so there may not have been a vehicle involved. Also, there was a man who's property abuts where JW was taken from. He was home, alone at the time. Police looked in his car that had boxes in it at the time, but never searched his house. I got the impression they have been looking at this man since last October as a possible suspect.

I too live in Minnesota, and was involved with a fundraiser for JW at the time. It was very intense. I still have the buttons they distributed with his picture on it. Everyone just wanted to help, it could have been our son, our friend, our nephew, our neighbor. My thought after the story last night was what does this loner man's house hold? Lil

[Peekaboo]

http://www.kmsp.com/news/local/story.asp?content_id=1621598

Here's the story. That 'neighbor' must be the most callous fool I've ever heard of. What the he!! could he have been thinking??!!! :furious: :mad: :behindbar

I'm sure the Wetterlings know just who he is. I hope LE doesn't screw up again. :razz:

[Lil]

They did interview both those men on the news. The neighbor "suspect" was getting out of his car when the reporter approched him. They said the reporter talked to him for 2 hours but they did not recount much for the program. They also had one of those blurry boxes over his face so not to identify him. Also, hearing and seeing "Kevin" you could hear his sincerity about what he was thinking when he was only 21. He didn't think he had seen anything. What I find interesting is that the person that gave the account of a car was the neighbor "suspect". Very suspicious! Where was he that he could see and here the car?

[River]

I'm going to really pray that this case comes to a conclusion. I remember when he disappeared and it was so long ago.

I wonder if this is a family friend?

[Lil]

Patty Wetterling is going to be on channel 9 news in an hour. The snippet's said she would talk about mistakes made early on in the case. I will try to watch it and give a report.

When watching the news with the reference to the suspect as a "neighbor", I was left with two impressions. One, they used the term neighbor to either refer to anyone who lived in the same town, or two, that his home was in the general area of the Wetterling home. Both make sense, as I know here when people refer to their neighbor it can mean someone a couple miles away, someone that lives close by that they don't really know, or someone who lives close or far that they do know well. Just a general term. Growing up in California, we didn't refer to just anyone as a neighbor, but the term seems to be used in a broader sense here in Minnesota. What I am getting at, is the Wetterlings could have known the suspect on friendly terms as a neighbor, as someone who they recognized the name or home of because of a small town, or someone who they didn't know, but lived close and still classified as "neighbor". What a neighborly conversation huh?

Edited to add: I missed most of the interview. I caught the end where Patty met the woman that worked at the Tom Thumb and they hugged. The anchor said after that due in part to channel 9's reports that she has a meeting scheduled with the investigators regarding the new information. Perhaps her interview will be on the Fox 9 news channel web site.

[Peekaboo]

Lil, I got the impression he lived fairly close by; since the boys wouldn't have been allowed to ride their bikes 'too far', hopefully not, anyway.
I could not believe he knew a boy was missing; knew they were searching in his yard...but went back to bed. He didn't want to "waste his time."
I don't know my neighbors, but if there were a child missing, I'd sure be doing what I could to help. This makes no sense to me at all.
Now, he tells the reporter, "I hope they don't wreck my life." What kind of person can this be?? I hope they really check this person out, (plus his house, and property) though sadly, it may be too late to solve the case.

[miimaa]

The neighbor saying he didn't want to waste his time - what's up with that?? If your yard is full of police cars, wouldn't you want to know what was going on? And didn't this happen BEFORE 10:00 p.m.? The boys went to the store to get a video to watch - something is weird here. It would be so sad if the neighbor IS involved and all this time no one knew. I can't image what the family has suffered, but if it turns out to be the neighbor - oh gawd, that's just awful.

[Lil]

Yes I too got the impression that the neighbor lived close by, especially since the boys would of been heading home it could not have been to far. I was jsut trying to say he may have been a neighbor, but they were not all neighborly and may or may not have known him. Sometime the closest neighbor is a mile away with farm land or living on the edge of town. I got the impression he was a neighbor as in living in the same area, not as in friends with the Wetterlings. Either way, it all sounds suspicious to me. The night before on the news they said the investigators were looking in his computer and had talked to his family.
I know there are lots of odd people out there, but how probable is it that JW would dissapear close to this mans property, and all his odd behavior. I am very suspicious, but that could just be because I want there to be answers. I wonder what this man did in the following days.

[WasBlind]

Prayers for Jacob and all who miss and love him.

With hope, Lanie

[Trino]

What happened to the new investigation of local people? There were headline stories in the MN Star Tribune, then nothing.

[Peekaboo]

Bumping up....any news at all on this case???

[turbosleuthing]

The most interesting thing is that the abductor uttered one sentence, asking which boy was the oldest. Would a pedophile do this?


From the Court TV page

http://www.courttv.com/news/hiddentraces/wetterling/wetterling_page1.html

"All Jacob Wetterling wanted to do was rent a video. At age 11 he was savvy enough to know that if mom said no, dad just might say yes.

Jacob’s parents, Jerry and Patty, had left their house in St. Joseph, Minn. to attend a dinner party nearby. Jacob stayed behind to watch over his two younger siblings, Trevor, 10, and Carmen, 8. Jacob’s friend, Aaron Larsen, age 11, joined the group. "


Jacob and Aaron were the same age. Why did he choose Jacob over Aaron?

[mindys]

From the Court TV page

http://www.courttv.com/news/hiddentraces/wetterling/wetterling_page1.html

"All Jacob Wetterling wanted to do was rent a video. At age 11 he was savvy enough to know that if mom said no, dad just might say yes.

Jacob’s parents, Jerry and Patty, had left their house in St. Joseph, Minn. to attend a dinner party nearby. Jacob stayed behind to watch over his two younger siblings, Trevor, 10, and Carmen, 8. Jacob’s friend, Aaron Larsen, age 11, joined the group. "


Jacob and Aaron were the same age. Why did he choose Jacob over Aaron?Perhaps Jacob better fit the 'look' he was going after, or Jacob was smaller and seemed more frightened, more compliant. :doh: I'd be interested to know how far from their eleventh birthday's both Jacob and Aaron were. I'm interested in reading again the exact recollection of the horrific exchange Aaron gave.

[smile22]

did they all give their ages when it happend or did he just ask who was the oldest and since jacob was older than arron he spoke up or did they all give there ages if they all didnt then how was the person to know the ages of the other ones also could the person have been watching jacob all day like the father said he felt that erie feeling in the afternoon but then it went away when jacob came back. i cant remeber how they told him the age thingy to many cases i read lots of info i forget, but i have a feeling that what if they all said there ages and somehow he knew that jacob was the one he wanted he wasnt sure that this was jacob bringing me to the hockey arena and how he was missing for a short period of time

[smile22]

also what was the person wearing that took him i know it was dark and he had a mask on but was he all in black if u have colors on even in the dark the brightest ones u can see

[Peekaboo]

also what was the person wearing that took him i know it was dark and he had a mask on but was he all in black if u have colors on even in the dark the brightest ones u can see

I don't know if we ever heard wha the kidnapper was wearing. If the boys were surprised and frightened, they may not have remembered.
I had the impression that only Jacob was asked his age, does anyone remember that??

I am still curious about the neighbor who said he saw and heard the police in his yard, and didn't come out because he 'wanted to sleep'. That is strange; and now we aren't hearing any more about him.

[smile22]

unless he ws sort of the type of person who didnt care who was searching the yard but still i would have gone off to see the police i mean u just dont go searching the yard for nothing, kinda strikes me odd i wounder if giving a lie test he would pass

[Peekaboo]

smile, that's what struck me as so odd. If I were alone, and the police were out in the yard, I probably wouldn't go out...maybe because women are more cautious that way. But I surely would be calling LE to find out what was going on.
I read that he seemed irritated that they would question him all these years later. That is wierd, too. He could have had Jacob in his house; and no one knew, they all thought he was taken in a vehicle. I certainly hope they look closer at this guy.

[smile22]

i know they cant just bardge in the house without a warrent did they nock to see if he was home maybe talk to him if i was a cop id be like can i come in i need to talk to u he could have refused no u cant come in that would have been suspicus so im thinking he didnt want them looking at the house so he just used the excuse he was tired and really didnt give crap cuz they were just searching his yard not his house but if they went on to search his house theyd have to have a warrentm and it strikes me odd that hes all upset now becuse they are questoning him, i think hes hiding something

[messiecake]

OMG! Just ANOTHER case that's haunted me and until finding this forum,I haven't met anyone else who had even heard of this case!!!
I think what makes this one "hook" is the kidnapper asking who was the oldest........its strange and doesn't fit most abductors m/o (that Im familar with)or any other known abductions(most abductors either "staked out" their victims or "grabbed"-no pun intended-at an oppertunity)Its also strange that a group of kids was approached.
I just can't shake this and Jacob ranks up there with the cases that just get to me of:

Suzanne Davis (aka Tanya Hughes and Sharon Marshall)


Tara Leigh Calico


and Britney Beers


EVERY missing case is important but some just "get you" don't they?

[Peekaboo]

smile, I lived in MN when Jacob was taken; it was so frightening and such a shock. It was such a small town, and one would think, a safe area.
I hope they do question the man who 'wanted to sleep'. I don't believe they knocked on his door, but can't be positive about that.

Messiecake, welcome!! This case grabbed a lot of us, and we hope for some closure for the Wetterlings. Hopefully, this new investigation will find the truth.

[smile22]

like they said he wanted to know who was the oldest he could have wanted the oldest for a reason being is he was going to use him for something its so sad that he still hasnt been found


just like the rest of them in the cold case thread

[Peekaboo]

Yes, it is so terribly sad, all these people missing. I grew up in a small town in the 50's; everyone knew everyone for miles around, and there was no need for fear.
Now, we live in another small town...and I only know one neighbor, the one next door. We all seem to keep to ourselves these days, and maybe that's part of the problem..I don't know.

Have any of you heard of the Franklin cover-up?? That involved children, politicians, judges, etc. I can't say for certain that it's true, but if so, it is a very frightening trend. Then the Johnny Gosch story.

I think Jacob could have been sold to someone looking for a certain look, certain age. Possibly taken overseas. I hate to think that, but it is a possibility.
At any rate, that neighbor should be checked out thoroughly.

[smile22]

thats what im thiniking he was taken overseas but a friend of mine who i regulary update on cases he says that when ur young like baby-about5 or 6 its easy to take a child and call it ur own if ur not gona harm it becuse he says that when your so young sometimes u can forget and not remeber ur other life but then their are some people who get older are living with this weird man and wife and she or he is having flash backs to the kidnaping, he says the older u are the harder it is to keep someone you take meaning if u kidnap someone older the chances of survial are slim, i dont totaly agree with his statements but yet their could be some sex or something ring overseas going on and that they wanted a boy his age, or he was being sold to the black market, didnt they hire an investigator a private one and their was a tip he was spoted in some country but it didnt pan out?

[smile22]

also what about when he was at the rink and missing, what if the parents had rented a video for them before they left. and the person was at the rink and knew where jacob lived ex the neighbor or someone else. im not saying anything bad would happen if he stayed home. but what if the person was wating for jacob to wander to another part of the house. and he somehow brakes in and takes him. but then that wouldnt make sence cuz when he was taken they wanted the oldest.

[Peekaboo]

I'm going to go back and do some research on the case; as I've gotten foggy on some details. I do remember the story about the ice rink, and him disappearing for a short time.
When I re-think the sex ring theory; I wonder why they would go to a small town in northern MN. to look for a child. Why not a big city where they wouldn't be as apt to be noticed?? :waitasec:

I hope we have some answers soon. I'll e-mail family up there, and see if they've heard anything at all.

[smile22]

i know unless the guy who took him had other plans for him or maybe a family who lost a child figured if they replaced a new child no one would know the diffrence all these things run in my head i hope he is found soon

[Trino]

Smile, Jacob was riding his bike back from the video store with 2 other boys, including his younger brother, when he was abducted, which makes the case really strange. Neither of the other 2 boys recalled hearing a car, although they did as they were instructed and ran. There were tire tracks found, but just this year a young man confessed that he had been listening to his police scanner and actually beat police to the scene. The tire tracks were his. He has been completely cleared.

The original thought was that because St. Joe is located near an interstate, that Jacob may have been abducted out of the US. Now the thought is that everyone may have jumped to conclusions, and most recently investigators are focusing closer to home.

St. Joe is an area that may have had abuse by priests. The neighbor who wouldn't open his door is also very strange.

Personally, I think investigators bungled the case and unless someone comes forth, Jacob will never be found. It's been 15 years.

[Peekaboo]

St. Joe is an area that may have had abuse by priests. The neighbor who wouldn't open his door is also very strange.
It's been 15 years.

trino; that's part of what I 'heard'..that St. John's monestary is in that area; IS secluded, and is where pedophile priest's were sent year's ago. (No, I don't have a link to this; wish I had saved one..) IF that is true, it should be investigated.
Did these boys ride their bikes often on this road, and some local person knew that??
Still, what boggles my mind is this: How did they know the boys would be riding by THAT NIGHT?? Something doesn't fit.
There was the strange man seen in the video store that night. But how would he know who they were and what their route to their home would be??
The neighbor still seems suspect. Has anyone any updates?? Surely, someone must hear local news.....???

[froggie]

i believe jacob wetterling has already been found...just not identified...in february of 1990, a mississippi river dam worker in ST. PAUL minnesota found the body of a boy between 9 and 13 years old, it's feet,hands,and head were missing...the feet were found near the torso...a fingerprint expert used his footprints to determine whether or not it was wetterling...and reported that it was NOT wetterling...i wonder about this...HOW MANY EXPERTS were given opportunity to do this test ? just one ? and was it even an expert ? makes me suspicious...furthermore, the police said the boy was not from ST. PAUL...they could not even identify him, much less accurately say where he was from !...another thing...they said it could not have been wetterling because the body had been embalmed...had it REALLY ??? it is possible to force someone to drink embalming fluid and some even use it for a RECREATIONAL DRUG HIGH ! so , basically, the police say that the body was dug out of a grave, dismembered and thrown into the river ...oh, and NO ONE ever came forward to say..."that was my boy that was stolen from the graveyard"...? i believe that whatever happened to wetterling was so bad that the authorities and/ or the footprint expert felt it was better to let the parents have some hope rather than to tell them what really happened...you can find the article at
http://www.skepticfiles.org/rumor/mn_grave.htm ...thanks..FROGGIE at froggessema@msn.com

[froggie]

let me add that the statements listed above are just THEORIES and OPINIONS of mine...i am just saying i THINK there was a cover-up by one or more parties, or that the investigators were not thorough enough--i never said they did not work very hard to try to solve the case--i believe they worked very hard--now for my next point-- i believe that the coroner thought that the boy found in the river was stolen from a grave because he had been embalmed--well, embalming is a ritual-occult practice ( see http://bloodmagic.tzimisce.net/necromancy/bm.htm )here you will see references to EMBALMING-IN PARAGRAPH 8, USE OF CHILDREN-IN PARAGRAPH 9, [UNDER 'PRACTICAL NECROMANCY']KIDNAPPING [under NECROMANTIC RITUALS]--this statement..."the necromancer travels to the underwater holding area where the FRESHLY DEAD (NOT STOLEN CORPSE) wait to be called back to land as loa-racines"[under VOUDOUN IN DISCIPLES--ASH PATH] and DEAD MAN'S HAND--basically i believe it was a ritual-killing--sexual abuse is also often involved in these rituals--thanks...froggie

[Trino]

Maybe "cover up" isn't the right words to use. What about incompetence? Has the boy in the river ever been identified? Was the head found? Wouldn't you think that, using today's technology (dental i.d./fingerprints/DNA), that this body could be identified?

What if this boy was Jacob, and he was misidentified? What if the fluid was misidentified as embalming fluid? There were "mortician's marks." What are those? Could someone have staged this - not necessarily a cult but a weirdo adult who had time to plan this? It seems strange that someone had the opportunity to plant the body of the boy in the river and got away with it. Has anything been found about this boy?

[Peekaboo]

Just found this from 5-6-04:

http://www.kare11.com/extras/index.asp?EXTRA_ID=63364

and this:
http://www.kare11.com/extras/index.asp?EXTRA_ID=63364

It sounds like they're getting closer to finding Jacob's abductor.
Do you local people have any more news on this???

[Peekaboo]

Here is a photo of Jacob at 11 years. At the top, click 'next' for a photo of what he might look like today:

http://groups.msn.com/MissingChildrenPhotoAlbumByLadyBug/mychildismissing.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=20

[Trino]

Here's a strange link to the area (murdered sisters). St. Cloud is located very near to St. Joe.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/2823149.html

[shergal]

Here's a strange link to the area (murdered sisters). St. Cloud is located very near to St. Joe.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/2823149.html


This story tells about all the priests and monks sheltered at St. John's abbey in MN who have admitted abusing young kids. The Reker girls are mentioned in this story and one of the priests out there in "isolation" used to be the parish priest at St. Joseph where Jacob Wetterling is from (that much has been printed in local newspapers). Coincidence?

http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives/121302/121302h.htm

[Peekaboo]

Bumping up.........has anyone heard any more on this story???

[emma l]

This case really haunts me and I think about it all the time..........

Was surfing the other day and came across a whole article about another boy (Jared) who was 12 at the time of Jacobs abduction and who was abducted and molested but released in the same area, shortly before Jacob went missing.............but my computer crashed and now I can't find the article. It was quite long, with photos of the boy (whos now in his 20's). V annoying that I lost it. If anyones seen it can they post? The only thing I could find was this tiny mention on the JWF site
snip........"The investigation into Jacob's abduction has continued. In 2004, some new reports hit the local press. A long-held belief that the abductor got away in a car has now been thrown out. It was also revealed that another boy had been in a similar incident nearby. Jared (then 12) was sexually assaulted about ten miles away in Cold Spring, Minnesota earlier in 1989."

http://jacob-wetterling.wikiverse.org/

I think he was abducted "to order". Peodophiles aren't usually so picky. maybe he was sold- this would explain the lack of similar crimes in the area since. Maybe the abducter moved to another area..........Does anyone know of any other abduction since where the abducter asked the age? Please post.......

This case really gets to me. His poor family.

[Peekaboo]

emma,
This case bothers me also. I lived in MN when Jacob was abducted, and I believe he was 'ordered' too. I have never heard a kidnapper ask a child's age, of course, it may have happened.
Have you heard of the 'Franklin Cover-up?? As far as I can tell, the story is true, and is very frightening. I think these people are asked to look for a certain 'look'. Jacob was dark-haired, dark-eyed; and that might be what someone requested. Sick as it is, I believe this goes on.
Sometimes they are taken to other countries.

[emma l]

Hey Peekaboo!
I hadn't heard of the Franklin Cover-up here in the uk, but I read up on it and it truely terrified me.......... Could seriously be linked to little Jacob.
I also found a link to a boy called Johnny Gosch who dissapeared and whos mother believes he came to visit her and is in hiding in fear for his life now as an adult all linked to this certain peadophile ring. He is also dark haired and dark eyed........
http://www.johnnygosch.com/

So scary. I wonder if Jacob could still be alive as well? I hope so.........

[Peekaboo]

emma, I have heard about Johnny Gosch, too. These stories are so frightening; I have grandchildren, and can't help but feel frightened for them.
We should be able to trust, but we cannot anymore. I grew up in a very small town in the 50's, and everyone knew everyone there. Of course, parent's were strict, and didn't allow us to run free like it happens now.
It is a scary world we live in. I hate teaching kids to be always afraid, and try not to do that, but the truth is they have to be aware.
I note that you are from London. How interesting. I am in the U.S, in the midwest.

[emma l]

Hiya!
The midwest! Thats sounds far more intersting than where I am- its cold and drizzly here!
Had a nightmare about Jacob last night- was very weird and scary. Think i've been thinking about this case too much. I think the fact that that abducter wanted so much info on Jacob dictates a (very) slim chance that he still might be alive. Why go to so much trouble to choose a victim if you were going to kill them in a few hours anyway? If he's not alive now, there is at least a chance that he was for quite a while. I hope to goodness they find him. With his mum (Patty) being in the political news so much at the moment, she couldn't ask for better publicity..................

[Peekaboo]

Hiya!
The midwest! Thats sounds far more intersting than where I am- its cold and drizzly here!
Had a nightmare about Jacob last night- was very weird and scary. Think i've been thinking about this case too much. I think the fact that that abducter wanted so much info on Jacob dictates a (very) slim chance that he still might be alive. Why go to so much trouble to choose a victim if you were going to kill them in a few hours anyway? If he's not alive now, there is at least a chance that he was for quite a while. I hope to goodness they find him. With his mum (Patty) being in the political news so much at the moment, she couldn't ask for better publicity..................

Isn't it something how we still have this case in our hearts after all these years?! I still hope and pray that Jacob is alive...somewhere; but still doubt it, for the reasons you have given. Patty has never given up hope; she at least gives hope to those who have loved ones missing still.
Oh gosh, cold and drizzly I cannot take too well. It has been a cool summer here, also. This is a relief tho, as it usually is very hot and humid this time of year. I am in the southern US; but moved here from the northern part. So, I am used to harsh winters, milder summers.

[emma l]

Its sunny again here now. Thats global warming for you.

I just got the shock of my life- Jacob Wetterling was born in February 1978 and I was born in May 1978...........he's OLDER than me. This was such a shock I went ice-cold. My goodness.....I was thinking of him as a little boy. It IS truly astounding that people still think about Jacob........he will never be forgotten because of the strange circumstances of his abduction.

[Peekaboo]

Its sunny again here now. Thats global warming for you.

I just got the shock of my life- Jacob Wetterling was born in February 1978 and I was born in May 1978...........he's OLDER than me. This was such a shock I went ice-cold. My goodness.....I was thinking of him as a little boy. It IS truly astounding that people still think about Jacob........he will never be forgotten because of the strange circumstances of his abduction.

Glad you had some sun, emma1. I can't stand when it's cloudy for days. I get sluggish and depressed.
Yes, guess we do tend to think of Jacob as a boy, that's our last memory of him, sadly. It is so odd how this case quieted down so quickly again. The man who lives on the property nearest where Jacob disappeared sounded so suspicious to me. Now we hear nothing.
Even my relatives in that area aren't hearing anything. I have an idea, I think I'll search for a newspaper from there, and email them. I'll come here and post if/when I get an answer. This case bugs me.

[emma l]

That would be greta peekaboo..........let me know how you get on!

[Peekaboo]

That would be greta peekaboo..........let me know how you get on!

I did email a newspaper in St Joseph, MN. I havent had any reply. Do you mean email Greta, emma1??? :confused:

[emma l]

Ah! No I meant the newspaper! Thanks for doing that- I'm sure they'll get back to you eventually.........they probably get loads of requests!

[TisHerself]

I remember this case I think about Jacob often. I always thought it was someone who lived there. Someone who happened to here the boys on the road and who had probably been stalking Jacob. I think asking them who was the oldest was just a ruse he knew exactly who he wanted. I truthfully could never figure out why the police never looked closer at people who lived there. I don't believe he was taken in a car anywhere he was around there somewhere when the police where looking for him. JMO

[shergal]

They mentioned Jacob on our central MN news tonight (9/29) - they've had reports of someone who looks a lot like him living in a small town in MN. The man's co-workers told police they thought he looked a lot like Jacob. What's odd is the guy refuses to have DNA tested to prove he's not him.

Here's the link to the story:
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S2932.html?cat=1

[jat]

Hmmm...certainly the part about him being given up by his mom and then living with a man is interesting for the case, but it just seems weird that he would think his mom gave him up when he was abducted by gunpoint. He was old enough to remember. But, I don't know. The child mind is still impressionable.

[smile22]

when ur a child even at 11 you can do things you think you cant do i have 2 brothers and a sister im the oldest 23 the youngest is my sister shes 11. one of my younger brothers he will tell her to do stuff ( not dangerus stuff) but stuff and she often listens to him.. what im getting at is the guy took jacob brainwashed him into thinking his mom didnt want him anymore. had him scared half to death prolly threatened him. i know at 11 i still was scared of stuff like that. so he grew up had the story all in his head, i am so and so my mom died. and if he memorised it good and said it good no one would suspect anything. i also read in the article that they said his father would have been in the military. what is that all about? did he tell them what his father did? ( the man hes claiming is his father or really is) dont you need 2 forms of id and a social to get a job now adays unless the job is under the table? also the story about the man saying his mom was dead and he lived with his father brings me back to the marshall case on how she said the same thing. but then often would forget and tell others her mom died of cancer A must book to read

[jat]

I have to admit that I am on pins and needles to hear something more on this possible lead. I can only imagine what Jacob's mother is going through right now. Or, I can't imagine I should say. How wonderful and awful this possibility is at the same time. It would be wonderful to finally learn that Jacob is alive and awful to know what he has gone through. If anyone gets any updates, please do forward them on.

I do wonder...if this is Jacob, and he is now an adult trying to get a job and live a normal life...how would this type of celebrity affect him?

[lisag]

I was shocked seeing this in the news... If the man is not Jacob, why wont he just submit to dental records and DNA - to put the famiyl at ease..
Wouldn't it be wonderful if it actually was him ??

[amandab]

[QUOTE=lisag]If the man is not Jacob, why wont he just submit to dental records and DNA - to put the famiyl at ease.. [QUOTE]

Maybe his initial reaction to all of this is shock, bewilderment, etc. Odds are he's grown up thinking he's just a plain, ordinary guy. A revalation like this seems like something that would shake a person to their core - changing their very sense of being.

Resistance in the initial phases of this isn't terribly surprising, but after a while you'd think the guy wuld want to set the family's mind at ease......

I'm really interested in how this lead pans out.....

[shergal]

He could have been told for years by this man that his mom gave him up and he now believes that's what happened. A young scared kid like that could probaly be brainwashed into believing any story. Or he could have just blanked a lot out through denial. The fact that he is refusing to give DNA just seems strange to me.

Hopefully his mom will go see him in person, I'm sure a mom would know even after all these years if it's him or not. How wonderful would that be? Although I'm sure he'd need years of therapy.

I wish they'd show his photo, but I suppose they can't because of privacy laws. I'll post any updates we get on our local news.

[Azlaw]

read this news story
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S2932.html?cat=1

They are looking to see if this man in Wetterling.

[kgeaux]

read this news story
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S2932.html?cat=1

They are looking to see if this man in Wetterling.

Wow. I hope it's him.

[englishleigh]

Wow, wouldn't that be something?? I'm praying it is him. Even if he doesn't want to see his family, at least they would know he is alive and well.

[Azlaw]

If it is him, why wouldn't he submit to a DNA test and why wouldn't he want to see his family. Steven Stayner wanted to see his family didn't he?

[englishleigh]

I'm just wondering if it IS him, if he has been brainwashed somehow in the last 15 years into thinking he ISN'T Jacob Wetterling, but another person... KWIM? If he ISN'T him, why not submit to the test and prove he ISN'T Jacob, and get it over with? If police were questioning me and thinking I might be someone who has been missing for years, I would quickly agree to a DNA test and prove I wasn't that person, for the sake of the missing person's family and the investigation. Maybe the name Jacob has triggered something in his memory...and he is afraid, for right now, of taking the test. I just think it's odd that if he's NOT Jacob, he wouldn't want to PROVE it...and I didn't mean he'd NEVER want to see the Wetterlings if it is eventually proven he is Jacob...he just might have to come to terms with being Jacob first, and not the person he thinks he is now.

And probably, he ISN'T Jacob at all...but I just think it's strange that he won't prove it.

[WasBlind]

http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4443

With HOPE, Lanie
Help For The Missing
HelpForTheMissing@yahoo.com

[Trino]

The word in MN is that the man will not submit to DNA because it's a privacy issue. He may be anti-police or may have a criminal record. He told police who he is. The police are saying prove who you aren't, which they really cannot force him to do, since he is not charged with a crime.

If he is JW, it may be a difficult mental road for everyone involved. Interesting twist to the case.

[Mom who cares]

Can someone merge this with Jacob's Cold Cases thread? Being discussed there also.

[inquiringmindz]

For Jacob's family, I hope and pray that your questions and prayers are answered!

[AuntieKaren]

read this news story
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S2932.html?cat=1

They are looking to see if this man in Wetterling.

WOW! Reminds me so much of Steven Stayner. I hope that if it is Jacob that he is OK. God bless him.
Karen

[AuntieKaren]

If it is him, why wouldn't he submit to a DNA test and why wouldn't he want to see his family. Steven Stayner wanted to see his family didn't he?

Azlaw--
I'm thinking if it's him he's been majorly brainwashed.
Karen

[LillyRush]

Wow, wouldn't that be something.
I wish they would show a comparison picture, but I guess they have to protect his privacy as he requests and in case it's not him.

[lisag]

I really hope they can find out soon - if he is or is not Jacob - for his family's sake.
Yes, I too think it reminds me a lot of the Steven Stayner case...
And look at Elizabeth Smart - she would not tell the police at first who she was either... and that was after only 9 months - imagine what Jacob would be like (if it is him) after 15 years !!
I pray his family has answers soon !!

[AuntieKaren]

I really hope they can find out soon - if he is or is not Jacob - for his family's sake.
Yes, I too think it reminds me a lot of the Steven Stayner case...
And look at Elizabeth Smart - she would not tell the police at first who she was either... and that was after only 9 months - imagine what Jacob would be like (if it is him) after 15 years !!
I pray his family has answers soon !!

lisag--
Good point about Elizabeth Smart. I have not been able to stop thinking about this. Combine that with the Steven Stayner aspect and I think there's a real chance this could be Jacob. Just my opinion.
Karen

[Trino]

Has there been any more news about the Marvin Windows guy? The story made headlines for a day, then nothing today. Did LE find he wasn't Jacob, or are they still investigating?

[AuntieKaren]

Has there been any more news about the Marvin Windows guy? The story made headlines for a day, then nothing today. Did LE find he wasn't Jacob, or are they still investigating?

Trino--
Who's Marvin Windows?
Karen

[englishleigh]

Trino--
Who's Marvin Windows?
Karen


Marvin Windows is the place where the guy who looks like Wetterling works, in Warroad, MN.

[AuntieKaren]

Marvin Windows is the place where the guy who looks like Wetterling works, in Warroad, MN.

englishleigh--
Thanks. :) I guess I skimmed over the name.
Karen

[englishleigh]

englishleigh--
Thanks. :) I guess I skimmed over the name.
Karen


No problem. :) I do it all the time and then I have to ask about stuff, too!!

[Trino]

Still nothing in the news. The media was quick to publish the story that this man might be JW. If this man isn't, where's the retraction/follow-up story? I would doubt he is J, since the news would have been splashed across front pages nationwide. There also hasn't been a statement from the Wetterling family other than PW saying she was informed.

I also wonder how the investigation into locals is going. The lastest determination is that there probably wasn't a car involved - strange that someone on foot could do this. I last heard LE has some ideas, but even that has had no follow-up.

[UpNorth]

Hi. I came across this board when searching for information about JW. My husband works at Marvin Windows and we heard about the possibility of this being JW and so I set forth to see if there were any news stories or such online because I don't work at MW myself and wanted to know what is going on. I grew up in MN and the JW still story hits too close to home.

I have a friend that works with the person the was claimed to be JW. He took a look at the age enhanced photo and said it totally looks like him. The hair isn't the same, but the face is the same.

I also know someone who works with this person's "uncle." There was a conversation with this man that is questionable.

Last I heard, a newpaper published that LE is 90% sure it isn't him. I don't know what information they had to go by to get to that conclusion.


I myself have different opinions on the whole story, and I'm not sure what is acceptable by the board rules to how much I should share.

[Fran Bancroft]

Hi UpNorth,

Please, do share...

[lisag]

Yes, please do share !!

I too grew up in MN, and have always wondered about Jacob...

[Fran Bancroft]

I was looking at the pictures of JW, I would think that aside from DNA etc, the moles on his face would be very telling if compared...I wish I could see...

[UpNorth]

"IF" this man is JW he could have been brainwashed so bad that he wouldn't remember who he REALLY was.

Could something have happened in his home before he was kidnapped where he wouldn't have wanted to go back?

There was a conversation with this man's uncle before all of this started last week in which he said to another worker that he had lived in every state and 3 different countries. When asked why he decided to live here he said that he was "tired of running."

I'm trying to remember every thought that has gone thru my head in the past week, but there is too much to remember.

These are just my own opinions on the story, and probably don't mean much at all, but in my mind are questionable.

[Fran Bancroft]

Thanks UpN.


It's sad...probably is him. He probably wants to be left alone, too. And, he probably has no idea what the truth is due to his vulnerable age at the time. I pray that he finds good friends that he can confide in and heal with their support.

I suppose that the upside for him is he could sell a movie or book for some dough...(if it's him).

[UpNorth]

Another thing, someone had mentioned that he is possibly using drugs and wouldn't want to give a blood test for that reason. If so, why not submit his dental records?

To me, it's just so sad. If this isn't him, why not put everyone at ease and help out by sharing his records.

[Fran Bancroft]

Well, I think it's extremely likely, that if he was "on the run" regardless of why, that crimes could have been committed along the way...a reason for shame, and a reason to not want to disclose who you are.

[lisag]

Has there been any more news ?? I really want to know if its him or not, I can't imagine what his parents are going through right now!

[shirley hagen]

This AM, the Fargo Forum reported that IT IS NOT JW. Fingerprints proved it. It says that he agreed for the authorities to use his fingerprints and dental records.

I too, had been hoping this could be a "closed case", instead of a "cold case".

I just hope all this attention won't make life too difficult for him!

[fourboys]

Capt. Pam Jensen of the Stearns County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that fingerprints from the Warroad man prove he isn't Wetterling.
http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/9846099.htm

[lisag]

I had hoped that this would be Jacob... But I am glad that the man agreed to dental records/fingerprints to prove otherwise... Hopefully he will be left alone and not bothered anymore.

I hope someday the Wetterlings will be able to know what happened to Jacob.

[Fran Bancroft]

Sounds kinda odd that they would need fingerprints and dentals...why wouldn't his ID and history work?...Just puzzling...seems a bit in-depth. I mean, heck, if someone wants to know who I am, I show picture ID...I suppose if that was questioned then your history, where you were when, your parents and their location etc...


Am I missing something?...

[UpNorth]

Thats too bad, we were all hoping this was it.

[smile22]

but then again with new tecnology showing an id could have been frutless if it was a fake id unless they checked into the id

[fourboys]

Jacob Wetterling's disappearance: a 15-year timeline
From the ST.Cloud Times News:

http://miva.sctimes.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?CMN/Local/read.mv+20041022041622+3+

[shergal]

It seems odd these details of the 3 suspects have never been released before.

"1996

- May 16: Search warrants authorities thought were sealed are released to the public. The warrants reveal three potential suspects authorities considered early in the investigation:

‹ A then-60-year-old St. Joseph-area man who confessed to the kidnapping one month after it occurred. The man was later eliminated and moved to a nursing home because he suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

‹ A St. Cloud State University student who was committed to a mental institution one week after Jacob's abduction. The man later was eliminated as a suspect and killed himself in another state.

‹ A Paynesville-area man who fit the description of a man suspected of abducting and sexually assaulting a Cold Spring boy. Authorities searched his home three months after the abduction. Police then said that the man wasn't a top suspect in the abduction, but at least one paragraph was blocked out in the search warrant."

No word on if they are still looking at this Paynesville, MN man??

[lisag]

It also said that in April of 1990 - they questioned a New London, WI man - WHOA - that is VEWRY VERY close to me !! ALthough - at that time I was living in MN...

I really wish the person(s) involved, would just send an anonymous letter even and let the family know where Jacob is - him or his body.... His family needs to know...

This case as bothered me since the begining.. I was 16 and living in MN then (born and raised) and have really tried to follow it since...

I pray that his family learns the truth soon.

[Mickeymouse523]

I live in Mn and had not heard that they concluded this man was not JW, I was really hoping it was.

~Lyzy~

[AuntieKaren]

Oh man! I really held out hope that he could have been Jacob, no matter how far-fetched that seemed. :( :( :( :( :(
Karen

[Richard]

It seems odd these details of the 3 suspects have never been released before. ...

‹ A Paynesville-area man who fit the description of a man suspected of abducting and sexually assaulting a Cold Spring boy. Authorities searched his home three months after the abduction. Police then said that the man wasn't a top suspect in the abduction, but at least one paragraph was blocked out in the search warrant."

No word on if they are still looking at this Paynesville, MN man??

Note that there is another current thread on this board regarding the disappeareance of little Jackie Theel - also from Paynesville. Although these cases are 45 years apart.

[Capt.]

Someone brought up the perp asking who was the oldest.


In cult abductions age can be important as it tells the level of development of the mind. At certain ages, different types of programming is used by cults.

Capt.

[messiecake]

Are you a listener of "Coast To Coast" by any chance???

[Capt.]

never have, but I take your multipule references to it indicate that you have.

If this means you wish to have a flame war with me, I'll just ignore you. I have made no attack against you before.

[messiecake]

never have, but I take your multipule references to it indicate that you have.

If this means you wish to have a flame war with me, I'll just ignore you. I have made no attack against you before.

I have no idea what a flame war is(?) but I asked ,in a joking manner,due to your bringing up whacko conspriracy theories,cults.......whats next? UFO's?

The families of the missing live through so much.Outlandish fairy tales do no one any good!
Why cant you pursue positive truthful ways/sources???

[Capt.]

FYI

There are healthcare workers that have received acredited CEU's in the treatment of people that have been exposed to what I am refering to. There are those that have had the experiences with people that have had this exposure.

I have had several experiences with clients in this area. The healing organization I am loosly associated with is represented on the board of NCMEC.

I know it can be very fustrating to try to prove a negative and suspect that your lame attempt to ridicule me and in the past others by using the "Coast to Coast" statement is a result of that fustration. Please stop.

What proof can you supply that it doesn't exist? I can present accepted training in this area, can you?

If you desire, I can provide links where this training is available at.

[Capt.]

Here is a reference to what happens in extreme torture. Look over the site.

http://www.coreintegrity.net/pages/931631/index.htm

[messiecake]

How can you link war refugees with missing children?

The FBI has found NO evidence of your satantic cults kidnapping/torturing and holding children for years.

I also do not belive you are in any way shape or form associated with NCMEC and to claim so will likely be verified by the mods. and if its found that youre lying you will be banned.


Cases of the missing is serious business and with so many family members here you should really think before you type.


You seem to me to be no better than the scam artists who created the "Johnny" hoax.
Conspriracy theories are just that-theories you're the one with no hard proof.

[Capt.]

You must be referring to the link I provided which indicates "tortured war refugees". As the link refers to treatment the common denominator is "tortured". The site I provided is focused on treatment. That is the connection.

Since HIPPA laws were inacted, the medical community has had their hands tied in being able to provide information to LE. Due to client confidentiality, a therapist can't devulge critical information without the clients ok. HIPPA has helped people get treatment, but on the other hand, there is infomation that can't be shared on crimes. The FBI sad to say is not the last word on this issue. The Lanning report is incomplete.

I have provided a link to you, documenting the medical communities support of the existance of extreme trauma by mind control. This is something that you have said doesn't exist.

I have provided a site of a cult, that in your mind I guess doesn't exist.

My significant other has worked for Mayo in this field and you will notice that one of the board members is a doctor from Mayo. I have also spoken with both of the professionals mentioned in the link(Heartland) I have provided. A close friend is on their board. My information comes from them. I have personally known people subjected to 15+ years of MC/Cults. Now I can't really say much beyond this.

Now what are your credentials? Did you get them out of the NE you read at Walmart?

And remember the question, Why do declassified documents exist on MK projects?

It is a conspriracy theory only because that's what you say it is. I think it comes, from a false idea that these perps aren't smart and can't be organized. Remember you are also the one that brought up so many other tags.

If one of my children was taken, I would want to know every possiblity.

You are quicker to pass judgement than you are to investigate.

[emma l]

Bump! And just for the record I think a cult is a plausible explanation. Anythings a plausible explanation at this point!

[PaulaKay]

I currently reside in a town right next to where Jacob disappeared from and am working with a woman who knew the family. It was told to me that at some point the brother went through hypnotism to try to get out more details. Not sure what ever came of this informtain, if anything at all. I was also told that he has since moved out of state and has suppressed all memory of the event.


I wish that Patty Wetterling had won her bid for Congress, as I think she would have been a great advocate for missing children and their families.

[lisag]

I currently reside in a town right next to where Jacob disappeared from and am working with a woman who knew the family. It was told to me that at some point the brother went through hypnotism to try to get out more details. Not sure what ever came of this informtain, if anything at all. I was also told that he has since moved out of state and has suppressed all memory of the event.


I wish that Patty Wetterling had won her bid for Congress, as I think she would have been a great advocate for missing children and their families.


She is still an advocate for the missing and I am sure she always will be, congress or not.

I don't think the boys with Jacob that night have much information to give. It was dark, they were scared and it was long ago... It's unfortuante, but I doubt they saw the person very well.

Prayers for Jacob and the Wetterling family.

[blueclouds]

never have, but I take your multipule references to it indicate that you have.

If this means you wish to have a flame war with me, I'll just ignore you. I have made no attack against you before.


Hey CAPT! you sound a lot like our old friend.... "B.E." with that said, Messiecake, don't be taken in by conspiracy's.... torture, slaves, government supported child kidnappings..... I'd just ignore it all.

[halycon]

Patty W is one of the real heroes in the missing kids realm. I have such respect for her.

[Azlaw]

Could Duncan (Groene case) be involved in Wetterling's case?

Posts on his blog site seem to cast some suspicion on him for the Beaner case.
http://www.planethuff.com/darkside/
I think that was in MN, too. ALso, Duncan did time for molesting a young boy.

Just a thought.

[mmohucap]

Could Duncan (Groene case) be involved in Wetterling's case?

Posts on his blog site seem to cast some suspicion on him for the Beaner case.
http://www.planethuff.com/darkside/
I think that was in MN, too. ALso, Duncan did time for molesting a young boy.

Just a thought.
They're both from northern Minnesota... St. Joseph (where Jacon disappeared from) is near St. Cloud. Chisholm is kinda far from that, you can see them both on this map: http://www.dicarlo.onlinehome.de/mb/minnesota_map.jpg

St. Cloud is not too far from the cities, and Chisholm is up near Canada.

would Jacob's disappearance fit in, though? That was a long time ago... 1989, I think. how old was Duncan then?

[wondering22]

Here's a messagethread where websleuths are compiling a timeline for Joseph Duncan.


DUNCAN - Known Locations and Dates/Times

http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25751

[mysteriew]

From 1980 to 1994 Duncan was in Western State Hospital in Wash. He was then returned to incarceration in Wash. in 1997

[mmohucap]

From 1980 to 1994 Duncan was in Western State Hospital in Wash. He was then returned to incarceration in Wash. in 1997
That eliminates him in Jacob's case.

[wondering22]

That eliminates him in Jacob's case.

Not necessarily.

An updated version of the timeline was posted on either page 3 or page 4, and here is a small cut and paste, which shows that Duncan MIGHT have been on parole.....

Here is how the timeline reads currently:

1980...Ft Lewis WA--Dropped out of High School, age 16, then same month more trouble, see next item


1-1980...Lakewood WA--16 years old, stole gun, raped 14 yo boy, got 20 years-suspended, Pierce County sheriff says he stole guns, beat, raped and burned his boy victim


1980...Pierce Co WA--Sentenced to sex offender program at Western State Hospital


3-1982...Pierce Co WA--Doctors diagnosed Duncan as passive-aggressive w/schizoid features and as a sexual
sadist, revoked suspended sentence for leaving grounds twice/peeped in windows, sent to state pen


9-1994...Pierce Co WA--Released on parole after 14 years (actually released several times but kept
violating)


ABOVE YEARS FROM TIMELINE FOUND AT TOP OF PAGE FOUR HERE:

http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25751&page=4

[wondering22]

According to the reply I got in that other messagethread, the timeline has been ammended. Here's what I was told:


I saw your post before but forgot to respond about this. He never got out in that whole 14 year period. He didn't come up for parole at all until 1994 and violated several times before they sent him back in 1997 to complete his original 20 year sentence. He could not have been involved with Wetterling.

[SimonSays]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Patty Wetterling said she hopes to help pass a number of laws to protect children from sex offenders, as she kicked off her campaign Sunday for the U.S. Senate.

"I embrace the fact that I am a nontraditional candidate,'' she told more than 100 supporters in Riverside Park in St. Paul.

Wetterling lost a bid for Congress last year to U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, but she was a recognized name long before because of the tragic unsolved kidnapping of her son Jacob in 1989. After his disappearance, she became an activist for child safety and established the Jacob Wetterling Foundation to protect children from abduction and sexual exploitation.

FULL STORY: http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5659772.html

Use http://www.bugmenot.com for a username / password if needed

[mssheila]

I think about Jacob a lot. I lived about an hour away from where he was kidnapped at the time. I remember the panic, I remember his mom on the news, I remember it all. I am pretty close to his age. I really wish they would find him, alive or dead, so we can have some clue as to who did this. It breaks my heart.

[missacorah]

I know, this case has really touched a lot of people. In the photos I have seen of him he looks a really happy, genuine boy and he was of course very nice looking which sadly may have contributed to him being 'chosen'. Can you imagine the terror this child must have felt when his friends were 'declined' and he was taken to wherever his future lay?

The incident with Jacobs father at the stadium where he had the awful feeling of Jacob being in danger, was that just a feeling? Or did it emerge that Jacob had been seen with an unknown person?

I feel that Jacob possibly was taken 'on order' if you like by someone, but for another person. He could have been told a rough age that was required and was making sure he was claiming the right age to get his reward of money etc. Thats where my theory ends as I cant believe that bearing in mind his age Jacob would or could have adjusted to a new life.

Sadly I feel this case may never be solved - I hope I am wromg!

[michelle]

I think about Jacob a lot. I lived about an hour away from where he was kidnapped at the time. I remember the panic, I remember his mom on the news, I remember it all. I am pretty close to his age. I really wish they would find him, alive or dead, so we can have some clue as to who did this. It breaks my heart. I think about him too, its so sad!

[missacorah]

How many of you think there is a chance the truth about Jacobs disappearence will ever come out?

[gardenmom]

I don't think this was mentioned, but what if a stalker was waiting near Jacob's home? He follows them to the store, wanting to get them away from home. He decides to hide in the secluded driveway, waiting for them to come by. Could be that he was sent by someone else with instructions to get the "older" kid with blonde hair. This crime was planned. He was in and out pretty quick, and no one saw him.

[Richard]

I don't think this was mentioned, but what if a stalker was waiting near Jacob's home? He follows them to the store, wanting to get them away from home. He decides to hide in the secluded driveway, waiting for them to come by. Could be that he was sent by someone else with instructions to get the "older" kid with blonde hair. This crime was planned. He was in and out pretty quick, and no one saw him.
The abduction was certainly a planned crime, to an extent. That is, the abductor had probably targeted the boys at some point and lay in wait for them, along their intended path.

Jacob, his brother Treavor, and a friend - Aaron Larson - were together that day and enroute from a convenience store (where they had gotten a video) to the Wetterling home. They were stopped by the armed abductor, who ordered them to lie face down on the ground. He took his time studying the boys before making his clear choice. He grabbed Jacob by the back of his clothing and sent the other two boys running for home.

If he had been sent specifically for Jacob to begin with, he likely would have waited to get him alone, or would have taken him without a lot of delay and study of all three.

It would seem that he wanted to abduct one boy and that he wanted to have a choice from the three that he saw. This occurred on 22 October 1989. Police at the time thought that it might have been related to a previous sexual assult which occurred in Cold Spring, MN in January 1989.

[2luvmy]

I would still be interested in a DNA analysis of the boy they found with his extremeties removed. With a missing boy so close to the area, just because there is embalming fluid in the body doesn't rule out that it was not him.

[lisag]

How many of you think there is a chance the truth about Jacobs disappearence will ever come out?


Unfortunately, I don't think there will ever be resolution in this case..

[godzorphan]

I had a whole post lost while retrieving this link. Well, here goes, reluctantly, since there is obviously someone who posts with the idea that ritual crime is nonexistent. I hope they just let it go.

I became involved in the Wetterling case after seeing of his abduction just before Halloween that year, and remarking to a friend that if he was killed in a ritual he would probably be better off than if a sex ring got hold of him; that would be a life sentence in hell. I had already been training on occult crimes for a year, and knew a blond/blue kid disappearing just before a ritual date wasn't good; but also not good because blue eyed kids are known as "high dollar" kids in the sex industry.

In any event, I did a lot of footwork tracking down leads and info on Gosch case related to Franklin (possibly.) Later a friend got an interview given him by an officer on the east side of the country with a woman who claimed to part of a traveling occult group. She claimed they were responsible for Jacob's murder in a ritual. The officer verified the woman's claims that they broke into churches called "St Joseph's" and did night rituals, incl. animal sacrifices, from priests who found evidence of such in their churches. So it peaked my interest to read a previous post about a body being found w/o hands, head etc. matching his descript. Police said footprints didn't match; OK. Poster said it was a cover-up; don't know. But the runner claimed he was disposed of near the river north of where he disappeared...in any event I probably should revisit this and see if I can reconnect with the ofc. & compare info...

But also, having seen a couple of other composites, one of the Wetterling abductor, the next of the abductor of Chuckie Mauk of GA in similar manner, and third of the head of the group that took Gosch according to a boy who claimed he helped the abduction. (we even have a name for that alleged abductor.

I thought it would be of interest to post those three (very poorly copied) composites on my website and see if anyone thinks they look similar. Here's the link:

http://www.gregoryreid.com/id187.htm

I've always felt the two cases (Wetterling/Gosch) could be related. But who knows? One thing is for sure: unlike some others, I have found I can maintain healthy skepticism and STILL not throw out ANYTHING because it sounds too "out there." Even in some cases where we got a lot of crap info, we got some very good intel - intel we would have lost if we dismissed it out of hand because it was too "crazy."

G

[reb]

i think one very important thing that people tend to forget... is that crimes like this may well have been committed not by a lone predator, someone with a criminal background, a known NAMBLA member, the local weirdo or pervert who lives in a remote area... but by a husband/father/family man, the local priest/preacher, a prominent businessman or politician, teacher or coach, someone who works with kids,, and so on. you know, those men who live very upstanding lives, are well-admired.... and the stress of it somehow makes them crack and develop this whole other split deviant personality.
something to think about, anyway.

[shergal]

I saw it mentioned on the news this week that Jacob is one of the old cold cases they are looking at along with other missing boys. Jacob was 11 when he was taken just like Shawn Hornbeck and Missouri is only 2 states away from MN with Iowa in between. Wouldn't it be something if they find info on Jacob after all these years while investigating Devlin?

[shergal]

for that story:
http://wcco.com/crime/local_story_033072958.html

[Gina_M]

I think it is very likely that Jacob and this other boy, Jared, were abducted by the same person:

Earlier in the year, a 12-year-old boy had been pulled into a car and molested. The boy had just finished ice skating with friends and was walking home alone. When the man dumped the boy out of the car, he was told to run. If he didn’t, he would be shot. Not only did the methodology fit, but so did the geography. This crime happened about 10 miles from where Jacob had disappeared.

http://www.sequoyahcountysheriff.org/jacobwetterlingact.htm

A former Cold Spring man, who was abducted and assaulted just ten months before Jacob Wetterling disappeared, is coming forward to tell his story publicly for the first time in hopes it will trigger new leads in the Wetterling case.

Jared's story begins on a winter night in Cold Spring, Minnesota. It was Friday, January 13, 1989.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=63324

[CrimeSolver]

I think it is very likely that Jacob and this other boy, Jared, were abducted by the same person:

Earlier in the year, a 12-year-old boy had been pulled into a car and molested. The boy had just finished ice skating with friends and was walking home alone. When the man dumped the boy out of the car, he was told to run. If he didn’t, he would be shot. Not only did the methodology fit, but so did the geography. This crime happened about 10 miles from where Jacob had disappeared.

http://www.sequoyahcountysheriff.org/jacobwetterlingact.htm

A former Cold Spring man, who was abducted and assaulted just ten months before Jacob Wetterling disappeared, is coming forward to tell his story publicly for the first time in hopes it will trigger new leads in the Wetterling case.

Jared's story begins on a winter night in Cold Spring, Minnesota. It was Friday, January 13, 1989.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=63324 It is almost certainly the same abductor. Was any DNA found on Jared? It states the kidnapper took his pants and underwear, but the poor kid might have had some DNA on his body.

I recall the Wetterling kidnapping very well. I was only a couple of years older than Jacob at the time, and I remember thinking how terrifying it is that some creep will abduct a happy-go-lucky kid riding his bike on a lonely country road. Does anyone else here remember seeing the very moving missing-kids special that aired on CBS in the spring of 1991? It was hosted by Michael Landon, a couple of months before he died, and it featured a lengthy, heartrending segment on Wetterling.

-Did the brother and friend hear anything in the moments after Jacob disappeared? I imagine they were in shock, but if the perp had a car nearby, they should have heard it leaving. Otherwise it is fairly safe to assume it was a local, since no one would risk walking quite a distance through the woods, let alone along a road, with a captive. How thoroughly was the unhelpful neighbor investigated? He sounds like a prime candidate. Does he resemble the composite?
-I remember reading (maybe here) that the father had a creepy encounter with someone at a skating rink the day the boy was taken. Has anything come of that?
-Have there been any leads or clues whatsoever? I realize investigators must keep sensitive information close to the vest, but sometimes I think it might be wiser to be more forthcoming with evidence. The public is usually the best resource to solve the case.

[Trino]

It's been so long that I don't see a resolution to Jacob's case. However, that said:

Possibilities:
The story of the body in the river has always been intriguing. It would be interesting to read a coroner's report on this autopsy and talk to the person(s) who performed it to see if there is any change to their views. However, I just don't think it was a ritual killing. The kidnapper's appearance just doesn't make me think of an occult person. IMO it was one individual.

The man next door to the kidnapping appears to be a strange character. How could anyone not want to help when a child goes missing? Why didn't he want to be involved? I'm sure LE has checked him/watched him and must have ruled him out.

Jared's kidnapping and sexual assault IMO matches Jacob's, except Jared was the lucky one. Did the kidnapper know the area? This really seems related. Did the kidnapper intend to take Jared but lost his nerve?

What about the connection to the Church? Were priests in the area ever questioned? And, of course, this was before the big story on priests and sexual assaults. I don't think it was a priest - i.e. mode of operation/gun, car in Jared's case.

I live in the Twin Cities, and Jacob's disappearance has haunted me for years. IMO Jacob was kidnapped by a lone adult. For years I thought perhaps it could have been a local, but nothing has happened in that area since Jacob's kidnapping. I'm sure all local offenders have been interviewed/watched.

My thoughts now are that Jacob was taken by a non-local. I think he was whisked out of state that night. I've always wondered why a kidnapper would ask who was the oldest. This question is so strange. Most pedophiles want younger kids.

[missacorah]

Yes thats really strange.

I think if I had the chance of knowing what really happened in one of these cases, Jacob would have to be it.

[ihadcabinfever]

...which gives me the chills 'cause my kids play hockey... is that the perp. was an offender who hung out regularly at the hockey rink....or....that this was somehow hockey related as in some type of rivalry gone amok....Now before you jump to conclusions and say this is crazy....those of you who played hockey or whose kids play hockey will totally understand this....there are a few absolutely psychotic hockey parents out there...

Some coaches in my kids' league are lobbying to take names off of jerseys, jackets, hats, etc. because they feel it could open kids up to being vulnerable....this is so sad....that we even have to think like this...

This could be every sport.Not just Hockey...

[Marie]

Jacob Wetterling's Siblings Talk (http://wcco.com/coldcase/local_story_141160605.html)


Trevor Wetterling was just 10 years old when his older brother Jacob was abducted at gunpoint in 1989 near the family's home in St. Joseph, Minn. The boys and a friend were on the way home from renting a video at a nearby convenience store. Jacob has not been seen since.

Last Friday, Trevor and his two sisters, Amy and Carmen, were in Washington D.C. for the unveiling of a book they helped write called "What About Me? Coping With the Abduction of a Brother or Sister."

You can read the sibling survival guide and watch the video by going to these links.

[CrimeSolver]

I can only imagine how difficult it must be for siblings of abducted children. In all of the chaos, scrutiny, and parents' grief, they are shunted aside.

[missacorah]

Jacob Wetterling's Siblings Talk (http://wcco.com/coldcase/local_story_141160605.html)


Trevor Wetterling was just 10 years old when his older brother Jacob was abducted at gunpoint in 1989 near the family's home in St. Joseph, Minn. The boys and a friend were on the way home from renting a video at a nearby convenience store. Jacob has not been seen since.

Last Friday, Trevor and his two sisters, Amy and Carmen, were in Washington D.C. for the unveiling of a book they helped write called "What About Me? Coping With the Abduction of a Brother or Sister."

You can read the sibling survival guide and watch the video by going to these links.

Thankyou for posting the book info. Much appreciated.

[2sisters]

I am glad they are trying to help through their grief. I admire that. that is what I have always admire about John Walsh. I wish such a book didn't even need to exist though.

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

I am glad they are trying to help through their grief. I admire that. that is what I have always admire about John Walsh. I wish such a book didn't even need to exist though.

Amen Sister!

[Nocgirl]

Thank you for the update on this. I have not read the book. Can somebody recap how Trevor and Carmen are doing? I cannot imagine being in Trevor's shoes, witnessing the abduction and wondering why Jacob was chosen over him. How terrible.

[Nocgirl]

Trino thanks for your thoughts on this. Jacob's case has also haunted me for years. It is very frustrating that so few leads were generated. Was it ever determined if he was put into a vehicle?

How could a non local know the boys route unless he was watching them?

Could it has been a visitor visiting friends or family in the area?

[Nocgirl]

Just so you guys know, the book is a pdf format you can view it online. Some good updates on the Wetterling siblings and the siblings of a few other missing children.

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/217714.pdf

[mssheila]

I still have hope that Jacob will turn up somewhere and find his family. Did you know that the Wetterlings have never moved or changed their phone number? They have always said that the reason they can't do that is.... "What if he comes home and we're not there?". :(

I found an article through a link on the "What About Me" video page that I found interesting. It tells a lot about how the siblings are doing. Here's the direct link:

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_142183335.html

Three weeks ago, Trevor and his family hopes were renewed when a young man from Kentucky called Jacob's parents, claiming to be their missing son.

"He thought he was Jacob, he had amnesia and all that and that was, I mean it was hopeful, 'cause that's the only explanation I can really have right now as to why he hasn't come home, you know, other than the worst possible situation. So it was hopeful," said Trevor.

The young man had some physical similarities to Jacob, including a mole on his cheek but hope faded quickly. Fingerprints and blood tests ruled the man out as Jacob.

<SNIP>

This latest lead came as Jacob's only brother and two sisters were finishing a survival guide to help other kids who have also had a sibling abducted. The book is called "What About Me?"
<SNIP>

Anyone with information is asked to call the Stearns County Sheriff Office is 320-259-3700.

<SNIP>

[docwho3]

I've always wondered why a kidnapper would ask who was the oldest. This question is so strange. Most pedophiles want younger kids. Good question. Perhaps he had a beef with an older brother himself and was getting revenge or perhaps he had been the oldest in his family and was abused more harshly because of it and was carrying on the pattern. A good profiler might be able to work with that a bit.

[Nocgirl]

I am thinking the abductor asked for sexual purposes. Maybe he did not want a boy that was too old and still pre-pubescent? Sick thought I know.

What I find baffling is that was such a small town back then, nobody knew or saw anything. Perhaps the kidnapper was a visitor to the area?

[joanna]

Bump for Jacob on his 30th Birthday

[Taximom]

Happy Birthday, Jacob. :blowkiss: I hope you can celebrate it with your family next time.

I'll say special prayers for him and his family today. Thank you for letting us know his birthday was today, joanna.

[hoppyfrog]

http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080217/NEWS01/102170036/1009

17 Feb 08

Today marks Jacob Wetterling's 30th birthday, and his family says they will spend the day together to honor him — just as they have every year since his abduction at gunpoint on Oct. 22, 1989.

Wetterling, a sixth-grader at St. Cloud's North Junior High School, was 11 years old when he was abducted near St. Joseph more than 18 years ago. The case remains open; no arrests have been made.

His mother, Patty Wetterling, said today will be a tough day.

She says the family will say some prayers and she hopes families will use the weekend as an opportunity to talk to their own children about being safe.

more at link

[kandoo76]

A while back it was said I think on this board that they found a human foot did they ever confirm that the foot that was found was from the local cemetary and who it belonged to and if it was a cult that did it desecrated a grave?

[smile22]

yes they did but i belive it is mentioned on his thread just go back into the posts

[Nocgirl]

This is one of the most haunting missing children cases ever. It is so creepy how the whole thing transpired. Kidnapped by your house in a small town in front of your brother. No leads at all.

I had some guy PM me on this a while back. Had some strange theory that Jacob was possibly abducted for medical/organ transplant purposes. Supposedly someone with the FBI told him this. I don't buy it. I think a pervert snatched him.

[Rle7]

Alison Feigh was in Australia visiting relatives in 1989 when her parents told her a classmate had been abducted. On the journey home to Minnesota, she scanned the airport for any sign of the 11-year-old boy who sat next to her in math class. That boy was Jacob Wetterling.

"I remember very distinctly thinking that someone could have taken him to Australia," Feigh said. "When you're a kid, you think like that. I thought it was my job to keep an eye out."

Feigh, 30, has followed that vision ever since. After briefly considering careers in theater and teaching, she ultimately designed her own college major to focus on missing and exploited children. She worked for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Washington, D.C., and now works for the Jacob Wetterling Foundation in St. Paul, educating the public about keeping children safe and supporting families whose children have run away or been murdered or abducted. This spring, she published two picture books designed to help parents talk to their children about staying safe.

"This is my dream job," Feigh said. "The abductor already took Jacob. I didn't want anything else taken."

Wetterling's abduction on Oct. 22, 1989, in St. Joseph, Minn., sent shock waves through the state. While riding bikes with his younger brother and a friend on a gravel road near his house, Wetterling was abducted by a masked gunman. Hundreds of volunteers and law officials aided in the search, but the case was never solved. Feigh was out of the country for several weeks after Wetterling's disappearance — and she returned to a shaken and changed community.

"It really rocked her," said her mother, Elizabeth Feigh. "And I think that being so far away and not being able to attend the services and help in the search in St. Joseph made it worse."

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_9287379?source=rss

[joanna]

Bump for Jacob on the 19th Anniversary of his abduction. I only hope that this will be the year that his family gets some answers!

[MrsSimon]

I hope this doesn't come across as offensive, but I wonder if something like what happened to Walter Collins (Changeling) could have happened to Jacob. Maybe it's because I just saw the movie today but who's to say there aren't other sickos out there like that Northcutt guy? I have been haunted by Jacob's disappearance ever since I first read about him.

[gaia227]

Has Joseph Duncan (Groene Murders and abduction of Shasta) been looked at as a suspect? He claims that he had been molesting, abducting and killing for yrs.

[Nocgirl]

This case has haunted me for years. Mark Klaas said in his web chat this is one of the most bothersome and scariest cases. It happened in such a small town. Somebody out there has to know something.