Over the last few days I have immersed myself in this case trying to catch up on the facts. This is the sort of situation that the local community finds very disturbing and the parents are effectively keeping active. It is also fife with rumor and misinformation.
Initially, it was assumed that someone with a vehicle was involved since there were witnesses who saw a red Chevette parked in the driveway "near" the time of the crime and tire tracks were found in the driveway "consistent" with that make and model and Jacob's foot print was found near the track mark. Because no one in the vicinity owned such a car, it was assumed the perp was an "outsider". Because the facts of the case were "similar" to the Cold Springs abduction of another boy in 1/89, it was assumed they were related and the composite of that perp was released as the "suspect". The composite showed an older, heavyset man who did not look at all like DR.
Although the surviving boys did not see a car, did not recall hearing a car leave the driveway after they were told to run away, and did not recall being passed on the road by any vehicle, it was assumed that the perp had a car, probably a red Chevette, and saw the boys earlier, figured out they would be heading south on 91st and "laid in wait" at the driveway. The investigation focused on sex offenders and Chevette owners throughout central and southern Minnesota.
In 2003, 14 years after the abduction, a former "art student" came forward and said that he was driving his Chevette in the area when he heard the initial report on the Police scanner. He drove to the scene and parked in the driveway and eventually "left". Trino reported in post #315 of this thread (10/6/09) that the student was there when the police arrived and they told him to leave! If this is true (and I can find no news story the either backs this up or contradicts it), this would be a MAJOR ERROR in the case and may have totally derailed it. (Either the first responder failed to mention the Chevette in his report or the detectives/FBI failed to read the report).
Trino, can you back this story up?
In 2005 (2 years after the art student emerged) there was a "re-opening" of the case with a new theory (the perp didn't have a car, he was local and this case was unrelated to Cold Springs), there was a new POI (unnamed but identified as a "neighbor") and Jacob's mother made references to "errors" in the earlier investigation. Apparently there was a search of DR's property at that time. From what I can tell, LE was not ruling out the prior theory that the perp was an outsider with a car, they were just now considering the serious possibility that he was a local without a car.
Any Comments?
Initially, it was assumed that someone with a vehicle was involved since there were witnesses who saw a red Chevette parked in the driveway "near" the time of the crime and tire tracks were found in the driveway "consistent" with that make and model and Jacob's foot print was found near the track mark. Because no one in the vicinity owned such a car, it was assumed the perp was an "outsider". Because the facts of the case were "similar" to the Cold Springs abduction of another boy in 1/89, it was assumed they were related and the composite of that perp was released as the "suspect". The composite showed an older, heavyset man who did not look at all like DR.
Although the surviving boys did not see a car, did not recall hearing a car leave the driveway after they were told to run away, and did not recall being passed on the road by any vehicle, it was assumed that the perp had a car, probably a red Chevette, and saw the boys earlier, figured out they would be heading south on 91st and "laid in wait" at the driveway. The investigation focused on sex offenders and Chevette owners throughout central and southern Minnesota.
In 2003, 14 years after the abduction, a former "art student" came forward and said that he was driving his Chevette in the area when he heard the initial report on the Police scanner. He drove to the scene and parked in the driveway and eventually "left". Trino reported in post #315 of this thread (10/6/09) that the student was there when the police arrived and they told him to leave! If this is true (and I can find no news story the either backs this up or contradicts it), this would be a MAJOR ERROR in the case and may have totally derailed it. (Either the first responder failed to mention the Chevette in his report or the detectives/FBI failed to read the report).
Trino, can you back this story up?
In 2005 (2 years after the art student emerged) there was a "re-opening" of the case with a new theory (the perp didn't have a car, he was local and this case was unrelated to Cold Springs), there was a new POI (unnamed but identified as a "neighbor") and Jacob's mother made references to "errors" in the earlier investigation. Apparently there was a search of DR's property at that time. From what I can tell, LE was not ruling out the prior theory that the perp was an outsider with a car, they were just now considering the serious possibility that he was a local without a car.
Any Comments?