MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #3

[margaret_diane]

Back to my Catholic questions.

There are all of those priests that have molested children. How do they repent? They aren't in prison.

Priests are not considered infallible. They repent (should they choose to do so) by attending confession (with another priest, or perhaps a higher up like a bishop or cardinal - I'm not sure)... and they are absolved. The only way they'd go to prison is if they confessed their crimes to LE, or their victims held them accountable and proved a case against them. So if they attend confession, speak of their sins, say a few prayers or follow recommendations by the priest who heard the confession (eg: do community service, pray, etc)... then they are considered forgiven by God. The forgiveness of fellow humans is irrelevant to one's own absolution -- the only judge a Catholic answers to is God.

 

[human]

All my Catholic questions have to do with a perp who may be Catholic. I was just wondering if there was a way a perp could continue on with his daily life and not suffer any dose of conscience.

It appears that a perp could confess, be absolved and go on living his life as if nothing had happened as he has been absolved.

 

[human]

As far as identifying if people have done things by their mannerisms, I think that trained people and con artists and card sharks, for instance, can tell a lot.

Homeland security was or is going to have some kind of trained people watching for people with "tells" that may indicate that they may be up to no good at airports.

People have numerous "tells".

 

[concentric]

I think I might be able to explain why he might have a file on JW... and why he'd be afraid he might forget things...

If he had a running file on news reports, articles, video news reports etc... then it stands to reason to me that its POSSIBLE he could be continually reviewing these in order to help him ensure that he maintains the same story he always has with LE.

Did anyone else notice that when discussing his files, and boxes of things... and trying to make sure he remembers it all, he commented that he has a file on Europe from '84?? A photo album I could see, a scrapbook / video journal from a trip, these I can say would be considered normal if one visited there.... but why a file on it? What is in THAT file? Might he have encountered someone over there with an interest in a little boy? I recall that the Wetterling family did dispatch a private investigator to Amsterdam at one point, following reports of a Jacob sighting out there, though the PI came up with nothing.

I think anything is possible. There are a lot of people who were visiting or working at that abbey, in close proximity, for instance, with international ties, Amsterdam for one.

We've all heard lately about the international child *advertiser censored* rings that have been investigated.

 

[concentric]

From what I've listened to and read from the DR interviews, he is hinting he may have a theory(theories) about what happened to Jacob. Who knows what his level of involvement/participation is. It could have ranged anywhere on that continuum from him having that "6th degree of separation", where someone who was acquainted with the activities of the family, took advantage of the location of the farm as the abduction point......................................all the way to the other side of the spectrum, to him being the sole perp.

We have learned of some atrocious cases while researching crime. So, IMO, the simplest explanation is not always the explanation. And of course, there is always the consideration that a perp. could be deflecting attention from himself/herself by trying to broaden the scope of an investigation. Most of us know this.

 

[concentric]

If people read the news reports about the numerous child *advertiser censored* and pedophile rings being discovered and busted internationally, they would realize that this issue is not some conspiracy theory.

 

[Jbrown324320]

There are many articles I've read on this case where the perp was described by the boys to have a low, gravely voice... almost as if he had a cold.

Perhaps he DID have a cold at the time of the attack? Perhaps it was allergy season? Perhaps the perp intentionally disguised his voice? To be clear, this post is NOT solely regarding DR... ANY perp could have had a cold, allergies, or been clever enough to attempt to change the sound of his voice.

Both Jared and Trevor described the man as having a low, gravely voice. Jared was abducted in January (not very high allergy season, but high cold season) and Jacob was abducted in October. IMO, I think the perp's voice should normally sound this way as the two incidents happened 9 months apart. Unless the person gets sick much more often than normal people. I wonder if the sheriff took samples of voices from different people from the case (DR, car driver that came forward, other known pedophiles in the area) and asked if any of the boys recognize the voice. I know it isn't positive id, but it could help send them in a good direction.

 

[helenjean]

i'm really interested the seemingly some progress is being made and re-energizing this case. After having read through this thread, however, I'm left with several questions: Why is DR's religious beliefs/affiliation of any significance? Also, what made DR a POI in the first place? Proximity to where Jacob was abducted, or are there additional circumstances? Why do police now feel a vehicle wasn't actually involved in JW's abduction?

I'm curious because I'm not quite convinced of DR's guilt. I feel that if it was someone in the community was responsible - possibly even for a couple of abductions, assuming JW and Jared's cases are related - there would be more to go on. I find it strange one boy was released while JW, presumably, was not. I do believe JW was targeted, and I feel maybe by someone not from the area.

 

[rzeznikrocks]

HI... interested in getting others reactions to what I thought was odd after watching that interview with DR. Don't you think he seemed too happy? I mean, if I were someone who had been falsely accused for 21 years of such a notorious crime, I would probably be pretty pissed off or at least very frustrated, upset, saddened, annoyed @ the police... any of those range of emotions. ya know? He never once mentioned how this has hurt him, hurt his family. I expected him to express how this has affected his life but he did not do so at all.
I dunno, I just found his demeanor to be odd. The things he said were sorta off too. But I dunno, some ppl are just not as articulate as others. But just the way in which he discussed things and then the lack of emotion I found to be really weird...

thoughts?

 

[shergal]

Part 2 of DR's interview with KARE 11 is now posted - this is the St. Cloud Times site and they have both part 1 and part 2 up. The videos are on the right hand side of the page.
http://www.sctimes.com/section/NEWS01

(and Rzeznik, he does mention how it's affected his parents in this part 2.)

 

[kevmob77]

Just some of my thoughts on the interview (no personal view if DR is guilty or not):

1.) He seems to be a very effeminate man.
2.) Some extremely odd answers to interviewers questions.
3.) No flat emotion-filled denials by him proclaiming to being innocent. Actually, he almost seemed to leave open the possibility of guilt. I found this really weird out of everything he said.
4.) He seemed to like to slip in a laugh periodically throughout the interview.
5.) It took 20 years to speak with Patty Wetterling, but basically he is a next door neighbor. Strange.

My impression after the interview is that DR knows a lot more than he is letting on.

 

[rzeznikrocks]

Just some of my thoughts on the interview (no personal view if DR is guilty or not):

1.) He seems to be a very effeminate man.
2.) Some extremely odd answers to interviewers questions.
3.) No flat emotion-filled denials by him proclaiming to being innocent. Actually, he almost seemed to leave open the possibility of guilt. I found this really weird out of everything he said.
4.) He seemed to like to slip in a laugh periodically throughout the interview.
5.) It took 20 years to speak with Patty Wetterling, but basically he is a next door neighbor. Strange.

My impression after the interview is that DR knows a lot more than he is letting on.

Yes I agree with all of those.
#3 was what I was trying to say with my above post. Where was the emotion filled denial? Where was the pained look in his eye after being falsely accused for 21 years? He did not act like I would expect someone in his position who is innocent to act.

Very odd.....

 

[Shay]

I'm somewhat baffled by the number of interviews he's giving. You can be sure that law enforcement is analyzing every single word he says!

 

[kevmob77]

When I listened to the interview, I thought here would be a man who would express many things about what has gone on with his life since this happened. Frustration, sadness, sympathy for Jacob and his family, and some hope of a resolution to the case. But most importantly, I was hoping to see some sort of emphatic insistence that there was no way he could or would do such a thing. There was none of that. The fact that the searches of his home did not produce anything of importance probably triggered these round of interviews by him and he is probably feeling somewhat confident now. It's just sad that if he is an innocent man he couldn't have tried to clear his name or possible involvement much earlier. I mean, 20 years to talk to Patty Wetterling and he is a neighbor? He certainly didn't clear himself or get his story straight if that was his objective.

 

[shergal]

When I listened to the interview, I thought here would be a man who would express many things about what has gone on with his life since this happened. Frustration, sadness, sympathy for Jacob and his family, and some hope of a resolution to the case. But most importantly, I was hoping to see some sort of emphatic insistence that there was no way he could or would do such a thing. There was none of that. The fact that the searches of his home did not produce anything of importance probably triggered these round of interviews by him and he is probably feeling somewhat confident now. It's just sad that if he is an innocent man he couldn't have tried to clear his name or possible involvement much earlier. I mean, 20 years to talk to Patty Wetterling and he is a neighbor? He certainly didn't clear himself or get his story straight if that was his objective.

I agree. I'm more suspicious of him now than before he started talking. I imagine if LE has questioned him several times over the years, that's their feeling also. I'd really love to hear Patty's impressions of him after their talk.

 

[concentric]

We've asked this before. What if DR is gay. Let's say he had a visitor to the farm who was in a relationship with him. He hasn't told anyone about this person for fear that his parents will find out and disown him and not give him his inheritance.

And just maybe, this person could be the perp., maybe

I ask this because I know of people hiding all kinds of things to their parents in order to stay in their good graces and get the inheritance.

 

[human]

i'm really interested the seemingly some progress is being made and re-energizing this case. After having read through this thread, however, I'm left with several questions: Why is DR's religious beliefs/affiliation of any significance? Also, what made DR a POI in the first place? Proximity to where Jacob was abducted, or are there additional circumstances? Why do police now feel a vehicle wasn't actually involved in JW's abduction?

I'm curious because I'm not quite convinced of DR's guilt. I feel that if it was someone in the community was responsible - possibly even for a couple of abductions, assuming JW and Jared's cases are related - there would be more to go on. I find it strange one boy was released while JW, presumably, was not. I do believe JW was targeted, and I feel maybe by someone not from the area.

helenjean, do you know DR? Is he a practicing Catholic?

 

[shergal]

We've asked this before. What if DR is gay. Let's say he had a visitor to the farm who was in a relationship with him. He hasn't told anyone about this person for fear that his parents will find out and disown him and not give him his inheritance.

And just maybe, this person could be the perp., maybe

I ask this because I know of people hiding all kinds of things to their parents in order to stay in their good graces and get the inheritance.

This is one of my main theories too. It would explain a lot of his comments.

 

[concentric]

This is one of my main theories too. It would explain a lot of his comments.

Yes, it is one your main theories and I acknowledge that totally.

There is such as thing as: lying by omission. We know that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie

 

[shergal]

Yes, it is one your main theories and I acknowledge that totally.

There is such as thing as: lying by omission. We know that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie

LOL, I was just agreeing with you, not trying to claim the theory as my own. ;-) I wonder if the case will die down a bit now until they get results back on the blood on the cedar chest and the other forensics? Or maybe DR will just keep doing interviews?