MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #5

[Cappuccino]

That's not an internet forum and he's not trolling. Its an article about him in a local news outlet, and he's responding to questions and comments underneath the article. I don't see that as obsessive, personally - if my local media had an article about me, and people underneath were accusing me of a crime, I think I'd respond too.

 

[midwestphd]

My point is that flies in the face of advice he'd receive from any decent lawyer. I see the point about wanting to defend yourself. Okay, there's a difference between a forum and a comments section on a regional news site. But look at how many times, in his comments, he criticizes the police and police tactics. He constantly deflects attention to the ineptitude of others. His own "knowledge" of the case and events that night are superior, in his mind. I'm not saying the police in this case don't deserve criticism. Obviously, they made a mess of a lot of the investigation. Other notorious criminals--the Zodiac, the Unabomber-- also demonstrate a need to express themselves in a public space.

More importantly, how typical is this kind of behavior? How often does a wrongfully accused person decide to thrust him or herself into the public spotlight? I don't know the answer to this question. Researching this would reveal a lot. But we've seen a lot of people (Susan Smith, Scott Peterson), "voice" their innocence when they were guilty.

 

[human]

[/COLOR]

human, you are correct..this is not some mystery game. And you are also correct that asking pointed questions of a POI is not 'rude'. It just seemed to me to be a bit frantic + uncomposed + maybe mixed info which can lessen the credibility. I tried reading the comments again but now cannot access them for whatever reason. I have a question for you as it appears you are convinced DR is the perp....

While heading to the Tom Thumb, Aaron said he heard a noise on his left(west) in the ditch. It could have been an animal or a person. I'm assuming it is a clue that the perp was there. My question: why was he on that side of the road opposite the mailbox? Is that ditch deeper with taller grass? Was the mailbox ditch mowed?

No clue. Our township mows the ditches, a couple of times a summer, both sides.

I have no way of knowing if it is DR. How would I? I just go with the fact that on WS when the perp is revealed, LE has a ton of information.

I am going to the library later as it is raining here. I am going to access the newspapers and find the Paynesville molester.

That can be some we can look into. If I recall, there was no picture, so who knows if that is the Sel Tel perp.

 

[Cappuccino]

My point is that flies in the face of advice he'd receive from any decent lawyer. I see the point about wanting to defend yourself. Okay, there's a difference between a forum and a comments section on a regional news site. But look at how many times, in his comments, he criticizes the police and police tactics. He constantly deflects attention to the ineptitude of others. His own "knowledge" of the case and events that night are superior, in his mind. I'm not saying the police in this case don't deserve criticism. Obviously, they made a mess of a lot of the investigation. Other notorious criminals--the Zodiac, the Unabomber-- also demonstrate a need to express themselves in a public space.

More importantly, how typical is this kind of behavior? How often does a wrongfully accused person decide to thrust him or herself into the public spotlight? I don't know the answer to this question. Researching this would reveal a lot. But we've seen a lot of people (Susan Smith, Scott Peterson), "voice" their innocence when they were guilty.

Alot of innocent people voice their innocence too, and their frustration with the police, that means nothing. Yes, it would be the type of thing that an attorney would advise him not to do, but DR has never lawyered up has he?

 

[human]

To me it is the arrogance that I find interesting. The superior attitude, but it is immature sounding to me. Someone posturing. Puffing out the chest

And someone who feels the need to call attention to himself.

Very BTK behavior

 

[cGorg]

The 'tapes' are back up on YouTube....I translated the one featuring Ben the eyewitness. Let me know if I've missed any words or utterances.

Ben: and uh...about eight....uh twenty to nine I uh got ready to go home and I looked up the road towards where Jacob and them were...uh...where they got kidnapped.
Interviewer: yeh
Ben: and uh...I seen...uh...Michael and Richard and they were coming up out of the woods.... right into the big tall grass.
Interviewer: ah ah
Ben:....up out of the ditch. And that's what I seen before I went down the hill to go home. And then uh..I....
Interviewer: was that right...was that right by the site?
Ben: yeh. It's right by where he got kidnapped.
Interviewer: ah ah
Ben: and...uh...I seen Jacob, and Aaron, and his little brother Trevor when me and my dad were coming back from the Tom Thumb that night. We seen them going to Tom Thumb. But they must have....they came up the other way coming back to Tom Thumb up the hill.
Interviewer: hmm hmm
Ben: the next day I heard that he got kidnapped.
Interviewer: and you knew the Bahners were down there in the ditch when you left?
Ben: yep
Interviewer: and that was about what....twenty to nine?
Ben: yep...twenty to nine

 

[ELOCsoul]

He was released when he lawyered up?? That sounds very suspicious to me - if they released him for that reason they can't have had much of a case to begin with.

The suspect was developed, apparently from something else - but they found a car that the suspect owned at the time of Jared's abduction. They also found fibers in the back of that car that were similar to those from Jared's coat.

It could be that this guy had nothing to do with it. Or, like I said, maybe this guy was already in so deep already that LE didn't need this charge to put him away.

In his book, Garber says the whole thing was a major misstep - the LE agencies working the case did not communicate well, and in the end the arrest was "rushed" in error.

 

[human]

So how can we find out who this guy is?

What crimes did he commit so they had him on enough to lock him up?

 

[cGorg]

Yes...knowing who the suspect is and what car was used in Jared's abduction would be illuminating to say the least. And if the perp was involved in Jacob's abduction as well then maybe the transfer of fibers could be connected. And if there is no connection between Jared's + Jacob's abductions then Jared's perp could be ruled out regarding Jacob.

 

[Cappuccino]

The suspect was developed, apparently from something else - but they found a car that the suspect owned at the time of Jared's abduction. They also found fibers in the back of that car that were similar to those from Jared's coat.

It could be that this guy had nothing to do with it. Or, like I said, maybe this guy was already in so deep already that LE didn't need this charge to put him away.

In his book, Garber says the whole thing was a major misstep - the LE agencies working the case did not communicate well, and in the end the arrest was "rushed" in error.

Was there something special about Jared's coat, or was it just a mass produced garment, like most childrens' coats?

Did they ever tell Jared that his rapist was behind bars for something else, or did they just let him carry on living in fear?

If the arrest was "rushed" did they ever investigate him further for Jared's attack after they had to let him go?

 

[human]

If they kept the fibers and the coat, technology is way better today than in the past.

One would hope since it was deemed necessary to dig up the Rassier farm, that analysis could be made of the fibers. Perhaps they have done it.

I still have not gone to the library to find the Paynesville molester. It is so strange that no internet search I can imagine comes up with the molester.

He was a laborer on a turkey farm in or by Paynesville. He had molested a ton of boys. I think he was found in 1989 or 1990.

How a turkey farm laborer enticed all of these boys is beyond me. How did he meet them?.

Do young teens work on turkey farms? Maybe the town is not Paynesville. Maybe it as an area outside of Paynesville snd not incorporated and that is why it does not show up in searches?

 

[cGorg]

Wow, thats interesting! do you think you could relocate it and re-post?

marlins....found it! I don't know how to cut + paste the comment so here's the information. It's on Joy's blog, Nov 14, 2010 "Was Jacob's Abduction a 'Perfect Storm'?

It's the 3rd comment line. His name is Donavon Mickelson and posted March 20, 2012 at 1:16 a.m.

 

[cGorg]

also...Joy's Blog...'Let the Questions Begin'....Nov 3, 2010...last comment by 'AN' posted Feb 22, 2013 at 2:14 a.m..... presents an opposing viewpoint that the perp was a military man-survivalist-prepper and that he abducted both Jared + Jacob.

 

[Cappuccino]

If they kept the fibers and the coat, technology is way better today than in the past.

Did they even keep the DNA from the rape kit?

 

[shergal]

Did they even keep the DNA from the rape kit?

LE said the DNA sample from Jared's case had disintegrated and couldn't be used by the time Jacob was taken. IIRC, Jared was grabbed in the beginning of the year, Jan. or Feb.? and Jacob was not abducted until October.

 

[Cappuccino]

LE said the DNA sample from Jared's case had disintegrated and couldn't be used by the time Jacob was taken. IIRC, Jared was grabbed in the beginning of the year, Jan. or Feb.? and Jacob was not abducted until October.

DNA does not disintegrate between January and October. They didn't store it properly, or they lost it. :facepalm:

 

[Jbrown324320]

what if those tapes are correct? what if the suspect was this guy? If you put a hat on him, he could look like the sketches.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sctimes/obituary.aspx?pid=155917140#fbLoggedOut

 

[shergal]

DNA does not disintegrate between January and October. They didn't store it properly, or they lost it. :facepalm:

Well, it may not have been stored properly because they had no idea Jacob would get abducted 10 months later. I imagine they used it to try and match whoever their suspect was in Jared's case.

 

[shergal]

what if those tapes are correct? what if the suspect was this guy? If you put a hat on him, he could look like the sketches.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sctimes/obituary.aspx?pid=155917140#fbLoggedOut

This would have been the dad of Richard and Michael Bahner who they're talking about seeing there that day.

"sons and daughters, Richard Bahner, Jr. of St. Cloud, MN; Brian (Kathy) Bahner of Pipestone, MN; Michael Bahner of Cokato, MN"

Good find, though, JBrown, at least now we know where Richard Jr. and Michael live currently.

 

[Cappuccino]

Well, it may not have been stored properly because they had no idea Jacob would get abducted 10 months later. I imagine they used it to try and match whoever their suspect was in Jared's case.

That's no excuse. It should have been stored properly until, at the very least, the statute of limitations had run out on the crime. Shoddy police work all over both these cases.