In October 1989, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted near his St. Joseph, Minnesota home.
Jacob, along with his brother and friend, were riding their bikes around town when a masked gunman kidnapped him, letting the others go. While Minnesota police have aggressively pursued all available leads over the years, neither Jacob nor his captor have ever been found.
Most recently, in June 2014, police questioned convicted killer Delbert Huber, an 83-year-old who is serving time for the 2011 murder of Minnesota teacher, Tim Larson. Huber had been in the area at the time of Jacob’s kidnapping and told police in his confession that he had killed Larson after the teacher accused him of being involved in Jacob’s disappearance. Huber denied any involvement, but police say that they are still investigating him, along with any other new leads.
Although October 22, 2014 will mark the 25th anniversary of Jacob’s disappearance, his story has continued to get attention in the media. This is due in large part to his mother Patty’s tireless crusade to help him and other children who have gone missing.
After a cable news network ran a special on Jacob in September 2014, Patty spoke with local NBC affiliate KARE, about what the last 25 years have been like for her; “It’s amazing to me, and it’s a statement to the character of the people in Minnesota that everyone still cares. People still want to find Jacob.”
If you have any information pertaining to Jacob’s disappearance, please Stearns County authorities at (320) 251-4240.
