Ep. 058 | The Murder of Jacob Wetterling

Jacob Wetterling was an 11‑year‑old boy from St. Joseph, Minnesota who was kidnapped at gunpoint on October 22, 1989, while riding his bicycle home with his brother and a friend. His disappearance touched the nation and sparked frantic searches, media coverage, and advocacy from his parents, Jerry and Patty Wetterling, who went on to found the Jacob Wetterling Foundation and help pass the federal. For nearly 27 years, the case remained unsolved until 2016, when Danny Heinrich confessed to abducting, sexually assaulting, and murdering Jacob, finally leading authorities to his remains buried near Paynesville, Minnesota. Jacob’s tragic story profoundly impacted child safety laws in the U.S., and continues to remind communities of both the dangers children face and the enduring power of hope and advocacy.

SOURCES:

  • ABC News. (2023, October 12). Parents, investigators recall long quest for answers after Jacob Wetterling’s 1989 abduction. https://abcnews.go.com/US/parents-investigators-recall-long-quest-answers-jacob-wetterlings/story?id=104037361

  • APM Reports. (2016, September 7). Jacob Wetterling. https://www.apmreports.org/story/2016/09/07/jacob-wetterling

  • CourtTV. (2002, November 21). Hidden traces. https://www.courttv.com/archive/hidden-traces/

  • Davidson, B. (n.d.). Jacob Wetterling Resource Center History – Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center. https://www.gundersenhealth.org/child-protection/jacob-wetterling-resource-center-history

  • Divine, M., & Horner, S. (2016, September 6). In chilling confession, Jacob Wetterling’s fate is finally revealed. St. Paul Pioneer Press. https://www.twincities.com/2016/09/06/in-chilling-confession-jacob-wetterlings-fate-is-revealed/

  • Heinrich admits to kidnapping Wetterling in federal court. (2016, September 6). CBS Local. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/09/06/heinrich-admits-kidnapping-wetterling/

  • Investigators probe possible Wetterling link. (2014, May 15). KMSP-TV. https://www.fox9.com/news/investigators-probe-possible-wetterling-link

  • Minnesota Public Radio; Amber Advocate. (n.d.). Sibling perspectives on Jacob’s legacy. https://amberadvocate.org/sibling-perspectives-on-jacobs-legacy/

  • Minneapolis Star-Tribune. (2016, September 6). Danny Heinrich confesses to abducting and killing Jacob Wetterling. https://www.startribune.com/danny-heinrich-confesses-to-abducting-and-killing-jacob-wetterling/394636641/

  • Plummer, W., & Nelson, M. (1989, November 20). A town prays for a missing son. People, 32(21). https://people.com/archive/a-town-prays-for-a-missing-son-vol-32-no-21/

  • The Guardian. (Associated Press). (2016, September 6). Minnesota man describes killing 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling in chilling detail. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/06/minnesota-man-danny-heinrich-jacob-wetterling-chilling-detail

  • Theisen, S. (2016, September 6). Timeline of events in Jacob Wetterling’s abduction. https://www.gundersenhealth.org/child-protection/timeline-events-jacob-wetterlings-abduction

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Ep. 059 | The Murder of Grace Millane

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Ep. 057 | The Icebox Murders