“If the individual responsible for this crime thinks they can breathe easier, that’s a huge mistake.”
(StarTribune) ST. JOSEPH, MINN. – Twenty-one years. And still no answer to the urgent question: What happened to Jacob?
In the three months since investigators returned to a farm near the spot where 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling disappeared to unearth dirt and ash, people across the state have wondered whether police would finally find evidence to crack a case that has haunted a community since that warm October night in 1989.
On Tuesday, a dejected sheriff said nope, not yet.
“When you initially get news like this, it feels like a setback,” Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner said.
Sanner said the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension notified his office late Monday that forensic tests on items unearthed at the farm site this summer turned up no evidence that would lead to an arrest or solve the case.
He said testing on some items will continue, but because the investigation is ongoing, the items tested and the type of testing will remain confidential.
He added, however, that investigators from Stearns County, the BCA and FBI remain committed to solving the case, which has transfixed a region for more than two decades.
“Is it a disappointment? Somewhat,” Sanner said. “But for me, it’s more of a motivator. I can get knocked down many times, but I’m going to keep getting back up again. And that’s where we’re at right now.”
“If the individual responsible for this crime thinks they can breathe easier, that’s a huge mistake.”
Read Full Story: http://www.startribune.com/local/103712384.html
Search for Jacob finds only pain
Three months after investigators hunted again for evidence in the 1989 disappearance, officials said they found no new leads.
By RICHARD MERYHEW and ABBY SIMONS , Star Tribune
Last update: September 28, 2010 – 9:10 PM
richm@startribune.com • 612-673-4425
asimons@startribune.com • 612-673-4921
