Jacob Wetterling | |
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| Born | Jacob Erwin Wetterling February 17, 1978 Long Prairie, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | October 22, 1989 (aged 11) Paynesville, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
| Body discovered | September 1, 2016 Paynesville, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Burial place | St. John's Abbey Cemetery 45°34′32″N 94°23′45″W / 45.5756533°N 94.3958367°W |
| Mother | Patty Wetterling |
Jacob Erwin Wetterling (February 17, 1978 – October 22, 1989) was an American boy from St. Joseph, Minnesota, who was kidnapped from his hometown and murdered on October 22, 1989, at the age of 11. The identity of his abductor remained a mystery for nearly 27 years.
On September 1, 2016, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) recovered human bones from a pasture near Paynesville, about 30 miles (48 km) from the site of the abduction. On September 3, Wetterling's family announced that the bones were those of Jacob, and local law enforcement stated that the identity of the bones had been confirmed by dental records.[1][2] The location was revealed by Danny Heinrich, a long-time person of interest in the abduction of another boy, 12-year-old Jared Scheierl, in the nearby town of Cold Spring.[3] On September 6, 2016, Heinrich confessed to kidnapping and murdering Wetterling, as well as abducting and sexually assaulting Scheierl.[4]
- ^ Ross, Jenna; Brooks, Jennifer (September 4, 2016). "Paynesville reeling with news about Jacob". Star Tribune. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
- ^ "Authorities confirm: Jacob found". SCTimes. Saint Cloud, Minnesota. September 4, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
- ^ Minneapolis, Associated Press in (September 6, 2016). "Minnesota man describes killing 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling in chilling detail". the Guardian. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
- ^ Williams, Brandt, case-court-appearance Heinrich confesses to kidnapping, killing Jacob Wetterling. Minnesota Public Radio, September 6, 2016.