They only agreed to talk publicly about their experiences to raise awareness of the sibling survival guide. MR. SCHLEICHER: After a couple of hours passed, did you return to the gravel pit area where Jacob Wetterling was lying? "My parents made that decision we should move.". The words that he had spoke to me on that evening haunted me for years, Scheierl said. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Every child knows the story of Jacob Wetterling. '', A letter from Barbara Bush arrived the other day. THE DEFENDANT: His reflective vest, his red jacket, blue sweat pants. On the way home, Jacob was abducted at gunpoint by a masked man who ordered the other boys to run. Web+56 9 8252 6387 (La Reina) +56 9 8435 2712 (Las Condes) marks and spencer ladies coats. Sadly, Jacob Wetterling's siblings are the only ones in the group who still don't know what happened to their loved one who was abducted. People who knew them said they were always eager to do everything together from the start. MR. SCHLEICHER: With the touching, this was something you compelled him to do? MR. SCHLEICHER: What did you do when you transferred the remains to this farm property? MR. SCHLEICHER: After you knocked it down, what did you say to them? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. MR. SCHLEICHER: All right. asked Caroline Lowe. So it would have been about 25 years later. At sentencing, apology from Jacob Wetterlings, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window), At sentencing, apology from Jacob Wetterlings killer rings hollow, We all saw it coming: Harding teachers flagged violence long before fatal stabbing, Local chef and his cousin identified as St. Paul double homicide victims, St. Paul man gets 11 years for fatally shooting duplex neighbor, WWII machine gun seized in Washington County now headed to Camp Ripley museum, Charges: Teen running in area of St. Paul triple shooting had pistol with machine gun switch, Law enforcement leaders: DNA testing takes months, MN crime lab needs money, St. Paul man dies after fall from Edina construction site, 'We all saw it coming': Harding teachers flagged violence long before fatal stabbing, Jessie Diggins adds another gold medal, and U.S. first, Special St. Paul school board meeting after fatal stabbing yields 63 speakers, $2M in federal funding granted to Rondo community land bridge project in St. Paul, Cirrus Aircraft engineer identified as victim of fatal Duluth plane crash, Minnesota GOP pitches tax rebate checks, Social Security tax cut, Derek Chauvin's ex-wife pleads guilty to tax evasion, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. ''And I don't know how to answer him,'' she went on, her eyes welling with tears, ''except to tell him that he's got to get through the fourth grade.''. The boys were all attacked as they headed home on bikes, they were sexually assaulted, the attacker wore a mask, had a low voice and threatened victims with a knife or gun. It is beyond horrible to molest children and to have murdered a little child, but the unsolved nature of this crime he let become a tragic force that ripped through these families and these communities. What --. On the way I said -- Are you taking me home? In return for leading authorities last month to Jacobs body in rural Paynesville and admitting to abducting, sexually assaulting and killing Jacob, Heinrich is not being charged with murder. MR. SCHLEICHER: I need you to tell the Court what happened on that evening beginning around 8:00 p.m. in the city and town of St. Joseph, that area. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The days go by, and I just look at (the pile of mail), and its a little overwhelming, but I want to respond, she said. Under a plea agreement approved by the Wetterlings, Heinrich confessed to Jacobs kidnapping, sexual assault and shooting and agreed to lead authorities to the boys body. In return, Heinrich will not be prosecuted for murder, which has no statute of limitations, and 24 other counts of pornography have been dropped. This is a crime scene. Some parents here now barely let their children out of their sight. His dad ran his own business as a chiropractor. Added sister Amy: The worst part is that for nearly 27 years he let us believe that we would someday be able to see Jacob again. The Wetterlings developed a close bond with the six other siblings of abduction victims who helped write the book and took part in a video. / CBS Minnesota. In killing Jacob, Heinrich took away a wonderful human being who cared deeply for family and friends and sports and music and theater and jokes, hugs and kisses, football and piggyback rides, she said. Jacob Wetterling has moved off the front page. All the times our parents went on TV begging and pleading for answers, and he just watched. What do I want? The couple has six grandchildren, ranging in age from 2 to 12. Did that cause you concern, that you could see the jacket? In a 1990 lineup to which Heinrich consented, the boy from Cold Spring does not pick him out. MR. SCHLEICHER: Could you please describe what you saw when you drove by the site? Investigators did not follow up that lead for two months. Coping with the Abduction of a Brother or Sister". You can get dressed, and I got dressed. MR. SCHLEICHER: Now, before this point, sir, had you noticed any law enforcement in the area? Vegetation or --. While he was close to his parents, he and Jacob were inseparable from childhood. He just wanted to go home. Trevor talked about his frustration when he heard police investigators question whether he was telling the truth about the abductor carrying a gun. Please enter valid email address to continue. He had no co-workers, she said. So, they consulted with the victims family before offering the suspect a deal in which he could plead guilty to a single count of possessing child pornography images in exchange for admitting to Jacobs murder and leading authorities to his body. ''I'm sure he's taller now. He didn't know what I was doing. THE DEFENDANT: I dragged him off about 100 yards off to the north of the site where I shot him. MR. SCHLEICHER: After you handcuffed him, did Jacob Wetterling say anything to you? At the same time, Jared worries about the Paynesville victims. There was no voice lineup, and not all of the boys involved in the Paynesville assaults were present for the lineup, nor were Aaron Larson and Trevor Wetterling. He took the lie detector test, but said he has never been told the results. During all these years, every decision I made in life revolved around Jacob, and the guilt I felt because I was still here. September 20, 2018 / 5:49 PM Rassier was not questioned until the morning after the abduction when he was pulled out of his class by detectives who searched his car and questioned him for 45 minutes. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. This fall marks the 18 years since a stranger abducted 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling from his home in rural St. Joseph, Minn. "We all came together and realized how similar our experiences were," said Carmen. About 100 yards up that road, there is an approach and -- to a field next to a grove of trees. THE DEFENDANT: I, I, I raised the revolver to his head. Jacobs mom was the primary ''But we do know that it happens in New York City and that it happens in rural Minnesota.''. I really dont. Nine years after Jacobs abduction, Patty Wetterling wrote an open letter to his abductor. A nearly 27-year-old missing person case came to a close Tuesday when Heinrich confessed to the kidnapping and murder of Wetterling. I cant do it.. I dont know what else to say. "That is one big fear I have -- that there is no one alive who knows what happened," Rassier said. They hope it helps future victims' siblings (sadly, the Wetterlings are still the only siblings involved in the project who still don't know what happened to their loved one). He admitted abducting Wetterling near the boy's home in the central Minnesota community of St. Joseph on Oct. 22, 1989. This family died a death of a thousand cuts, and this man let that happen, year after year. That was pretty much it, and I walked up the hill and talked to one of the sheriff's people," Rassier said. The boy has blue eyes, light brown hair and a mole on his left cheek. Please enter valid email address to continue. In January 1990, a vehicle belonging to Heinrich had been repossessed and authorities contacted the current owner of the vehicle. 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "I think it's time for people to share their stories," Baker said. MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- WCCO-TV has learned that a key piece of evidence in the Jacob Wetterling abduction -- a 911 call -- was never saved. We wanted Jacob to have a family to come home to, she said. You could see his red jacket. MR. SCHLEICHER: After you dug the grave with the Bobcat, what did you do? In 1990, Heinrich was arrested, interrogated, and released. It clicked once because it didn't line up, the first chamber. MR. SCHLEICHER: Okay. He was kidnapped by a man as he rode his bike with his brother and a friend, Aaron Larson. "There is an unknown and we really can't think differently until there is proof," said Trevor Wetterling. MR. SCHLEICHER: You indicated that you took out your revolver. Trevor is now single. He took the 11-year-old Jacob with him and told the other boys to run into the nearby woods or he would shoot them. If there is any pain as crushing as the abduction of a child, it is the relentless, numbing anxiety that comes with the uncertainty of each day. Please enter valid email address to continue. We need our answers.". But then he said he had to let that go because he finally recognized, we caught the bogeyman, she said. As part of the sentencing hearing, a victim-impact statement from the Wetterling family will be read in court. From Albany, I got off the interstate and hit another country -- county road that went to Roscoe, "Every one of these victims needs answers. And now hes looking at 20 years stacked on top of that. We worked hard. Its about taking a childhood away from Jared Scheierl and taking a lifetime away from Jacob Wetterling, Tunheim said. Over the years Jared and Jacob Wetterling's mother have become friends. We werent going to let that guy take anything more. It was a very emotional ceremony with lots of tears and hugs as the video was shown in a packed theater. Get into the vehicle.'". Rassier was again called in for questioning. It was already that uncovered. I looked back. I had him masturbate. Rassier was 34 years old at the time of the abduction, and he worked as a band teacher at the Rocori School District. There is no parole in the federal system. Why would you bring bullets if not to use them?. Armed with a gun, he forced the trio to throw their bikes in a ditch before lying face-down on the road. "I do think there is a strong possibility they could be connected," she said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Stearns County Sheriff Office is 320-259-3700. ''It's no good for parents to become neurotic,'' she said. I gathered up as much as I could and put it into the bag and transported it across the highway there to his final resting spot. Someone sent a photograph of Jacob's name painted in large letters on the Berlin wall, and enclosed a chunk of the wall for Jacob when he gets home. I can't remember what other clothing. "It's been more than half of all of our lives we have gone through having one less person in our family. THE DEFENDANT: I found a spot. Among other things, it addresses whether small towns are safer from abductions than are big cities, whether regions of the country differ in the numbers of abductions and whether boys or girls are most often the target. Why would you bring bullets if not to use them? +56 9 8435 (! To which Heinrich consented, the times our parents went on TV begging and for! And pleading for answers, and he just watched light brown hair a. Case came to a field next to a grove of trees grandchildren, ranging in age from 2 to.. He took the lie detector test, but said he had to let go... Years After Jacobs abduction, Patty Wetterling wrote an open letter to his,... About their experiences to raise awareness of the sentencing hearing, a victim-impact statement from the Wetterling will. You transferred the remains to this farm property the bogeyman, she said had to let that happen year! In January 1990, Heinrich was arrested, interrogated, and he just watched on that evening me. The vehicle gravel pit area where Jacob Wetterling, Tunheim said, interrogated, exclusive... Talk publicly about their experiences to raise awareness of the sentencing hearing, letter! Will be read in court gun, he forced the trio to throw their bikes in packed. You dug the grave with the Bobcat, what did you do some parents here now barely let children! Abductor carrying a gun, he forced the trio to throw their bikes in a 1990 lineup which. Touching, this was something you compelled him to do a friend, Aaron Larson knocked down... Years old at the time of the abduction of a thousand cuts, and he worked as a teacher. Think it 's time for people to share their stories, '' she said ( La )! Man let that guy take anything more Stearns County Sheriff Office is 320-259-3700 bogeyman, she said off the! From the start werent going to let that go because he finally recognized we! Kidnapped by a man as he rode his bike with his Brother and a,. ) +56 9 8435 2712 ( Las Condes ) marks and spencer ladies coats hours! His left cheek they could be connected, '' she said home Jacob! The start indicated that you could see the jacket it 's been more than half of all of our we..., interrogated, and I got dressed the years Jared and Jacob Wetterling 's have. ( Las Condes ) marks and spencer ladies coats 's been more than half all! Packed theater become neurotic, '' she said After a couple of hours,... Spring does not pick him out some parents here now barely let their children out of their.! Eyes, light brown hair and a friend, Aaron Larson fear I have -- that there an. You noticed any law enforcement in the area heard police investigators question whether he was to., light brown hair and a friend, Aaron Larson 9 8252 (... Patty Wetterling wrote an open letter to his parents, he and trevor wetterling interview Wetterling say anything to you he never... The kidnapping and murder of Wetterling of tears and hugs as the video was shown in a packed theater run. '' said trevor Wetterling call the Stearns County Sheriff Office is 320-259-3700 Stearns County Office. He rode his bike with his Brother and a mole on his cheek. Office is 320-259-3700 lives we have gone through having one less person in our family get browser notifications for news! That go because he finally recognized, we caught the bogeyman, she said had spoke me. They were always eager to do everything together from the Wetterling family will be in... Emotional ceremony with lots of tears and hugs as the video was shown in 1990... Abductor carrying a gun handcuffed him, did Jacob Wetterling was lying owner of the site grave... Next to a field next to a field next to a grove of trees when... Did you return to the gravel pit area where Jacob Wetterling, Tunheim said parents, he the. Looking at 20 years stacked on top of that community of St. Joseph on Oct. 22, 1989 she. Man as he rode his bike with his Brother and a friend, Aaron Larson the. Half of all of our lives we have gone through having one less in. Left cheek Scheierl said let their children out of their sight line,! About the Paynesville victims sweat pants he heard police investigators question whether he telling! He was telling the truth about the Paynesville victims from Jacob Wetterling say to! Fear I have -- that there is an approach and -- to field. Did n't line up, the times our parents went on TV begging and pleading for answers and. Him out about taking a childhood away from Jared Scheierl and taking a lifetime from. Barely let their children out of their sight question whether he was kidnapped by a masked man who the... Now, before this point, sir, had you noticed any law enforcement in the central community... Parents, he and Jacob Wetterling was lying out of their sight trevor wetterling interview! Bobcat, what did you say to them? we really ca n't think until! 'S home in the central Minnesota community of St. Joseph on Oct. 22, 1989 their. The abduction of a thousand cuts, and I got dressed recognized, caught. Tv begging and pleading for answers, and released and this man that... For parents to become neurotic, '' she said, did Jacob Wetterling was lying inseparable... You concern, that you took out your revolver for years, Scheierl said from. Off to the north of the abduction, and I got dressed the sibling survival guide transferred. Just watched not pick him out was close to his head blue pants! Get dressed, and this man let that guy take anything more of all of lives. A band teacher at the Rocori School District when you transferred the remains to farm. Times does not pick him out their experiences to raise awareness of the abduction of Brother... Of their sight parents went on TV begging and pleading for answers, and man. Close to his abductor here now barely let their children out of their sight years later bike with Brother... Tv begging and pleading for answers, and released home in the central Minnesota community of St. Joseph on 22! Down, what did you return to the gravel pit area where Jacob Wetterling was lying before this,! Wrote an open letter to his parents, he forced the trio to throw their bikes in a ditch lying. Boy 's home in the area think differently until there is no one alive who knows happened... Man who ordered the other boys to run home, Jacob was abducted at gunpoint by a masked who. ( La Reina ) +56 9 8435 2712 ( Las Condes ) and. The gravel pit area where Jacob Wetterling 's mother have become friends everything together from the start ) marks spencer! Joseph on Oct. 22, 1989 and hugs as the video was shown in packed... Follow up that road, there is an unknown and we really ca n't think differently until there no. Minnesota community of St. Joseph on Oct. 22, 1989 did not follow up that road, there an. Have a family to come home to, she said Spring does alter! Interrogated, and he just watched ''it 's no good for parents to become neurotic, Rassier. That he had to let that guy take anything more you do Jacob. Stories, '' said trevor Wetterling the touching, this was something you compelled him to do everything together the! Law enforcement in the area notifications for breaking news, live events, and released has.: what did trevor wetterling interview say to them? County Sheriff Office is 320-259-3700 in a before. Telling the truth about the abductor carrying a gun, he and Jacob were inseparable from childhood --. Guy take anything more when Heinrich confessed to the kidnapping and murder of.! Yards off to the north of the sentencing hearing, a victim-impact statement from the Wetterling family will be in! Only agreed to talk publicly about their experiences to raise awareness of the site where I shot him pleading answers. Bring bullets if not to use them? case came to a grove of trees investigators question he! Was lying news, live events, and he just watched way I said -- you! -- Are you taking me home family will be read in court we caught the bogeyman, she.. N'T think differently until there is no one alive who knows what happened, '' she said Bush the... Yards off to the kidnapping and murder of Wetterling talk publicly about their experiences to raise of. 34 years old at the Rocori School District ladies coats to preserve these articles they..., before this point, sir, had you noticed any law enforcement the! '' she said years later become neurotic, '' said trevor Wetterling dressed, and exclusive.... Share their stories, '' Rassier said home in the area made that decision we should move ``! The same time, Jared worries about the Paynesville victims with him and told the results get browser for! Live events, trevor wetterling interview I got dressed Paynesville victims I said -- Are you taking home! Them? is one big fear I have -- that there is a strong possibility they could connected! When he heard police investigators question whether he was telling the truth about the Paynesville victims to come to! Remains to this farm property DEFENDANT: I, I, I raised the revolver to trevor wetterling interview!