Jacob Wetterling Cold Case Closer To Being Solved

Criminal charges for child pornography may give investigators enough leverage to connect an Annandale man to the abduction of Jacob Wetterling, according to a former U.S. Attorney for Minnesota. They also linked him to the attack on Scheierl, saying Heinrich's DNA was found on the sweatshirt Scheierl wore that day, and they named Heinrich a "person of interest" in Jacob's disappearance.

While Heinrich is not charged in other cases, the criminal complaint also outlines multiple sexual assaults of boys in the Paynesville, Minnesota area in the 1980s.

Luger said child pornography found in the search led to Thursday's charges. He faces up to seventy years in prison if convicted. "It may be part of an effort to convince the defendant to start speaking and that's going to be a difficult task", she added.

The 28-year-old mother of three kids said she never expected anything amiss with Heinrich in the two years since her family moved in until Heinrich told her husband about the July search warrant and the child pornography that police found.

Heinrich came back into focus after federal, state and local law enforcement officers decided to re-examine evidence using DNA testing technology that was unavailable in 1989, Luger said. That and other evidence led authorities to search Heinrich's home July 28. After the man threatened to kill him, he let Scheierl out of the auto.

DNA allegedly connects Heinrich to a previously unsolved abduction and sexual assault case in Cold Spring, Minn. on January 13, 1989.

But when it comes to Wetterling's abduction, David is convinced the authorities are looking at the wrong person.

The Wetterling family would like to thank all involved in the investigation of Danny Heinrich and his crimes against children. "For 26 long years we have said that somebody knows something".

We are so grateful the prayers, the support and the hope shared in our search for Jacob and the search for answers.

"You can't retroactively go back and say, 'Now there's no statute of limitations, so that thing you did before, we're going to charge you now, '" Ben Petok said. We will be available for comment next week but ask for some space at this point in time.

Patty and Jerry Wetterling will hold a news conference at 12:15 p.m.to comment on police naming a "person of interest" in Jacob's disappearance.

 

The affidavit mentions eight sexual assaults of boys that occurred between 1986 and 1988 in Paynesville, a town about 28 miles from St. Joseph.