THE OFFICIAL COLD-CASE PUBLICATION OF THE CITIZEN DETECTIVE

Summer 2019 CrimeCon 2019: A Look Back, And A Look Forward A Discussion With Founder Kevin Balfe

The Cold Case vs. the Unsolved Case JODI HUISENTRUIT: CASE UPDATE POMC-Parents of Murdered Children, Inc.

Premiere Issue – CRIMECON 2019 Convention Edition THE JODI HUISENTRUIT CASE – UPDATED! MISSING PERSON MISSING Two decades of investigation continue

By Caroline Lowe

Editor’s Note: Jodi Huisentruit was on her way to anchor the news at a Mason City, , television station on June 27, 1995, when she was abducted in the early morning darkness from the parking lot of her apartment complex.

Twenty-four years later, what happened to the 27-year-old anchor- woman remains a mystery. Her body has never been found, and no one has been charged.

For more than two decades, TV investigative journalist Caroline Lowe has been on a professional and personal journey to help solve Jodi’s disappearance. Caroline is a licensed private investi- gator and a member of the non-profit FindJodi.com, Inc. team.

Caroline first spoke to PI Magazine about the investigation in 2017. Here’s her update on the latest developments in the case.

Unsolved Magazine: What happened to Jodi Huisentruit on June 27, 1995?

Caroline Lowe: Jodi’s schedule required her to be at the KIMT- TV studio, a mile from her apartment, by 3 a.m. When she hadn’t arrived by 4 a.m., assistant producer Amy Kuns telephoned to make sure she’d be anchoring the 6 a.m. newscast. Jodi appar- ently had overslept, and she assured Amy she’d soon be at the station. The day before had been a very long work day for Jodi. After anchoring the Monday morning newscast, she spent the day participating in an annual Mason City Chamber of Commerce golf fundraising event, which she left at 8 p.m. Even though this was a work-related event, Jodi was a passionate golfer who was happy to be a part of it. After their brief chat, Amy put the news- cast together, expecting to see Jodi by 4:30 a.m. At 6 a.m., when Jodi didn’t appear, Amy sat at the anchor desk and delivered the news. After the newscast ended at 7 a.m., Amy asked a colleague to call police for a welfare check.

UM: What did the Mason City police find?

Caroline Lowe CL: There were clear signs a crime had occurred in the parking UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED MAGAZINE • UNSOLVED • UNSOLVED UNSOLVED lot of the apartment complex. Police found Jodi’s new red Mazda

20 UNSOLVED MAGAZINE | Summer 2019 Miata, with a bent key nearby. A pair of red possible scenarios about her disappearance. this case, not only was Jodi a fellow TV jour- high heel shoes, earrings and a blow dryer Had Jodi been abducted by someone she nalist, but she was working just two hours were on the ground. Drag marks on the sur- knew, or had she been targeted by a stalk- south of , and her hometown face of the parking lot indicated there had er who’d seen her on television? Or could it of Long Prairie, , was two hours been a struggle, and a partial palm print have an impulsive attack by someone who northwest of us. Jodi had studied journal- was recovered from her car. Neighbors re- just happened to see a young woman alone ism at nearby St. Cloud State University. called a scream between 4 and 5 a.m., and in the dark parking lot? Those were the ques- After a couple of years in Mason City, Jodi someone reported seeing a white van in tions then, and they linger today. applied for positions at Minneapolis-St. Paul the parking lot. TV stations, hoping to advance to a major Almost 24 years later, the mystery of Jodi’s market. Sadly, instead of helping her secure UM: Who was the last person to see Jodi abduction continues to generate intense a new job, clips from her audition tape were before her abduction? media coverage. In December 2018, CBS used in TV coverage of her disappearance. Television’s “48 Hours” aired an episode CL: John Vansice, a friend of Jodi’s, said he called “Find Jodi.” The investigative report UM: Describe what you and WCCO-TV was. Vansice, a Mason City resident at the was prompted by the dedication of three did to cover this story. time, showed up at the parking lot that billboards in Mason City by the FindJodi morning while police officers were on the CL: Although Mason City was not in our view- team on June 5, 2018, Jodi’s 50th birthday. scene. He told them Jodi stopped by his ing area, WCCO and other Twin Cities stations Inspired by the movie “Three billboards home the night before to watch a video devoted a lot of time and resources to Jodi’s outside Ebbing, Missouri,” the signs fea- of a surprise birthday party he had hosted on Jodi’s 27th birthday, a few weeks earlier. Vansice was a seed salesman who was about 20 years older that Jodi. The weekend before Jodi disappeared, he took Jodi waterskiing with friends in Iowa City. He even named his boat after her. As the investigation pro- ceeded, Vansice was interviewed and po- lygraphed. Most recently, in March 2017, Mason City police put GPS tracking devices on two of his vehicles. The search warrant used to get a judge’s approval to follow those vehicles remains sealed, and police have acknowledged the devices did not pro- duce any helpful evidence.

Vansice denied having anything to do with Jodi’s abduction and repeatedly has refused tured photos of Jodi and a simple message: case. Part of it was her Minnesota roots, but it media requests for interviews when they’ve “Someone knows something. Is it YOU?” was also because many of us could relate to reached out to him at his home in Arizona. Since then, other network crime shows her dream of working in the Twin Cities mar- UM: How much attention was given to have expressed interest in Jodi’s case, and ket. We covered countless police news confer- Jodi Huisentruit’s case? a podcast called “Frozen Truth” focused its ences, chased “promising” leads, interviewed latest season on the search for Jodi. Jodi’s family, many friends, and coworkers CL: State and federal investigators quickly at KIMT-TV. We also collected photos, sifted joined the search for Jodi. National news UM: Caroline, how did you get involved through police reports, did milestone update crews also flocked to Mason City, a small with this case? stories and stayed in touch with authorities. Iowa town near the Minnesota state line. CL: I got involved in 1997, two years after Hundreds of volunteers searched the area, U: Did you follow up with John Vansice? Jodi was abducted. Back then, I was a re- putting up flyers and wearing ribbons. Her porter covering the crime and investigative CL: I tried to, with no luck. I thought he image was emblazoned on billboards. beats for WCCO-TV, the CBS-owned station might be willing to talk with me after I did While the community and law enforcement in Minneapolis. I have always had an interest a series of WCCO I-Team reports on a Twin searched for Jodi, investigators explored in missing persons and unsolved cases. In Cities serial rapist named Tony Jackson, who

www.unsolvedmagazine.com | Summer 2019 21 lived in Mason City at the time Jodi disappeared. Vansice has moved on WCCO-TV, police in Mason City further investigated Jackson and to Arizona. That’s where I tracked him down in 1998 and approached eventually ruled him out as a possible suspect in Jodi’s case. They him outside a restaurant near Phoenix, trying to get his side of the haven’t explained why. story. He refused to talk with me. UM: How did you create your rapport with law enforcement? John Vansice recently broke his long silence for the first time in CL: Some of it came from covering the crime beat for so many years. almost 24 years. In an April 2019 statement, veteran media con- I also went back to college to finish my degree, majoring in law en- sultant Steve Ridge told FindJodi.com that he interviewed Vansice forcement at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul. Then I earned a several times in 2019. Master’s Degree in police leadership Ridge said Vansice ”emphatically” and ”repeatedly” denied from the University of St. Thomas in any involvement in Jodi’s abduction, say- St. Paul. I took police skills training, ing he had been living in a passed the MN POST exam to earn ”suspended hell” since 1995. my police license and spent eight Ridge also revealed Vansice had summers in a temporary assign- been subpoenaed by a feder- ment as a uniformed officer at al grand jury in Iowa on March the Minnesota State Fair. 2, 2017. That’s when he was or- UM: Caroline, as the years dered to provide finger and palm went by, how did your TV prints, along with a DNA swab, career change? although Vansice previously had provided prints to Iowa authorities. CL: I continued to cover The grand jury subpoena was 18 days crime and investigative before Mason City police obtained a beats for WCCO-TV until search warrant to obtain GPS data from April 2011. That’s when two of Vansice’s vehicles. Ridge also re- I decided after 34 years vealed Vansice said he voluntarily agreed at the Minneapolis sta- to undergo hypnosis to help investigators tion to begin a new in their search for Jodi. professional chapter in California, in part UM: How did Tony Jackson become to be closer to three a possible suspect? of our kids who live CL: About two years after Jodi’s abduction, there and to escape Jackson was in a Twin Cities jail. He’d been arrest- Minnesota winters. I joined KSBY-TV, ed and charged with several “stranger rapes” in the NBC affiliate in San Luis Obispo, as the manager of the area. Minnesota investigators learned he once its Santa Barbara County newsroom. I loved mentoring a young had lived in Mason City. and informed police there about him. Our group of reporters in a small market and also had an opportunity WCCO investigation found Jackson lived just two blocks from KIMT to do occasional investigative reports at KSBY. My first assignment TV when Jodi vanished. His girlfriend at the time, who looked a lot was investigating how missing persons cases were handled by law like Jodi, broke up with Jackson the week before Jodi was abducted. enforcement agencies on the Central Coast of California.

After our first reports on Jackson, a cellmate claimed Jackson had The week that report aired, the news director at KARE-TV in written a rap rhyme about what happened to Jodi. WCCO even Minneapolis asked if I could work on a special assignment for brought in cadaver dogs which, accompanied by law enforcement, her station. A dramatic break finally had developed in the Jacob searched a rural area in Tiffin, Iowa. The dogs alerted on a couple Wetterling case, which I had covered for more than 20 years. Jacob items that were sent to the Iowa crime lab for tests. The results did was an 11-year-old St. Joseph, Minnesota, boy abducted by a not produce any connection to Jodi. I was able to conduct phone masked gunman in October 1989 as he, his brother and best friend interviews with Jackson while he was in jail. He repeatedly denied were biking home from a nearby convenience store. Coincidentally, having anything to do with Jodi’s disappearance. He also denied Jodi Huisentruit and I had both had done interviews with Jacob’s being involved in the Twin Cities rapes despite DNA, fingerprints mother, Patty. and other evidence that led to his convictions. After our reporting

22 UNSOLVED MAGAZINE | Summer 2019 I spent the next year and a half covering a UM: With the 25th anniversary of Jodi’s charged in Jodi’s abduction, that suspect 52-year-old man named Danny Heinrich, abduction just a year away, what or- may be someone who’s never been on the who had been indicted on federal child porn ganized efforts, besides law enforce- police radar. charges and whom authorities called a per- ment’s, are still being done to keep Clearly, Mason City police continue to fo- son of interest in Jacob’s case. As part of a plea Jodi’s case active? cus on John Vansice as a possible suspect. deal on the porn charges, Heinrich led inves- CL: FindJodi.com, Inc. is the main effort. If he were involved, he would have had tigators to a farm where they found Jacob’s FindJodi was created in 2003 by two former just a 90-minute window to kidnap Jodi remains in late August 2016. I was in the front Minnesota TV journalists, Josh Benson, now and be back at home by 6 a.m., when a row in a federal courtroom in Minneapolis a a Tampa News Anchor at WFLA-TV, and Gary friend named Ladonna Woodford said he few days later when Heinrich shared the hor- Peterson, who was Josh’s News Director at answered his landline phone. Woodford rific details of the kidnapping and murder of KAAL-TV in Austin, Minnesota. They produced said she testified under oath for five hours Jacob. It was a hugely emotional experience, a series of award-winning reports called “The before a federal grand in 1997 that Vansice especially hearing Heinrich quote Jacob’s last Huisentruit File.” I joined the FindJodi team answered her early morning call to con- words: “What did I do wrong?” after moving to California eight years ago. firm their morning walk. During the walk, After Jacob’s case was finally solved after 27 The other current members of our team are Ladonna said Vansice didn’t seem anxious, years, I felt a new sense of hope and resolve Jay Alberio, a retired police commander from and he told her Jodi had stopped by the to help bring Jodi home. Jodi was declared Woodbury, Minnesota, who investigated Tony evening before to watch the birthday video, legally dead in 2001, but her family stayed Jackson’s rape cases, and Tara Manis Benson, Regarding Tony Jackson, while Mason City involved in the investigation. Sadly, her who was a Florida television news producer police ruled him out as a suspect more than mom died several years ago, still waiting for in Orlando and Miami, Florida. 20 years ago, they have shared very little answers and a chance to say goodbye to UM: What is the goal of the FindJodi about how they reached their conclusion. her youngest daughter. team? Until we see solid evidence pointing to any- Jacob’s case also reinforced the importance one, I agree with Jodi’s sister JoAnn Nathe CL: The main purpose of our team is to keep of keeping an open mind on possible sus- who said in the “48 Hours” show, “It could be Jodi’s investigation in the spotlight and to pects. For many years, police in that case someone you least expect.” serve as a clearinghouse for tips that come focused on Dan Rassier, a neighbor of the our way. That’s why we do things like put up UM: What’s next for the FindJodi team? Wetterling family. They even dug up his the billboards, which we know are an effec- farm property, looking for Jacob’s body. In CL: We saw the power and scope of the tive way to keep the news media covering the end, Rassier turned out to be totally media attention the billboards received last Jodi’s case. We also want Jodi’s family and the innocent and Jacob’s killer was a complete June, and we’ll continue to look for more community to know, along with the person/ stranger to the boy. ways to keep Jodi’s case in the public eye persons responsible for abducting Jodi, that until Jodi is brought home and someone is UM: Why did you decide to get a private we’re not giving up. brought to justice. investigator’s license? UM: After all your digging, have you We also invite your readers to join us in our jour- CL: I decided to apply for a license as a way reached any conclusions about the ney. They can follow us at FindJodi.com and on to get training and tools to help investi- strongest possible suspect? Facebook and Twitter. They also can download gate cases like Jodi Huisentruit and Jacob CL: John Vansice and Tony Jackson were the a copy of our FindJodi flyer and post it in their Wetterling. I received my Minnesota license main focus of the “48 Hours” episode and other own communities and on social media. in 2015. My first application for a California news reports, and I’m often asked if I think one license had been denied earlier that year If YOU know anything about what hap- man or the other abducted Jodi. My answer because the state had stopped consid- pened to Jodi Huisentruit, please come is always the same: Both men clearly need- ering investigative reporting experience forward. Don’t make Jodi’s loved ones wait ed to be investigated, but, as we saw in the as qualifying credentials to be eligible to another year for answers. Wetterling case, someone completely differ- take the state PI exam. My California men- ent could emerge as the killer. Mason City Police Department tor, Francie Koehler, led the way to get the Phone: (641) 421-3636 law changed. In June 2017, I became the Like the Golden State Killer cases in Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) first investigative journalist licensed under California and the 2018 murder of Mollie Phone: (515) 725-6010 Assembly Bill 2632. Tibbets in Iowa, if someone is eventually Email: [email protected]

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