Crime talk timestamp-7:37. It was the evening of October 22nd 1989 & 3 young boys were cycling home from a video shop in St Joseph Minnesota . Suddenly out of the darkness, a masked man emerged holding a gun.

As 2 of the boys were told to run at the orders of the frightening figure, 11 year old Jacob Wetterling was forced to stay behind.

Fleeing & terrified, one of the boys managed to turn around to look, but Jacob & the man had disappeared.

Tragically Jacob was never seen alive again …..

Over the years police investigations and leads ran dry and Jacob’s case went ice cold .

The identity of his abductor remained a mystery for nearly 27 years.

That is, until the year 2016 when finally a suspect was named.

Prolific paedophile Danny Heinrich’s arrest led to a shocking confession, thus revealing the terrible truth of what really happened to Jacob on that fateful night all those years ago .

Jacob’s legacy lives on through a foundation launched in his name, but his abduction had left parents across America afraid to allow their kids to play outside alone like they had before.

Jacob’s abduction stole the innocence of the children & people of Minnesota.

Now everyone knew just how close danger could be.

And how perhaps there could be a predatory child killer lurking nearby, even in the safest of towns … …

This is episode 66, The Tragic Abduction Of Jacob Wetterling …. Sources : the guardian.com/ Wikipedia/ in the dark podcast/ apm reports.org /

Sources : The guardian.com/ Wikipedia/ In The dark podcast/apm reports.org /ABC News/The Independent/People.com/Zero Abuse Project

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