Crime Notes: Jacob Wetterling’s 33rd Birthday

February 17, 2011 11:39 AM

An age-progression picture was released a few years ago of Jacob Wetterling showing what he would look like at age 29. (credit: CBS)

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By Caroline Lowe, WCCO-TV

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (WCCO) – It’s been more than 21 years since 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling disappeared without a trace in St. Joseph as he biked home with his brother and best friend.

Today marks Jacob’s 33rd birthday, another birthday when his family has no idea what happened to him.

There was some brief hope they might finally get some answers last summer when investigators spent two days digging on a farm near the spot where Jacob was abducted at gunpoint.

Sadly, that search soon turned into just another setback in this high-profile case since the items seized produced no evidence to help solve this mystery that has haunted our community for more than two decades.

Please keep Jacob’s family in your thoughts today as they mark his birthday without him. Birthdays are also frequently significant dates to killers and one can only hope this day is weighing on his mind or someone who knows him and they come forward to law enforcement with information to finally solve this mystery.

Crime Notes: Jacob Wetterlings 33rd Birthday

Pam

Shame on you Mike Pearson
God Bless Jacob & the ENTIRE Wetterling Family.

nobody

Huh Mike you are interesting…I can never get people like you. Good thing I’m gona just let God do the work on you. You only have one life to live Mike. I hope you figure it out because it can be pretty lonely all by yourself.

keasha

i dont think GOD needs to do ANYTHING to him, im sure SOMEONE will soon anyway, if they already havent. he should be blocked from commenting anymore.

keasha

youre an A-hole! im sure if your child was abducted you would NEVER forget their birthday. AND how do you know he is dead, did you abduct and kill him??? do you know who did? shut it mike pearson, if you so deeply dont care about the situation, than why did you bother to open and comment on the article, nobody wants your negativity.
Momma of 2

MIKE – Wow, that was completely unnecessary!!! Have you never heard of HOPE or FAITH. Do you have proof of your rude and foolish words? You should be ashamed of yourself for saying such a horrible thing. Who do you think you are??

I hope and pray that someday the Wetterling family will have answers and closure.

Happy Birthday Jacob!
Brian

I regret to say I missed what this Mike Pearson person wrote that was so bad that has all this backlash. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see it. What did he say that was so horrible? Looks like WCCO deleted it already. Whatever he said, what a heartless soul this person is. Have some consideration.
nobody

I’m so sorry Mike. I don’t know who has hurt you in the past. It isn’t RIGHT nor is it fare for the rest of us. As for your last sentence “quit wallowing in self pity and move on” is not true everyone has moved on. We will always REMEMBER Jacob disappearance because it is such a mystery as to why he disappeared and where he went. Even if the media didn’t remind us of his birthday we will ALL still REMEMBER.
nobody

Then what is reality to you?
hoover

Oh yeah; that’s pretty bad Mike. How do you sleep at night? This family has been thru a tragedy, and you say something so heartless? WOW – I bet your folks are proud…..
red

Yes you are Mike
Billy

WYF WCCO, what about all the other folks that have gone missing.
Its getting kinda old hearing about Jacob Wetterling.

After all these years when Jacob went missing Oct.28th, I still think Jacob’s family has something to do with his disappearance.

debbie

UMMMM it was october 22nd! what would make you think his family has something to do with it? just curious

billy

What did you do to the wood chipper?

kathy mercer

The Jacob Wetterling case is high profile besides the fact that he was an innocent bystander and a child.
His Mom has taken the time to become an advocate for all missing children, so really, no one has been left out.
I have wondered all these years what really happened to him and hope that his family and friends have closure.
Someone needs to pray for an individual such as yourself, thinking his parents had something to do with it.

dee

I know that you report the news but as a mother of 2 boys do you really, really feel that whoever abducted Jacob has any feelings! No that person doesn’t or he would not have done this horrible thing in the first place.
Jason

Wow, really? At some point doesn’t the media in this state need to move past this story? They seem more hung up on it then the frickin family does. You think the family wants the media to say “hey! remember your kid? Who was abducted? It’s been almost 25_ years…but lets still drag it out and display it as often as we can.”

This stopped being a NEWS story decades ago. It’s become an almost psychotic media obsession boarding on the absurd.

Rachel Nelson

this child is on the find the 50 missing children list for nancy grace so its not just that stae and it would bring closure to this family rather he is alive or dead either way its closure so why be so rude about it its not like they forgot the media is helping a cold case be solved if it was ur child no matter how many years it was you would want it every where internet t.v radio flying from tree’s cars

Shepherd

JACOB … don’t ever place in doubt your family loves you and thinks about you all the time. Please come back home. Your return will bring a spark of peace that the world needs so much. I will continue praying for you.
Stephanie

The family DOES still think of him and look for him every single day. His sister went to college in Madison, WI with my best friend and I got the pleasure of meeting her and getting Jacob fliers and pins of him. They still hope for his return every single day! So it’s not the news reminding them of their missing child, believe me, that’s not something you so quickly forget! That is THEIR child and the fact that he is missing will remain with them forever! Do you seriously think it’s just so easy to get over and say “Ok, he’s been missing a long time, I think we’ll just forget about it now and move on with life as if we was never with us and is never coming back to us”…NO, it’s not that easy! Get a life, for real!

shepherd

I was thinknig about something I read somewhere about Jerry W feeling goosebumps or chills when he was watching Jacob playing like if something terrible was going to happen. Now, this happens because unconciously he realized that someone was watching Jacob in a suspicious manner. If only someone investigated what people were in that game, and showed Jerry pictures along with some deep concentration, I believe they could find a suspect and also Jacob.

Shepherd

I also want to say that the person who abducted Jacob is someone whom the family knows but that Jerry doesn’t suspect because he is gullible to think that someone he considers good couldn’t have done those things. Hopefully a search in these details will bring Jacob back home. I shall pray Jerry will be inspired to ackowledge who did this to his son..
Julie

Happy Birthday Jacob! Love and hugs to you all! My son is the same age as jacob and I see what I am experiencing with my son’t life and your family should be doing the same. i was fortunate to meet Jacobs mom at a training in St.Paul. I keep yopu all in my prayers.
Marion

I fear the Wetterlings will never have an answer.
Only God knows and the scumbag that ddi this.
It probably was someone who lived nearby. This lowlife may have been outside the home and listening to the Wetterling’s conversation that night.
May God bless the victim’s and their families.
shyann wetterling

Im very srry to hear about this.