A man charged in federal court with possession and receipt of child pornography has been named as a person-of-interest in the 1989 abduction of an 11-year-old Minnesota boy, authorities said on Thursday.
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The Wetterlings also thanked everyone involved in the investigation.
A sample of Heinrich’s DNA has been matched to a kidnapping and sexual assault case from January 1989 involving a 12-year-old boy from Cold Spring, Minn.
While authorities are stopping short of calling Heinrich an official suspect now, they are asking anyone with connection to him in the 1980s and 1990s, that may have information about the case, to come forward. Investigators discovered 19 3-ring bingers filled with pornographic images of young boys, he said, a few of which were known victims of child exploitation based on a database maintained by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Investigators also uncovered dozens of VHS video tapes of young boys doing “routine activities” – like delivering newspapers, playing on a playground, and riding bikes – a few of which he said appeared to have been shot from a hidden camera, Luger said.
Here’s what we know at this point and why investigators are classifying Heinrich as a “person of interest” in Wetterling’s abduction.
It also prompted Jacob’s mother, Patty Wetterling, to work with families of other missing children.
Jacob Wetterling’s parents issued a statement Thursday that said: “The search for Jacob is an ongoing investigation and we will watch and learn like everyone else”. Right now we know what is being reported. “We know what you all know”.
Jacob Wetterling was riding his bicycle with a brother and a friend when a masked gunman abducted him.
Heinrich was interviewed after Jacob disappeared, according to a search warrant.
It will include the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner.
Heinrich’s home was searched on July 28 by Stearns County authorities seeking possible evidence in the Wetterling case, including Jacob’s jacket.
Heinrich was not charged in that sexual assault because the statute of limitations for that crime had expired, Luger said.
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For 26 long years, we have said that somebody knew something. He’s charged with five federal counts of possessing and receiving child pornography. Today we ask for a little time.
