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Wetterlings relive 'dark days' with pending file release

Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson will host a press conference in St. Cloud to hand over thumb drives holding the files that chronicle the disappearance and exhaustive search for Jacob by local police, the Stearns County Sheriff's Office, and the Minnesota BCA.

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. - The family of Jacob Wetterling is bracing for the release of more than 40,000 pages of case files Thursday detailing the investigation into his kidnapping and murder nearly 30 years ago.

Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson will host a press conference in St. Cloud to hand over thumb drives holding the files that chronicle the disappearance and exhaustive search for Jacob by local police, the Stearns County Sheriff's Office, and the Minnesota BCA. Files documenting the work of FBI investigators were turned back over to federal authorities and will not be included in tomorrow's release.

On Wednesday, Jacob's parents released a statement on the pending release, something they challenged legally in June of 2017, saying some of the files contained extremely personal information about the inner workings of their family that were not integral to the case. But in April of this year, a judge ordered that the files be released, and the Wetterlings did not appeal that decision.

"Tomorrow the investigative file in the search for Jacob will be released. It is difficult for us to relive those dark days," the Wetterling statement reads. "With time, our family is healing and getting stronger and we appreciate all of the efforts to make things better for future victims of crime, their families and for all of us. Our hearts hurt for anyone who is pained or hurt from the release of this file. Clearly, changes are still needed."

The statement closes with this request:

Hug your children

Tell them how unique and special they are

Say a prayer

Light a candle

Hold hands

Be with friends, and

Always hope.

Jerry, Patty, and the entire Wetterling family

Stearns County maintains the release is required by Minnesota law and pursuant to a Minnesota court order; limited redactions as allowed and required by Minnesota law have been made. The court order also required that any FBI materials be returned to the FBI; inquiries for FBI documents must be made to the FBI.

Jacob was 11 years old and returning home from a trip to a local store in St. Joseph when he was kidnapped in 1989. His fate was unknown until 2016 when Danny Heinrich, a prime suspect early in the investigation, admitted to killing Jacob and burying his body in Paynesville.

KARE 11 will have a team of journalists on tomorrow's file release, and will share new information about the investigation that sheds light and understanding about a case that changed life in Minnesota forever.

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