A strange mystery
The mysterious disappearance of Wisconsin teen Jayme Closs, who went missing after her parents were brutally murdered inside their Barron home, has plagued investigators for days. News about the 13-year-old has continued to spread since the gruesome discovery on Oct. 15 — with authorities tirelessly combing the country for any signs of the girl.
Jayme was ruled out as a suspect in the slaying of her parents, Denise, 46, and James Closs, 56, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald confirmed Tuesday. The sheriff urged people across the country to be on high alert, as the young girl is believed to be in danger.
“I’m telling you: Jayme is missing and endangered,” Fitzgerald said, adding investigators believe the teen was home at the time of the murders.
MISSING
Here is a timeline of events leading up to, and following, the disappearance of 13-year-old Jayme Closs and the murder of her parents, James and Denise Closs.
Monday, Oct. 15
- The Barron County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call Monday at about 12:58 a.m. asking for help to be sent to a residence along Highway 8.
- Deputies arrived at the scene, where they located two deceased adults – later identified James and Denis Closs.
- Authorities learned Jayme Closs was missing from the residence.
- An Amber Alert was issued for Jayme later in the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 15.
- In the evening, authorities identified the two deceased adults found at the home as James and Denise Closs.
Tuesday, Oct. 16
- In Florida, Miami police said they were investigating a possible sighting of the girl in their area, but weren’t able to verify it.
- During a press conference on the morning of Oct. 16, FBI officials say it is believed Jayme was taken at gunpoint.
- At a later press conference, the FBI announces the bureau’s Child Abduction Response Deployment team is being used in the case.
- A prayer service is held for the Closs family at St. Peter Catholic Church in Cameron, Wisconsin.
Wednesday, Oct. 17
- Authorities say the tip placing the girl’s whereabouts in Miami is not credible.
- The Barron County Sheriff’s office rules the death of James and Denise Closs a homicide.
- Investigators announce they received more than 400 tips related to the case.
- The Barron County Sheriff’s Office holds ” a private dialogue” about the state of the community.
Thursday, Oct. 18
- Therapists, school resource officers and comfort dogs are sent to Barron County Schools.
- One-hundred volunteers help in the search for Jayme.
Friday, Oct. 19
- Dispatch documents released by Barron County the night Denise and James Closs were murdered.
- Call logs released Friday show Denise Closs called 911 at 12:53 a.m. Monday. Dispatchers said they heard yelling on the call. Officers arrived on the scene and found two victims – James and Denise.
Saturday, Oct. 20
- Barron County Sheriff’s Department says they have received more than 1,000 tips about the missing 13-year-old Jayme Closs.
- At that point, the sheriff’s office said they had gone through “over 800” of the tips.
Monday, Oct. 22
- Barron County IDs two vehicles of interest in Closs case.
- One of the vehicles listed is a 2008 to 2014 Dodge Challenger that is red or orange in color.
- The other vehicle is either a 2006 to 2010 Ford Edge, or a 2004 to 2010 Acura MDX, in black for both.
- No license plate numbers.
- Law enforcement had received more than 1,300 tips, and 1,100 of those were closed and investigated thoroughly.
- Billboards are posted in the metro area, asking for help to find Jayme.
Tuesday, Oct. 23
- 2,000 volunteers met off Wisconsin Highway 25 to help find Jayme Closs.
- Largest search since Oct. 15.
- Funeral scheduled for Denise and James Closs on Saturday, Oct. 27.
Wednesday, Oct. 24
- FBI Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo announced the bureau is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the location of Jayme Closs.
Saturday, Oct. 27
- A 32-year-old man was arrested after being found in the early morning hours at the home of the Closs family in Barron.
Monday, Oct. 29
- Kyle Jaenke of Cameron, Wisconsin was charged with with burglary and felony bail jumping. But he was cleared of any involvement in Closs’s disappearance, the sheriff’s department says.
Wednesday, Oct. 31
- It is announced that the investigative force will be cut in half going forward, from 200 to 100 as the journey to find Closs enters a new phase. The focus now is online communications and messaging apps.
Solved
Thankfully Closs escaped 88 days of captivity — authorities have identified her suspected captor as 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson — after he allegedly murdered her parents and kidnapped her.
Closs gave neighbors and police a description of a car that Patterson was said to be driving, and police captured the suspect quickly. Authorities suspect he was driving around, trying to find the escaped teen.
The isolated home where kidnap victim Jayme Closs was held captive for 88 days has been pictured for the first time as her family shared new images showing her settling back into life with loved ones and flashing ‘big smiles’.
The 13-year-old is said to have slept soundly next to her relatives last night after her miraculous escape from the woodland lair in Eau Claire Acres in Gordon, Wisconsin.
An aerial shot shows the home with several parked vehicles outside, covered in snow in the wooded area.
A road runs nearby with other cabins dotted around the remote dwelling. It is one of the neighbor’s homes Jayme was rushed to on Thursday evening after escaping and asking dogwalker Jeanne Nutter for help.
The development is made up of a small looped street called called Eau Claire Acres Circle and is about six miles east of Gordon on Highway Y.
Jake Thomas Patterson, 21, is accused of kidnapping the teen and killing her mom and dad after ‘targeting’ the girl in their house in Barron, Wisconsin.
Police confirmed Patterson, from Gordon, Wis., is in custody on two charges of first degree intentional homicide in the deaths of Jayme’s parents and one count of kidnapping. They say the family did not know the accused.