Jodi Sue Huisentruit
27 YOA
Mason City, IA
Cerro Gordo County
Case # 95-08176
June 27, 1995
At approximately 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 27, 1995, CBS affiliate KIMT-TV morning and noon anchor woman and producer Jodi Sue Huisentruit was abducted from the parking lot of her apartment located at 600 North Kentucky Avenue in Mason City, Iowa.
Huisentruit — a St. Cloud State University graduate – usually arrived at work between 3 and 4 a.m., and when she hadn’t arrived by 4:00 a.m. her co-producer called her. Huisentruit answered the phone, told her co-producer she had overslept, and stated she’d be at the station shortly. Nothing in Huisentruit’s tone of voice indicated any undue stress. The 27-year-old petite anchor was never heard from again.
When Huisentruit still hadn’t arrived at work by 7:00 a.m., her co-anchor became alarmed and called Mason City police, asking them to check on Jodi’s well being.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered a number of Huisentruit’s personal possessions strewn about the parking lot, including Jodi’s hair spray, hair dryer, her key ring and a pair of red high-heeled shoes. Huisentruit usually carried these items to and from work in a canvas tote bag.
Mason City police and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation subsequently found blood on the right rear-view mirror of Huisentruit’s 1995 red Mazda Miata sports car. The mirror had also been knocked ajar.
Blood also was found in the parking lot near the passenger’s side door. DNA testing indicated the blood matched that of Ms. Huisentruit.
Scuff marks found in the parking lot — apparently made by Huisentruit’s shoes — led away from her vehicle. Interviews with neighbors revealed that screams had been heard. Crime scene evidence suggested Huisentruit was attacked from behind while unlocking her vehicle’s passenger-side door, that she screamed, was struck in the head with a heavy object and then dragged to the perpetrator’s awaiting vehicle. 
Jodi’s canvas tote bag — in which she often carried her notebooks and computer diskettes — was not found at the scene and has never been located.
In the 15 years since her disappearance, investigators have followed up on thousands of tips and interviewed more than 1,000 people. While the Mason City community continues to mark her disappearance every year, police await the one solid tip they need to bring to an end the city’s most infamous cold case.
Though Huisentruit was declared legally dead in 2001, her case remains an open investigation.
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A website covering Jodi’s case has been established at www.findjodi.com.
Copyright 2012 Iowa Cold Cases, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The remains of Jodi Huisentruit a.k.a. Jane Doe 1 are with
Dr. David L. Frederickson MD ME
Stearns County Medical Examiner Office
P.O. Box 217
Saint Cloud, Minnesota 56302
Phone 320-259-3730
Killer of Jodi Huisentruit
Keith Dwayne Nelson
Federal Inmate 07440-031
United States Penitentiary
P.O. Box 33
Terre Haute, Indiana 47808
Phone: 812-244-4400
Fax: 812-244-4791
Canvas Tote bag was given to an acquaintance who wanted a notebook computer bag. Some of Jodi’s handwritten index cards were still in the bag. It has since been discarded. Nelson kidnapped six women/girls and five were murdered. Jodi was victim number two.
James, Please contact the “Nancy Grace: Missing in America” show with your information. Thanks.