76 Responses to Jodi Huisentruit

  1. Beau Smith says:

    None of this points to Ryerson being involved.

  2. Kim says:

    If you’ve got all this information on Ryerson being involved with all those murders/missing persons cases, why haven’t you gone to the police? Why haven’t you contacted someone in the DCI and said “Hey, I’ve got a suspect in these cases and here’s how to connect the dots to prove his involvement”?

    I just don’t buy that he’s this insanely successful serial killer who has gotten away with a whole list of murders/missing persons cases. From what I’ve read about him in the stories you’ve linked to this site, he seems more like an inept bumbler who MIGHT (emphasis on might) have a fringe connection to a small handful of cases. He seems like the kind to like to brag about his “connections” in order to look like Iowa’s version of Ted Bundy.

    All the cases you’ve listed that you claim he is involved in have different MO’s and different victim profiles. There’s different theories behind each one as to why the crime occurred. They’ve happened across a wide range of jurisdictions and it’s a little ludicrous to think that not only the DCI but all those different cops in different jurisdictions are ALL acting in collusion to cover up Ryerson’s alleged involvement in their cases. Even if he’s acting as a drug informant for them, the heinous nature of the crimes would essentially outweight any benefit he could give them, so you’d think they’d arrest him.

  3. Cody says:

    Has it ever occurred to you that some of these shady characters may have reason to try and “claim responsibility” for Jodi’s disappearance? Has happened frequently with other high profile cases.

  4. MikeD says:

    I’m sure they have, if I recall his name is all over Dustin Honken trial. Mason City PD has clearly shown us who they suspect with these GPS warrant years ago,.

    • Kim says:

      The murder of Jackie Folkerts in 1999 was committed by Brad Erdahl. DNA from the scene was matched to him and he admitted to killing her. Doesn’t look like anyone else was ever involved in her death.
      Billy Pruin’s death is considered an accident by his family, as per their own investigation into it. He was carrying the gun and somehow it went off (theory is he tripped) and killed him. I think his daughters would like people to stop thinking his death was a murder or somehow connected to Jodi Huisentruit’s disappearance.

      • Cody says:

        I think you clearly are off on your own “island” with some of your theories. Billy Pruin very clearly and obviously died in a terrible accident. Haven’t you studied the evidence? And JV is 100% responsible for what happened to Jodi. Look at the timeline. The events leading up to. He lied about her being over at his place the night before. Why do you suppose he did that? Look at the birthday party video. Him picking her up and holding her like she is his in his mind. Classic case of “if I can’t have you no one ever will” by a man with a very aggressive, hair-trigger temper.

        • Kim says:

          I’d like to know what proof there is that Pruin was on the Vansice boat outings. He was never mentioned as being on the trips in any of the documentaries or books or interviews about Jodi’s case.

          I also read over Brad Erdahl’s case and there was no mention in any of the articles that were available or even in his appeals that there was a passenger in his car the night he killed Jackie. I think if there’d been someone else with him, he would’ve thrown that person under the bus and said they were the killer.

          Angela Johnson and Dustin Honken were the killers of DeGeus, Nicholson, Duncan and her daughters. Again, no other person was mentioned as being involved in those murders besides those two. And they were both cagey enough to have thrown another person under the bus in a hot minute in order to save their own evil skins.

          I just don’t think this Ryerson is the criminal mastermind who is behind a bunch of the unsolved cases in northern Iowa. The MO’s are different, the victims are different, the case situations are different. Even the investigating agencies are different, so even if one agency missed evidence in one of the crimes, surely another agency would’ve found evidence in the crime they were investigating. So if he’s behind all of them, why hasn’t there been any evidence to link him to them? If he’s cocky enough to pull off that many crimes, you’d think he’d get sloppy somewhere and leave DNA or trace evidence behind.

    • Beau Smith says:

      Hey do you know why he could be tied to Melissa Jo Olson’s death? Wasnt hers a accidental death?

  5. Moon says:

    I remember hearing about this, on the Chicago news, when it happened.

    Was there any chance that the person or persons who abducted her were in the apartment with her and made her say that she overslept when her colleague called?

  6. K says:

    Mr. McIntyre, your claims have been fully investigated and completely debunked by law enforcement. Not a single thing you’ve said in the above statement or in any other statements you blanket on the true crime sites are in any way true. By making false claims (and ego boosting yourself to boot), you’re hurting the families and friends of the victims. Please stop.

  7. Patrick Kerrigan says:

    I find M. McIntyre’s comments a mess. He throws out stuff about Keith DeWayne Nelson, who was convicted in the Pamela Butler case. Yes he is federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. Also he is on a list of federal inmates to be executed.

    But, Mr. McIntyre comments are a jumble of other incidents that may be connected to Mr. Nelson. But, he does not provide any facts, as Sgt. Joe Friday would say. His material is all over the place and not organized.

    He could have shown proof that Mr. Nelson was in living, working, or visiting in these places, especially Mason City, Iowa. Mr. Nelson, might fit a profile if we had found Jodi murdered, and she was killed in the same way as Pamela Butler.

    But, all he does he is throw Mr. Keith Nelson at the wall, expects him to stick as being involved in Jodi’s case. I would expect more from an alleged criminal profiler.

  8. Patrick Kerrigan says:

    The Oxygen Network is looking at Jodi case on an episode of Up & Vanished. So, hopefully it will generate some new leads. We all the new forensic tools, and cold case units that more cases would be solved.

    In my personal opinion the State of Iowa should establish a Cold Case Unit. It could be staffed by active and retired investigators, under the State Attorney General. My thoughts behind it are based on testing novels by J.A. Janice. One of her characters re tut fires from Seattle homicide and gets a job with the State of Washington Attorney General’s Special Homicide Investigative Team. Everyone can figure the shortened version of the name is.

    But, the idea of having state wide jurisdiction gives them a lot of clout is we say here in Chicago. The feds have used joint task forces for a number of years. A prime example are the Federal Fugutive Task Forces that the U.S. Marshal’s in regions around the country

    The mix of people bring all kinds of knowledge, experience, etc to these groups. Also, it would take a burden off the locals, especially ones, where the local agency has some ghosts in their closet that might not want exposed. This is where I would like the federal agents to step in. But, the FBI has been busy investigating some disinformation they got from Val’s old friends in the KGB, or whatever name they use.

  9. John says:

    Here’s the one thing I find strange about this case. Why was her work bag taken, with her computer, and stuff in it? Was it taken for the value? The fact that all her belongings were found on the ground, with the exception of her work bag, has puzzled me for the simple fact that this had to be a quick kidnapping, with no time to asses her belongings in the dark. Either this was a crime of opportunity, or someone staged it to be that way. You would think if it was someone who was watching her work schedule, they would have driven away that day seeing that her car was still sitting there, when she usually leaves at that time thinking maybe she was sick that day. They knew that going into that apartment and raising a commotion would be a problem with others that lived there, and would have to make as little noise as possible. So they checked off going in. They needed her in that parking lot, to make a quick transition of getting her into a vehicle. Either someone knew she was running late, or they were waiting for a woman to leave that apartment in the dark, at 4:00 in the morning. I wonder if they have a list of everyone that was in that campground that week.

    • layla says:

      I wondered about that as well, and what kind of bag it was if it had her laptop in it, could it have been a messenger style bag that she’d worn diagonal across her chest, while her purse would have been in her hand or over her shoulder and used as a weapon when she was grabbed? There were mentions of her taking a self defense class prior to this happening, so my first thought when I read that her things were scattered around the parking lot, was that she might have used the bad to try and defend herself causing everything to get flung around, but a messenger bag would have been secured against her, if she was wearing it across her chest, and so they wouldn’t have had to take the time to grab it because it would have been on her when they grabbed her. Such a sad case, all of them on here are, I hope someday they are all solved.

  10. Rich says:

    In the 48 hours segment there was mention of Crank phone calls in the days leading up to her disappearance. I did not hear mention of any follow up in regard to the crank telephone calls.

    • MikeD says:

      I know the theory floating around is that John Vancise was calling her apartment when he was suspicious about her having a male friend there. Crank calls that were just nobody talking on the other end, just listening. There is no proof of this, at least not publicly. I don’t know who offered landline telephone service in Mason City in 1995 and if they would be able to produce call logs at that time.

  11. Kim says:

    48 Hours is doing a story on 12/15/18 about Jodi’s disappearance:
    https://www.cbsnews.com/video/sneak-peek-findjodi/

  12. Herb Hunter says:

    Perhaps she’s buried in Little Clear Lake in a barrel, just off Balsam Ave. The lake is something like 20′ deep just east of the outcropping on the causeway. After the initial investigation, the FBI and local authorities widened their search, and since that area had been searched, it would be easier to hide the body so close to home. Has that part of Little Clear Lake ever been dredged or dragged after the initial investigation in 1995? Or has it ever?

    • Kathleen Peiffer says:

      Mr. Hunter, the article clearly states her purse and many other items belonging to her were found at the scene of her abduction.

    • Sarah S says:

      I always recall hearing people comment that they find it odd when the MCPD officer kept bringing up a cops potential involvement, she suddenly was fired. I also recall that Mercy was pouring new concrete for their addition that same morning she went missing, and people wonder if she was buried under it. Sad… :-(

      • FedEx guy says:

        Blah blah blah blah. John vansice is the person of interest. ….he’s originally from newton, iowa……about 2 year’s ago, while working for FedEx, I delivered a package to one of his relatives. I had a Mason city girls basket ball hat on, and the guy asked me about mason city, I informed him I’m from there. . He said his brother John used to live there but there was to much heat on him, he had to bolt fast and never look back. …….this case even after all these years has stuck with me, and I knew a lot of info which I’ve read and watched on tv. As I was delivering this package, I thought to myself, this is creepy, John is in my mind connected to jodi”s dissapearance, and is related to this guy im talking to. My gut says John had money to pay someone to rid of jodi because, he was obsessed with her, and unsuccessfully tried to win her over with material things, she was never gonna be with him and his short temper had reached a frustrating point. Had to leave Mason city to get away from bad memories, figured if he stuck around, people would look and stare at him and may say, that’s the guy who killed jodi. ….moved to Arizona to get away And never think about it or be reminded of his horrible crime of a woman he was in love with……I called him awhile back, and told him they found jodi, just to hear his reaction ……after about 30 seconds of silence he quietly said, that’s impossible, don’t call here again. …….he changed his number 2 days later

        • Sarah says:

          Lol… that sure is a crazy, story. Did you call the police, DCI, FBI??? Or just post it on here!? Hmmm.

          • FedEx guy says:

            It’s my word against vanscise brothers, sad to say, cops probably don’t have time to chase any leads or stories. Pathetic how the state does not help fund any of these cold case”s anymore. …

            • JD32 says:

              “FedEx” guy is just a troll who thinks he/she is clever.

              Person is not smart enough to change up their writing style though. You’ll see similar posts under different aliases on other cases on this site.

              Pretty weak and generic stuff.

            • FedEx guy says:

              Hey JD32, who the hell you calling a troll? Weird how I tell a true incident with someone, and you wanna try to say I’m bullshitting? This is the only time I’ve ever written anything on this site because it happened in my hometown, and I still to this day follow it closely. what’s your story?

            • Scott cowles says:

              Crazy….. goes to show you how the mason city police are unable to process a simple crime scene evidence fact….. the morning of her disappearance, the toilet seat in her apartment was left up….. (she lived alone)…… and urine was accidentally splattered on the tile around the base of the toilet…..

              • Joe says:

                Oh brother, if that is true, the floundering flat feet’s inaptitude let that pratt get away with it; there is enough DNA in a drop of piss to clone an army of of J.V.s.
                Single women living alone don’t leave toilet seats up EVER.

            • MsDeb says:

              That name is in the Waterloo Courier this evening, online.

  13. Herb Hunter says:

    If her license was found, but her licence was in her wallet, and her wallet was in her purse, and her purse was never found, how did detectives find her license? It seems to me only the person who abducted/killed her would have access to her licence. Early reports had it that Ms. Huisentruit was running down a story about the meth/drug/gun running trade in the area at the time. Perhaps she got involved with a nefarious source and needed to be silenced after she learned too much.

    And perhaps that person of interest is right there in the interviews saying “the hunt is on” after learning she was missing. Why was the ‘hunt’ on? Why not the search?

  14. Fred V Allen says:

    I WATCHED THIS STORY AGAIN FOR THE SECOUND TIME LAST WEEK AUG. 2015 ANDTHE FIRST TIME A FEW YEARS BACK AND I WAS HOPEING THEY WOULD FIND JODI BEFORE HER MOTHER DIED, BUT SHE WASN'T THAT LUCKY BUT I KNOW WITH MY FAITH THAT MOMA AND JODI ARE TOGETHER IN HEAVEN WITH JESUS IN NO PAIN AND NOTHING BUT LOVE AND PEACE. AMEN AND GOD BLESS JODI'S FAMILY AND GOD BLESS JODI'S SOUL !!

  15. J. Kohls says:

    I just watched this show again and every time I watch it I get sick to my stomach. I hope someday they do find Jodi and she can have a decent service. I cannot imagine that she would still be alive and her family and friends have to still be devastated with how she disappeared. This is a scary world we live in and I hope whoever did this to this innocent woman gets his punishment if not here when he leaves this world if he hasn’t already. There is a special place in hell for people like this.

  16. It is so sad that her remains have never been found.

  17. I have vivid dreams about this. It haunts me. :(

  18. I remember that day she disappeared too

  19. John Parker says:

    I have followed this case for as long as I can remember. I was 15 when this happened and have never forgot about Jodi. I still have a weird feeling that someone that lived in that apartment complex is guilty of this crime. I'm sure everyone was picked apart that lived there, it just seems like the ultimate crime of opportunity. The red flag this case presents is the fact they found the key bent in her car door. This tells me someone came up from behind and attacked her as she was putting the key in the door, as evidenced by her bag on the ground, and the screams her neighbors heard. I think this person(s) lived in her complex, knew she was on the news, and what schedule she kept. I think they saw their chance in a young, petite, attractive blonde. I think this person was in their 20's and is a white male. This person lived in that complex, or had close ties with someone that did. Of course all this is speculation on my part. I hope someday we get a break in this case.

    • Stephanie says:

      Actually they never found the bag. Not in the house or outside. That’s the really weird part.

      • JG says:

        A friend of my father, from Austin, MN was a person of interest. He supposedly was dating a woman living in the key apartments. He also owned a white van, which as I recall was identical to the one seen that day. He was a very creepy guy. I remember my dad warning my sister and I, to be cautious of him. I also remember him showing up on foot, claiming he had ran out of gas. My sister has similar features as Jodi, and when he realized I was home also, he seemed like he was in a hurry and quickly left.
        He is now dead, but would have been in early or mid 40’s at the time. His initials are E.M..I’ve had multiple people who knew him, tell me that he was somehow involved. His name never comes up in anything I’ve seen though. He was an alcoholic and drug user.

  20. Chave says:

    I hope they find closure for Jodi’s family, I know at this point they will possibly not find her alive, maybe just remains and my heart goes out to her family and friends! I would never want to live something like this. Jodi, I’m confident that the detectives handling your case will bring you home one day, maybe they just need a different set of eyes! God be with you guys that are family and detectives handling this case. There will be justice Jodi!

  21. Sue Herman says:

    Has case 158UFCO DOE Network been checked out? Also, as many follow the DOE network, were there ever indentifiers released like color of tote bag, dental characteristics, scars, clothing, jewelry, etc?

  22. Xizzi Whelton-Perry says:

    It seems that guilty people tend to push a subject for continual attention, if it drops, they are not happy, keep pressing and averting the blame in a different direction – cops are not stupid, people need to give them more credit than that – especially due to the notoriety of this case.

  23. Sam Whipple says:

    I was just a small child but I remember this. She has to be found and peace brought to family, friends, and the whole newscast.

  24. This is so sad. It was right before I started at Waldorf.

  25. Jodi Lake says:

    This case has haunted me. Partially because my name is Jodi, too! This is one for the experts.

  26. I remember this…soo sad.

  27. Kath Peiffer says:

    …I meant “James” McIntyre…

  28. Kath Peiffer says:

    Could this John McIntyre be considered a suspect? He seems to want to insert himself into this investigation pretty badly.

  29. so sad we live in a world where this kind of thing happens

  30. This case, along with the other cold cases need solved so these folks have justice!!!

  31. Prayers with the family and friends.

  32. Wendy Holman says:

    you aren’t forgotten Jodi Huisentruit

  33. Kris Starks says:

    This one still haunts me to this very day! :(

  34. natwatson11 says:

    Kat, did law enforcement follow up with you? I just watched this on youtube and was interested if there was any progress?

  35. Kat says:

    I have someone of interest for law enforcement to check out.
    Is he involved…??? I don’t know…but I do know he lives 1 hour from Mason City IA in New Hampton IA & he definitely could have harmed someone…or worse.
    I dated this person back in 2003-2004 & he was SCARY 2 months into our relationship. Again, idk if he had anything to do w it but would be great for all the people involved to know what did so ANY INFO SHOULD BE CHECKED OUT !!
    Law enforcement…if you’re interested…email me & we can exchange contact info etc
    kat5five91@gmail.com
    I will be waiting.
    Thank you
    PS..this IS NOT A JOKE either ! I’m not saying I have guaranteed info but after watching 20/20 ON OWN…this person immediately came to mind.
    LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED !!

  36. Kindra says:

    I just say the story about Jodi on OWN. One of her coworker’s interview seemed alarming. Does anyone know if Amy Kuns was treated as a suspect?

    • Dawn says:

      Yes something is off with Amy. I recently did some research on how to spot a lie by involuntary/subconcius facial expressions and head movements and Amy presses each red flag. I bet she is in the list, if not The List.

    • Tamatha Sue Polk says:

      I totally agree with you Kendra, I just watched the show on 20/20 and within the first 15 mins I thought she was certaintly someone that might have had something to do with Jodi’s disappearance. She laughed during the interview several times and she voiced that she wanted Jodi’s job, and just her demeanor and body language. I went to several other sites and read more about Amy Kuns and she was ask the question if she attended the birthday party that was thrown for.Jodi, she said “No, I didn’t attend the party, I wasn’t even invited”. She really seemed jealous and to me it really showed.

  37. sally says:

    Stearns was there. Too perfect of a crime. Hes got a trophy her drivers license. Why would he need a drivers license when theres tons of her picture everywhere.

    • mike says:

      are you saying the detective that is on the case did this ?

    • Kim says:

      Just because Lt. Stearns has Jodi’s driver’s license doesn’t mean he was in any way involved in her abduction. Jodi’s DL was probably in her purse, which was recovered at the scene. It’s not unusual for detectives, especially those who deal with cold cases or have worked cases that have gone cold to keep a picture or some sort of memento of the victim, just to keep the victim’s memory alive and remind them what they are working for. Nothing at all sinister in that, either.

  38. Theresa says:

    It is nice to know people are honest enough to say when interviewed, “that screams had been heard”. Yet not one person found the hour odd or found the screams (plural!) desperate and called the police. I am sure the investigators asked why, but OMG!

  39. Josh Benson says:

    Please remove Mr. McIntyre’s information from your website’s comments section. Many people believe the information he posts is true. They are contacting our website, authorities and family members of these ‘new developments. They are not new. Mr. McIntyre has been spreading this information for years and is only clouding the investigation with his conspiracies and incorrect information. Mr. McIntyre has zero basis for any claims he makes and authorities in several states deny any knowledge of such claims.

    • Jody Ewing says:

      Josh, we’ve deleted Mr. McIntyre’s comments in the past but he continued to repost them. ICC’s Kerry Connolly recently contacted Lt. Frank Stearns from the Mason City Police Department, and he issued an official statement regarding McIntyre’s allegations. I’ve provided a link to Lt. Stearns’ statement at the bottom of Jodi’s case summary. I’ve also deleted Mr. McIntyre’s latest comment, and any further comments he makes will be promptly deleted.

      Thanks so much for all you do in behalf of keeping Jodi’s memory alive.

      Best wishes,

      Jody Ewing
      Iowa Cold Cases Founder

      • Laura says:

        You lose all credibility when you start picking and choosing based on opinions rather then FACTS. Everyone has a right to their own opinions… based on FACTS. When you delete comments which clearly question your intention…. you lose and so do your readers.

        • Kim says:

          Unfortunately, Mr. McIntyre’s comments are not based on any facts, as per the statement issued by the Mason City Police Dept., which is the investigating authority over Jodi Huisentruit’s case. Mr. McIntyre has posted similar comments on several other sites dedicated to unsolved crimes/true crimes and his statements have been thoroughly…and I mean thoroughly…debunked by law enforcement officials. The only one who loses any credibility is the person who sadly keeps perpetuating the myth that Jodi’s body has lain unclaimed in a St. Cloud, Minn. morgue since 1997. Jodi’s case has always been high profile and any unidentified female remains that have ever been recovered, particularly in Minnesota or Iowa, would be completely investigated to see if there was a match. The intention of this site is not to spread false rumors or myths about any of the crimes listed on here, but rather to share FACTS of these cold cases with the public in hopes of solving them. Mr. McIntyre’s comments have been proven several times over by several different law enforcement agencies that they are not FACT, they’re a MYTH, and therefore have no place on a site dedicated to FACTS.

          • Jody Ewing says:

            Thank you, Kim, for a comment that clearly explains our position when it comes to Mr. McIntyre’s posts. We included the link to Lt. Frank Stearns’ official statement so readers could see for themselves that the Mason City Police Dept. has already investigated Mr. McIntyre’s allegation and proven it to be false. The MCPD has also repeatedly asked Mr. McIntyre to stop spreading this lie, yet he continues to do so.

            Mr. McIntyre has been “using” our website to perpetuate a lie, and for us to allow him to continue this practice would be irresponsible.

            Jody

            • M Higgins says:

              Mr. McIntyre should be brought up on charges for false information just like others have been in this case! Whoever “he” really is continues to spread this same fake info around- all over the findjodi site – as recently as mid 2019. Later posts are same info but various source names.

              I can only presume “he” is purposeful involved if not in some way guilty of this crime & adding to the research chaos to ensure it remains unsolved.

              What say you MCPD? Has this person been identified & investigated?

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