Unsolved Central Minnesota Crimes

Sex Trafficking and the NFL Modern Day Romeo and Juliet

Unsolved Central Minnesota Crimes

Jodi Huisentruit Born
Jodi Sue Huisentruit
June 5, 1968
Long Prairie, Minnesota, U.S.

Disappeared
June 27, 1995 (aged 27)
Mason City, Iowa, U.S.

Died
declared legally dead May 2001

Education
St. Cloud State University

Jodi Huisentruit was raised in Long Prairie, Minnesota, and led her golf team to two state championships. Jodi became the anchor of KIMT television station in Iowa. Her producers spoke to her at 4:10 a.m. that morning. She was just leaving for work. Jodi missed her news show on the morning of June 27, 1995.

When police went to her home they found her shoe near her car and drag marks away from her car. Police found her red high heels, blow dryer, hair spray and earrings strewn across the lot. Her bent car key lay on the ground near the car, and police believe she was unlocking her car door when she was taken. An unidentified partial palm print was found on her car, but there was no other substantial evidence at the scene.

Her sister described her as “too trusting. Too personable.” Several neighbors heard a scream the morning she disappeared, but didn’t call police. In addition, a white van was seen in the neighborhood. The car was given back to the family within 2 months after her disappearance. (They now suggest this was too early, since it was the only crime scene they had.)

John Vansice was the last person known to have seen her. John was recently divorced and had resided in the same apartment complex. John had strong feelings for her, which were not necessarily reciprocated. He had been required to have a breathalyzer in his vehicle prior to meeting Jodi, due to drunk driving arrests. Jodi described John as a father figure, although friends said he wanted more. John named his boat “Jodi” before her disappearance. A man had offered Jodi a car, which friends thought would have amped up John’s jealousy. John describes himself as someone who was always interested in her best interests and considered her a good friend. John and Jodi had spent the previous day together at a golf tournament. John passed a polygraph examination indicating he wasn’t involved in her disappearance.

Tony Jackson was a serial rapist in Minneapolis. Each case involved stalking. Tony was living in Mason City, Iowa, two blocks away from Jodi when she disappeared. Jackson was once a star athlete at Waldorf College in Iowa. He was kicked out of the school because of his temper. He then expressed an interest of returning to college and becoming a news anchor. His ex-girlfriend, a white woman who looked very similar to Jodi, indicated she broke up with Tony 5 days before Jodi disappeared. A former cellmate of Jackson said he bragged about abducting and killing a news anchor. Jodi had complained of getting prank phone calls and expressed concern of being stalked. Tony had stalked his rape victims.

On May 14, 2001 Jodi Huisentruit was declared legally dead. Her body has never been recovered.

Two years after Jodi’s disappeared, Tony committed violent rapes. On May 4, 1997, E.R. was alone in the home she shared with her parents when a man knocked on the door and asked if he could use the telephone. E.R. let him come in. He was a tall African American with short hair. He wore a polo shirt and a blue fanny pack with the words "St. Paul" on it.

Once in the house, the man put a gun to E.R.'s head and told her not to scream or he would kill her. When she said her parents would return soon, the man responded that he would kill them too. The man took E.R. to a bedroom where he put a sheet in her mouth and handcuffed her hands behind her back. He rolled her onto her back, put a blanket over her head and had vaginal intercourse with her two or three times. During his assault, the man repeatedly told E.R. to shut up or he would kill her. Tony Jackson’s thumbprint was at the scene and a rape kit indicated his DNA was present also.

Jackson was driving at 3:30 a.m. on May 19, 1997 with his headlights off when the police stopped him. They searched his car and found duct tape, and a blue fanny pack with the words "St. Paul" on it. In the pack was a set of handcuff keys.

A tall, fit African-American male entered A.S.'s home on May 22, 1997, and raped her vaginally, orally, and anally. Although the man blindfolded A.S. before he assaulted her, she briefly saw him. She thought he was a man named “Tony” who worked at a newly opened restaurant in the area. Later that day, the police arrested Jackson, a tall, fit African-American male with short hair. Tony Jackson’s fingerprint was found on her door and his DNA was present. A forensic scientist testified that the likelihood it could have been anyone other than Tony Jackson was less than one in a billion. Jackson denied both incidents. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. I give both victims the utmost respect for surviving these attacks and testifying against him.

I wish the families only the best and I pray that someday they will find peace.

Information was removed from this blog, as a theory was released related to the homicide of an individual from central Minnesota. It was requested the information be removed due to its significance to the ongoing investigation.

On Monday, March 25, 2019, at 7:10 am, I will be interviewed on WYRQ radio at 92.1 FM by Al Windsperger about writing True Crime mysteries in central and northern Minnesota.

Thanks for listening,

Frank
I recorded this song with my brothers and sisters, and Nicolette and I danced to this song on the day she married Branden.