Cinema VinesA new ABC 20/20 special titled "Where Are You, Jacob?" has reignited public interest in the cold case that shocked Minnesota in 1989. The episode follows the story of Jared Scheierl, a 12‑year‑old who survived a brutal abduction and later became the key witness that helped solve the murder of 11‑year‑old Jacob Wetterling.
On January 13, 1989, just days before his 13th birthday, Jared and his identical twin Daniel were taken at gunpoint near Cold Spring, Minnesota. The attacker, Danny Heinrich, sexually assaulted Jared before forcing him to flee without looking back. Despite the trauma, Jared continued to cooperate with investigators for decades, hoping his testimony would one day identify the perpetrator.
Months later, on October 22, 1989, Jacob Wetterling was abducted while riding his bicycle with his younger brother and a friend near St. Joseph, Minnesota. Heinrich later admitted that he killed Jacob out of fear the boy might recognize him. The case went cold for nearly 27 years until DNA from the 1989 assault on Scheierl matched evidence recovered from the Wetterling crime scene.
In 2016, the DNA breakthrough led to Heinrich’s confession to the abduction, sexual assault, and murder of Jacob Wetterling under a federal plea agreement. Heinrich was sentenced in 2018, and during the hearing Jared Scheierl spoke about the lasting psychological damage from the attack, describing decades of nightmares, anxiety, and trauma that persisted into adulthood. His former wife, Lacey Scheierl, also testified that the assault had ruined her marriage and strained their family life, stating, "I think that I lost my marriage because of what happened 29 years ago."
That same year, a civil lawsuit awarded Scheierl more than $17 million in damages against Heinrich. However, because Heinrich remains incarcerated, it is unlikely the judgment will be collected. Despite the legal and emotional toll, Scheierl continues to stay close to his children, including his daughter Madi, as noted on his Facebook page.
