The case of Jacob Wetterling came to a close after his killer's admission of the crime almost three decades from the time the 11-year-old had gone missing. The remains of Wetterling were found earlier this week at a farm in Minnesota.
The suspect, 53-year-old Danny Heinrich, admitted the crime on Tuesday. He said that he abducted and killed Wetterling 27 years ago and he gave details such as the 11-year-old asking him what he did wrong to deserve being abducted. Heinrich admitted the crime along with pleading guilty to a federal child pornography charge. The pornography charge will probably have him spend 20 years behind bars but he could spend the rest of his life in prison due to civil commitment.
Heinrich will not be facing state murder charges for the death of Wetterling as it is part of the plea agreement. U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said that the plea deal was the only way they could let Heinrich show where the remains of Wetterling are. When asked if he sexually assaulted then murdered Wetterling, Heinrich answered, "Yes, I did."
Accordingly, the family of Wetterling was asked about the plea agreement and they have approved of it. They required Heinrich, however, to give a detailed confession and tell investigators where they could find Wetterling. Heinrich then told during a court appearance that he saw Wetterling, his brother, and a friend bicycling down a rural road near the home of the victim on the night of October 22, 1989, the Fox News reported.
He then asked the kids to lie face down in a road and ordered the two older children to run without looking back. Heinrich said that he handcuffed Wetterling, took him to a gravel near Paynesville and molested him. Heinrich added that Jacob later said he was cold so he let the boy get dressed. After that, Wetterling asked if he was to be taken home but Heinrich answered that he cannot take him home so the boy started to cry.
Heinrich recounted that a patrol car with siren and lights nearby caused him to panic. He then pulled out his revolver and loaded two rounds. He told Wetterling to turn around and held the gun to the boy's head. He pulled the trigger but the gun did not fire. He fired two more shots and that was when Wetterling fell to the ground.
Heinrich said that he went home before returning to bury the boy's body. He went back to the grave of Wetterling a year after and saw that the jacket of the boy and some bones were becoming exposed. He added that he then gathered as much as he could, placed it in a bag, then transported it across the highway to a field. He reburied the boy's remains, the CBS reported.
As part of the plea deal, Heinrich also admitted that he assaulted then-12-year-old Jared Scheierl. The boy was, however, let go and is alive now.
The mother of Wetterling said that it was painful to know about her son's last hours and minutes. She also said that they believed Wetterling was alive all these years until his remains were found so they need to heal.
Heinrich is set to be sentenced this November 21.
