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A beloved anchorwoman vanishes on her way to work.
CASE DETAILS  Jodi Jodi Huisentruit moved to Mason City, Iowa, in late 1993, and quickly became an active member of the community. As the anchor of a morning news show, Jodi was a local favorite… a woman with many friends and no known enemies. The day that Jodi vanished, she was scheduled to work her regular shift on the morning show. When she didn’t arrive on time, the show’s producer, Amy Kuns, called her apartment:
 Personal items were strewn in the parking lot When Jodi didn’t show up by airtime, Amy anchored the newscast and sent the first available person to check on Jodi:
 Search teams combed the countryside Police arrived at Jodi’s apartment shortly after. Frank Stearns was an Investigator for the Mason City Police at the time of Jodi’s disappearance:
 Jodi’s missing person poster By that afternoon, the Mason City Police launched a massive search, aided by the FBI and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Rescue teams scoured the countryside. Divers and police dogs covered the Winnebago River and its banks. But there was no trace of Jodi Huisentruit. In fact, the only possible clue was a white Ford Econoline van seen in the parking lot of Jodi’s apartment building about the time she disappeared. Patrick McCarthy was a private investigator hired to augment the investigation:
On June 27, 1995, Jodi Huisentruit, a beloved anchorwoman in Mason City, Iowa, vanished without a trace. And although there have been few leads since her disappearance, her friends, family and viewers still maintain hope that one day, Jodi will turn up alive. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season eight with Robert Stack and in season three with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP |
Tracy Brown
I always thought that Amy from the station seemed to be a bit “snippy” and even had some attitude when discussing Jodi’s disappearance. I felt as if she really didn’t care for her. Do we know if she actually called and spoke with Jodi the morning she disappeared? Is there a record of that or is this something the police have kept close to the vest? What do we know about Amy or her husband at the time?
Anonymous
This case is needing a DNA match. They likely won’t find the body. In the 1990s Iowa farmers used to burn their crops and start with fresh soil. They called it agriculture burning. It was outlawed for a few years and then allowed again in 2017. I’m not from Iowa. But they are remarkable for having farms. I’m surprised no one even looked at the lonely farmers around cows and sheep. I could give more speculation of a suspect. But I don’t want to sound stereo typical to sensitive nationalities.
Brokshire
Farmers in Iowa DO NOT burn their fields and certainly didn’t in the 90’s.
Eileen
Please have the family or close friends contact Tyler Henry the medium. He might be able to connect with Jodi and find out what happened to her. I have confidence in him.
Modli
Well, I have three teories what happened to Jodi-
1) she kidnaped by still uncovered man whom Jodi was dating with. Motives are jealousy or his intention to have secret relationship with Jodi if he was married, but Jodi maybe made decision to reveal it.
2) her kidnaping and murdering were organized by some of colleague which have intention to get her position on television, so Jodi as very beautiful and prudent person was obstacle for that goal.
3) she was kidnaped by screwy stalker who enamor to her when watched her on TV and wanted to have her for himself only, or she only had bad day, was in wrong time on wrong place and was victim of random intention of any maniac who made decision to kidnap, rape and murder any random passerby.
There is just minimal theoretical possibility that she is still alive but locked somewhere by screwy maniac.
Anonymous
1)JV only had 4 hours with her. 2) Amy didn’t have to call her. She could have just let her keep coming in late. 3) Undetermined.
Anonymous
After further evaluation. Your first theory has a lot of merit. The puzzle is looking at firearms and collecting DNA without luminol destroying it. I believe that unnamed suspect passed away. So the case went from cold to ice age if he was the bullseye.
Charles
Sadly, she wad likely raped, murdered, and the body was hidden. A serial killer/rapist most likely who saw her on the news and then stalked her. There seemed to be no bad elements in her life otherwise.
Tyler
I have been following the story of this case for about a year now and I am eventually coming out with a podcast that talks about this case in length. It would be great to get in touch with some of the individuals in this comment section and do an interview. Joe, I know you’ve been following this case for 11 years, and I would love to conduct an interview with you and have you in my podcast!
Anyone’s help would be great to have. I know there are many aspects to this case that are confusing to understand, but hopefully, with my podcast and the thought experiment that goes with it, it can lead to something more than just the question I’m trying to answer. Thanks, everyone!
Joe
Hello Tyler,
I am so sorry for the late response! The website was having some technical issues and I was unable to comment on your post until now. I have been following the case for 16 years now. I have spoken to many people over the years involved in the case including a private investigator. I have been to Mason City, Iowa several times. I would be happy to discuss the case with you.
Miranda shortt
I think she is being held against her will
John
She’s dead bro
Iowa Native
I hate to say it but she is most likely buried in shallow grave in a field within 20 miles of where her apartment was. I have read alot about this and from what I have read a Serial Rapist named Tony Dejuan Jackson sounds like a likely suspect. He lived around the immediate area where the station was located at that Jodi worked at, and he frequented a bar that she also attended.
Michelle
Joe,
Having worked on this case many years, why has not much information ever been released about who Jodi was frightened of? Apparently she felt she was being followed and police took it seriously enough to assign her protection at one point I believe. So…who was this stalker? Is there honestly no letters, messages, calls, anything that came out for which this pervert did to try to get Jodi’s attention, other than follow her in a white van? Surely other people at the station saw him or the van? Why has that never been explored further? Especially now with DNA. That van is out there somewhere. I think it’s pretty obvious the person following her that she feared, waited in the bushes and grabbed her from behind while she tried to get into her car! Every womans nightmare. So scary. Poor girl. But….why her body hasn’t turned up? Well, if the police aren’t even capable of tracking down who this so called stalker was in a make and model of a van known by many? Perhaps they are just completely unqualified.
Joe
Hello Michelle,
I am so sorry for the late response! The website was having some technical issues and I was unable to comment on your post until now. She was getting some phones calls and was thinking about changing her phone number. There was also a black truck that was following her when she was out jogging. She was frightened of this event. No information ever came of these two events. There was a white van seen in her apartment complex parking lot. No white van was seen at the tv station. No white van has ever been located. She never had a known stalker. I believe it was someone she knew. She did have police follow her home a couple of times for protection. She was grabbed from behind as she was putting the key into her car door. The key was found bent on the ground.
Lisa
For Sam~ 911 started in 1973 ~
thinkingoutloud
Maybe Amy had something to do with it. She was the last person to speak to Jodi…according to Amy. Do we have proof Amy even called her? I find it suspicious that Amy was the only person that supposedly spoke to Jodi and then immediately sent a car over to check on her. Someone should have definitely done another phone call while help was on its way to make sure Jodi was okay and to see if she needed anything. I don’t believe one call did any justice. I think whatever happened to Jodi was planned and done in advanced, probably during the night before others were up and they staged her belongings being thrown around her car to make it look like she was abducted. I mean if you abduct someone, why leave their belongings on the ground for everyone to see? I think it was staged so police would think she was abducted on her way to work. I believe Amy had something to do with her disappearance. She mentioned multiple times how she wanted Jodi’s job, “but not like this”. What was she implying? That Jodi was kidnapped or murdered? How would she even know? Very fishy and sad case but i think Jodi was abducted early and murdered so Amy could take her spot.
ClearLake
I agree with you, quite fishy about Amy and her comments. Grew up in Clear Lake and was shocked… still am, that she’s never been found.
Rory
I’ve always thought Amy had something to do with it. Last time I was there, CL/Mason, she was still at the station.
Kyle
Amy left KIMT not long after Jodi disappeared. She left the TV news industry later on as well. I don’t see a motive for her at all. This was a small town station and they weren’t paid very well at all.
Anonymous
Is Amy gay?
Joe
No
David Wallace
This story grabbed my attention. When I was about 11 or 12 years old (1982) a white Econoline van with the word “VIEW” in the back upper corner was stalking me one evening while I was riding my bike. So I rode my bike home and told my sister and her friend. Later that evening a knock on the door and we were running to it when we heard a man say “I know you’re in there!” Me and my sister did not recognize the deep voice so we gently locked the door. He then tried to turn the doorknob to Come in. We ran to the kitchen and called 911 but we lived in a rural neighborhood far north of Fort Worth, so the operator had to transfer us to Tarrant county police. It will take a while for a policeman to show up. So as my sister went around the house locking the windows you could hear him trying to open them behind her. He was not aggressive as far as trying to get into the house, he would only wiggle the door handles and try to open windows. We hid in a closet. At some point he left. I’ve never been that scared since that night. I can tell you we did not know this man. My parents were at a very late night dinner party in Dallas.
Sean
There was a 911 system in 1982?
sam
cops were involved for sure its crazy just in that area im talking a 30 mile space in the last 20 years multiple murders and dissaperence almost none solved you know in the 40s if you killed some one you had a 80% chance of being caught now if you kill some one its only 35% pretty sketchy if you ask me the law is slow and strange in the area I knew a kid from Dumont Iowa who was killed his name was Brandon ayers and the guy that killed him only got 8 years
Beccaboo
Does anyone think the news station colleague seemed suspicious? Her comments she has made like she was angry that she had to do Jodi’s job that morning and the way she described how she spoke to her on the phone. Do you think she was jealous of her and had it arranged for her to be murdered? Was she given Jodi’s job after it was clear she wouldn’t be returning? Just some thoughts….
Rebecca
Yes, I have had the same thoughts. If I had been in Amy’s position, I would have called again before airtime and would have been very concerned early on about Jodi’s welfare. No way would I have been mad. I would have been very worried about what happened. It sounds like this was out of character for Jodi to show up that late. It definitely would have warranted a second call say at 4:30.
I have seen another interview with Amy where she said she always wanted the anchor position but not like this. She did indeed go on to anchor the news program.
Of course, this type of jealousy crime has happened before. It doesn’t matter how seemingly innocent or above reproach someone may be, they could be a murderer.
I have thought the same thing about having someone else murder Jodi and this would give her an airtight alibi.
Premeditation would have ensured it was very well planned and where to dispose of the body so it would never be found.
Again, I have to agree with you that some things in Amy’s story just don’t add up.
Joe
Also on one of my trips to Mason City I sat down and spoke with Jodi’s landlord at the time Rose. She told me about those early morning hours of June 27th, 1995. Rose has since sold her home and moved away since the last trip I took to Mason City, Iowa. I can only hope someone slips up and something cracks the case wide open!
Joe
I have worked on this case for at least eleven years now. Someone knows something about the case in the Mason City area and needs to come forward! I have made several trips to Mason City to get a feel for the city. I spoke with a woman about Jodi Huisentruit who works at a card shop in Mason City. She told me Jodi would come in and buy cards. She had personally waited on Jodi.
savage
I have seen her
Randy
Me too.
CLformer
Grew up in Clear Lake and remember when Jodi disappeared. Right, cops were, probably still are, notorious for looking the other way in CL and Mason. Makes one wonder.
Anonymous
That is the City where Buddy Holly died. That will never happen again because Clear Lake now has an airport for emergencies.
jackie
i live in iowa & remember this case very well as i was 35 at the time. this is a sad story & i feel so sorry for her family, but there is nothing weirder about mason city or any iowa town. we unfortunately suffer crime just like anyone else.
Anonymous
There are all kinds of weird things that take place in Iowa. The interstate system though the state harbors many untold secrets.
Brian
You know guys for the past year I have been asking myself if the Jodie Husentruit case is connected to the 2 little girls that went missing and then found dead in a field up north in Iowa. I’ve gone through a murder myself and know first hand how hard it is to lose people that are close to you. I don’t know why they cannot find these 2 little girls murderer. To me our country truely lacks the desire to find people who have commited bad crimes no matter what they do.
Anonymous
Iowas interstate system is riddled with crime. There is more trafficking of drugs and sex through the state than most will ever know. Redfield Iowa for one is riddled with it.
John
I believe she was abducted by arabs for sex trafficing.
DH
http://www.findjodi.com/interview-with-amy-kuns/
I found this interview somewhat disturbing. In the media her colleague seems concerned, but this interview is telling. She says that she didn’t know her well personally, but accuses her of possible drug use. Her body language in interviews is weird and she says…”I wanted her job but not this way”…
Arl
I totally agree. Something seemed really odd about how she responded to questions about Jodi and how she characterized her. I also was curious if there was any real proof that she had in fact called jodi that morning. It was widely accepted she was the last person who had spoken to jodi, but do phone records prove it?
Brooke
I wanted to address Pete’s two points. First of all, small towns is where most police corruption is found. The “good ol’ boy” mentality, where everyone knows everyone and people lie and cover for each other. Also, anyone that thinks drug use is more prevalent in big cities is ill informed. Small towns have a higher percentage of their populations using illicit drugs, Rx drugs, or alcohol because there’s much less to do and occupy people’s time, especially teenagers. Plenty of small, apple pie American towns are being ravaged by drug use. If so many of the good, solid, well paying factory and manufacturing jobs weren’t now overseas, the towns of Americana wouldn’t be turning into broke, unemployed Meccas of drug dealing and using. Jail us the only home many can afford. No longer can a man willing to physically work hard, support and raise a family. Those jobs are in Mexico(and other Latin countries and in turn they supply our drugs and were supporting the illegal aliens from there), China( who supports this country cause we owe them trillions of dollars and they’d just as soon see us blown off the map, India( they think we’re heathens cause our women can show their skin and use the word no). We promise aid everywhere to look like world heroes and were the laughingstock of the world.
ginger
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3138608/Is-imprisoned-serial-rapist-one-biggest-abduction-mysteries-past-20-years-New-leads-emerge-case-missing-news-anchor-landmark-anniversary-disappearance-approaches.html
Rebecca
Whoever took Jodi was lying in wait, it was well planned. That individual or individuals probably knew she was living alone, where she work and what time she left for the station, when she was heading to her car the kidnapping took place. Such a bright, young woman with her life and career on track. Prayers goes out to this family. I hope some closure could come to this family soon.
Pete
I am not very familiar with the Huisenfeldt case, but I have lived in that area and still have family there. I can say that Mason City, Clear Lake, and the other towns in that area seem to be as apple-pie American and normal as can be on the outside, but there has always been a strange undercurrent of things happening, people disappearing, and some heavy-duty drug activity — one of those chain pizza shops (forgot name) that were found to be a major source of heroin entering the Midwest back in the 70s was in Mason City, and they did good business before they were shut down. Even back in the 70s and 80s, local kids were a lot more involved in hard drugs than you would expect for a seemingly quiet area like that. There also seems to be more corruption in the local law enforcement than you would expect for such small cities and towns. Northern Iowa is a strange place.
B. McIntyre
I can tell you this: Cerro Gordo County and the areas all around Mason City have something kind of ‘not right’ about them. If you do a search of people missing from Iowa, Mason City comes up as the place in Iowa where the most people have gone missing without a trace or have been found murdered in some very odd ways. Especially people with disabilities. There is something going on in Iowa and especially Cerro Gordo County that is highly suspicious. I am a member of several Missing Persons sites and that’s how I know all this. In fact, it’s so noticeable when one does a search of missing people in Iowa that I would think I shouldn’t be the only person to notice this interesting aberration or whatever you may want to call it. Seriously, do a search on http://www.doenetwork.org and check out for yourselves how many people are missing from Iowa. I think you might be quite amazed as I was when I first noticed it. Read the cases too. You’ll see that many, many of the people who have gone missing in Iowa are disabled folks who wouldn’t be able to just leave their homes on their own. Someone or someone’s is taking these people and using them for nefarious purposes, imho. Also, many young boys and men are missing from Iowa. Paperboy’s for example, like Johnny Gosch. In those cases, I am very sure I know exactly who is pulling those ones off and why. It all ties in with the Franklin Scandal in DC and Omaha where these young boys were and likely still are being kidnapped for Human Trafficking and worse purposes. Too bad nothing ever gets done about it, especially when we know exactly who is responsible! Whatever happened to Jodi is probably connected to these same ‘people’, if you can call them that. They will stoop to anything when it comes to getting their prey.
umfan
sounds like a pretty bad place if things like that happen all the time. Sadly Jodi was declared legally dead in 2001 but that doesnt necessarily means she is. Hopefully she is still alive and out there someware.
Brian Massey
Ya. I think Jodi was killed by the same person who’s killed repeadily over and over again in the state of Iowa. What I don’t get is why no one has been caught or if they have been caught made them talk or get the truth out of them with truth cerum or promiseing them a lighter sentence if they tell where they buried the bodies. The honesty part here is death needs to be brought upon these people that are kidnapping or killing people. A prisoner in Missouri named Larry Hall did kidnapp and kill more than 40 women throughout the years in Missouri and the midwest. So Larry Hall could be the culprit who kidnapped Jodi it’s still a possibility.
sam
I lived in the area my whole life and you are not wrong its a very horrible place with lots of ties with gangs and drugs most people from there have a very rude and strange attitude most people I have talked to say the even the police were involved in her dissaperence witch I don’t doubt. police there have a dirty reputation.from experience its not really the place you want to get to know any body to well if they aren’t on drugs they are probly into something worse
Michelle Akins
Wow…This is an interesting case..I hope one day she will b found alive.I dont live in Iowa City or anywhere close to there.I’m a Floridian:) I’m a viewer of Unsolved Mysteries,and this is one of many cases that has interested me.Its sad when anybody goes missing:(
Joe
I have worked on this case with a private detective over the years. This case has many twists and turns.
Janice smith
I see drugs, a white van, buried near Dumont Iowa near a bin, a man named John- hope this helps
Joe
Janice,
How do you know this?