A private investigator claims to have identified a suspect in the long-unsolved case of a missing Iowa news anchor.
The story started on June 27, 1995, when Jody Huisentrut didn’t arrive for her shift at a local news station in Mason City, Iowa. This prompted a decades-long search that has never turned up her body or led to any arrests.
Recently, investigative work by Steve Ridge has revealed a potential lead. He mentioned that he received new information pointing to a possible suspect in the case.
According to Ridge, it seems the informant was in a relationship with the suspect. In an intense moment, he confessed to her during a police chase in Minnesota. Initially, he denied involvement, but ultimately claimed, “I did it.”
Ridge hasn’t disclosed the suspect’s identity or their current status but has shared findings with the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
He noted that the informant had a brief romantic connection with the suspect and that they have gathered substantial evidence—photographs, letters, and checks that substantiate the claims.
To help recover Jody’s remains, Ridge has announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to her body.
This development comes two years after the death of John Vansis, who was the last person to see Huisentrut alive and had labeled himself a key person of interest. He had expressed that Huisentrut was anxious about being stalked due to her television presence.
Vansis described their relationship as close but platonic, likening it to a father-daughter dynamic. He had moved to Arizona and had spoken with Ridge several times before passing away in 2024. He consistently denied any involvement in Huisentrut’s disappearance, claiming to care for her deeply.
As for the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation, they have not commented on the latest developments in the case.
