Authorities have revived interest in the case of an Iowa news anchor who vanished 30 years ago while en route to work, previously considered cold. The investigation has taken a new turn, as police are now looking into Brad Millerbernd, the ex-husband of one of the anchor’s childhood friends, Patty Niemeyer. Millerbernd’s potential involvement in the 1995 disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit has recently emerged.
A documentary titled “Her Final Airing: Jodi Huisentruit’s Abduction” has highlighted this new angle. It reveals that Niemeyer disclosed a police sketch of a suspect who doesn’t resemble Millerbernd, and it has been noted that he left Huisentruit’s apartment around three hours after her disappearance.
Maria Auz, the documentary’s executive producer, remarked to Fox News Digital, “It was very moving. Here’s someone who knew Jodie well, and now she thinks her ex-husband might be involved in something so terrible.”
Despite the renewed investigation, Millerbernd has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has been cooperating with authorities for three years. Fox News Digital attempted to reach him for comment but did not get a response. Police have remained tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying his involvement in the ongoing investigation.
Huisentruit was last seen on the morning of June 27, 1995, after she called a colleague to say she was heading to the station but never arrived. Following the discovery of some of her belongings and signs of a struggle near her Mason City apartment, local authorities quickly ruled her missing, especially after receiving reports of suspicious vans and screams in the area.
Despite extensive searches, her whereabouts remain unknown, and she was declared legally dead in 2001. The police have stated they are still pursuing leads, saying, “We haven’t put this on the shelf. We haven’t stopped working. We continue to seek information.”
Last year, investigators searched a property in Winstead, Minnesota, roughly 170 miles from Mason City, but found no evidence related to her case. The reasons for this search have not been disclosed to the public.
In light of recent developments, authorities have obtained GPS data from two vehicles belonging to John Vansice, a friend of Huisentruit’s who was one of the last individuals to see her alive. This may provide more clues, but, as of now, her family still seeks closure. “The pain is immense,” they expressed in a statement, hoping for a resolution that brings Jodi home and justice for their loss.
