New attention has emerged around the mysterious cold case of Iowa News Anchor Jody Huisentruit, who vanished from her home over 30 years ago on a summer morning.
Authorities looked into Brad Millerbernd, the former husband of Huisentruit’s childhood friend Patty Niemeyer, after he made suggestions that allegedly tied him to events from 1995, according to reports.
Millerbernd lived about three hours from Huisentruit’s apartment in Mason City when she disappeared.
Niemeyer stated in an ABC News documentary, “I see Brad Millerbernd; that’s him to a T.”
In the same documentary, Millerbernd denied having any involvement with the events surrounding Huisentruit’s disappearance and reportedly cooperated well with investigators.
At the time, Huisentruit was 27 years old and had received a work call around 4 a.m. on June 27, 1995, indicating she was running late.
By 6 a.m., her absence was noted, and the morning broadcast proceeded without her. Hours later, after she was still missing, police investigated her apartment, uncovering signs of a struggle in the parking lot.
Her car keys lay bent on the ground near her vehicle, while personal items like blow dryers, high-heeled shoes, and hairspray were left behind.
A police officer commented on the case, stating, “Things have shifted from searching for a missing person to someone being accused.”
However, searches yielded few results, with only palm prints found on light poles in the vicinity.
By 2001, Huisentruit was declared dead, and after 30 years, there have been no leads in her case, nor has a suspect ever been identified.
On the tenth anniversary of her disappearance, Niemeyer shared her suspicions about her ex-husband’s possible involvement, expressing feelings of dread about him calling her days after the event.
“It frightened me,” she recalled, pondering whether her ex might be connected to Huisentruit’s case.
Interestingly, Millerbernd and Niemeyer had divorced just four days prior to Huisentruit going missing. Investigators noted that he had displayed concerning behavior during their marriage, often flirting with younger reporters.
Although it bothered her, Niemeyer had downplayed it at the time, telling herself it was nothing serious.
In 2017, she decided to report her concerns to the police. After some time, the police questioned Millerbernd, discovering that he had dined with Huisentruit shortly before she vanished and had called her weeks prior to her disappearance.
Detective Terrance Prochaska remarked, “There’s a coincidence here.”
Millerbernd was also found to be driving a white van, matching descriptions from witnesses who claimed to have seen someone looming around Huisentruit’s apartment that morning.
Despite these connections, he was never officially named a suspect and consistently denied any ties to the case.
Police maintained that he was cooperative, albeit nervous and difficult to interview at times, and he agreed to provide DNA samples and undergo polygraph tests.
Another notable figure in the case is John Vansis, a friend of Huisentruit who spent time with her the night before her disappearance. He has also denied any involvement.
The documentary “Her Final Airing” is set to premiere on Hulu on July 15th.
