Jayme Closs.Photo: Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/Facebook
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AFTER PARENTS ARE MURDERED, A TEEN GOES MISSING
02of 25JAYME AND HER MOM WERE ‘TWO PEAS IN A POD’Denise ClossBoth Jayme and Denise, pictured at right, were described as quiet, kind, religious and giving, an example of how a loving mom raised her daughter to develop a set of values they shared. “They were just two peas in a pod,” family friend Melissa Salmonson told PEOPLE, describing the pair as “almost inseparable” and saying Denise “was pretty quiet and shy, like Jayme.”
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JAYME AND HER MOM WERE ‘TWO PEAS IN A POD’
Denise Closs
Both Jayme and Denise, pictured at right, were described as quiet, kind, religious and giving, an example of how a loving mom raised her daughter to develop a set of values they shared. “They were just two peas in a pod,” family friend Melissa Salmonson told PEOPLE, describing the pair as “almost inseparable” and saying Denise “was pretty quiet and shy, like Jayme.”
03of 25THE SEARCH CONTINUESJerry Holt/Star Tribune/APFor nearly three months, police in Jayme’s small-town Wisconsin community kept hope alive for her safe return. Facebook and other social media outlets circulated well-wishes and her photograph. On NBC’sThe Voicesinging competition, Barron-born country artist Chris Kroeze dedicated a song to Jayme, elevating her story to a national audience. Urging others to remain vigilant for any clues to report, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said in a statement, “There is a tip out there!”
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THE SEARCH CONTINUES
Jerry Holt/Star Tribune/AP
For nearly three months, police in Jayme’s small-town Wisconsin community kept hope alive for her safe return. Facebook and other social media outlets circulated well-wishes and her photograph. On NBC’sThe Voicesinging competition, Barron-born country artist Chris Kroeze dedicated a song to Jayme, elevating her story to a national audience. Urging others to remain vigilant for any clues to report, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said in a statement, “There is a tip out there!”
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A DASH TO FREEDOM, AND A STARTLING RESCUE
Courtesy Barron County Sheriff’s Department
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‘I DON’T KNOW WHERE I AM, I NEED HELP’
Jeanne Nutter.KARE 11
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‘THIS IS JAYME CLOSS! CALL 911!’
Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/Facebook
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PUPPY BRINGS COMFORT
08of 25A ‘BADASS’ WHO ‘SAVED HERSELF’Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/FacebookAs word of Jayme’s recovery spread, grateful relief mixed with admiration from those who knew her. Jodie Arnold, a cousin of Jayme’s mother Denise, credited the teen’s “perseverance and will to live,” despite Jayme’s demeanor as a “very quiet, passive girl,” Arnold told PEOPLE. “I was really afraid that if she was being kept captive that it would be really hard for her to leave because you’re afraid — and you get, what, one chance to do something like that?” She added: “Jayme is a complete badass. As far as I’m concerned, she saved herself.”
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A ‘BADASS’ WHO ‘SAVED HERSELF’
As word of Jayme’s recovery spread, grateful relief mixed with admiration from those who knew her. Jodie Arnold, a cousin of Jayme’s mother Denise, credited the teen’s “perseverance and will to live,” despite Jayme’s demeanor as a “very quiet, passive girl,” Arnold told PEOPLE. “I was really afraid that if she was being kept captive that it would be really hard for her to leave because you’re afraid — and you get, what, one chance to do something like that?” She added: “Jayme is a complete badass. As far as I’m concerned, she saved herself.”
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KILLER IS IDENTIFIED
Jake Thomas Patterson.Barron County Sheriff’s Dept
10of 25KILLER WAS SEARCHING FOR JAYME WHEN CAUGHTPatterson had not been on the radar of investigators and had no criminal history in Wisconsin at the time of his arrest in the case, officials said at a news conference. “The suspect was not at home when Jayme escaped,” said Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald. “We believe the suspect was out looking for her when law enforcement made contact with him. He was in his vehicle driving around.”
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KILLER WAS SEARCHING FOR JAYME WHEN CAUGHT
Patterson had not been on the radar of investigators and had no criminal history in Wisconsin at the time of his arrest in the case, officials said at a news conference. “The suspect was not at home when Jayme escaped,” said Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald. “We believe the suspect was out looking for her when law enforcement made contact with him. He was in his vehicle driving around.”
11of 25KILLER ALLEGEDLY TARGETED JAYME AFTER SEEING HER BOARD SCHOOL BUSDavid McNew/GettyAccording to the criminal complaint, Patterson told authorities he’d briefly worked at a cheese factory south of Almena, and on his drive to work one morning, he was stopped behind a school bus on Highway 7 where he spotted Jayme getting on board. “[Patterson] stated he had no idea who she was nor did he know who lived at the house or how many people lived at the house,” the complaint reads. “[Patterson] stated, when he saw [Jayme], he knew that was the girl he was going to take.”
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KILLER ALLEGEDLY TARGETED JAYME AFTER SEEING HER BOARD SCHOOL BUS
David McNew/Getty
According to the criminal complaint, Patterson told authorities he’d briefly worked at a cheese factory south of Almena, and on his drive to work one morning, he was stopped behind a school bus on Highway 7 where he spotted Jayme getting on board. “[Patterson] stated he had no idea who she was nor did he know who lived at the house or how many people lived at the house,” the complaint reads. “[Patterson] stated, when he saw [Jayme], he knew that was the girl he was going to take.”
12of 25KILLER SHAVED HEAD PRIOR TO MURDERS TO LIMIT DNA EVIDENCEBarron County Sheriff’s DeptAs Patterson planned his crimes, he “went to great lengths to prepare to take her,” said Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald. Patterson shaved his head and facial hair prior to the Oct. 15 murders of Jayme’s parents to “minimize forensic evidence” from hairs that might be left behind. He also wore two pairs of gloves and wiped down the shotgun and its shells used in the shooting, according to the criminal complaint.
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KILLER SHAVED HEAD PRIOR TO MURDERS TO LIMIT DNA EVIDENCE
Barron County Sheriff’s Dept
As Patterson planned his crimes, he “went to great lengths to prepare to take her,” said Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald. Patterson shaved his head and facial hair prior to the Oct. 15 murders of Jayme’s parents to “minimize forensic evidence” from hairs that might be left behind. He also wore two pairs of gloves and wiped down the shotgun and its shells used in the shooting, according to the criminal complaint.
13of 25FORCED TO HIDE UNDER KILLER’S BED FOR HOURSBarron County Sheriff’s Department.During Jayme’s captivity, Patterson routinely ordered her to hide beneath his bed for up to 12 hours at a time without food, water or bathroom breaks, according to the criminal complaint. When he had guests over, he’d turn up the music so she couldn’t hear what was happening. To ensure she didn’t leave, he had “stacked totes and laundry bins around the bed with weights (like weights for barbells) stacked against them so she could not move them without his being able to detect if she did,” the complaint states.
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FORCED TO HIDE UNDER KILLER’S BED FOR HOURS
Barron County Sheriff’s Department.
During Jayme’s captivity, Patterson routinely ordered her to hide beneath his bed for up to 12 hours at a time without food, water or bathroom breaks, according to the criminal complaint. When he had guests over, he’d turn up the music so she couldn’t hear what was happening. To ensure she didn’t leave, he had “stacked totes and laundry bins around the bed with weights (like weights for barbells) stacked against them so she could not move them without his being able to detect if she did,” the complaint states.
14of 25KILLER SAID HE’D BE AWAY FOR HOURS — SO JAYME ESCAPEDBarron County Sheriff’s Dept; Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/FacebookJayme told police that “Patterson made it clear that nobody was to know she was there or bad things would happen to her.” The girl “described how, on one occasion, Patterson got mad at her and hit her ‘really hard’ on her back with what she described as a handle for something used to clean blinds and that it hurt really bad when Patterson hit her with it.” But on Jan. 10, he told her he’d be leaving for five or six hours. Jayme told police that once she was certain he’d left, she freed herself from beneath his bed, threw on a pair of his shoes and ran.
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KILLER SAID HE’D BE AWAY FOR HOURS — SO JAYME ESCAPED
Barron County Sheriff’s Dept; Abducted - Find Jayme Closs/Facebook
Jayme told police that “Patterson made it clear that nobody was to know she was there or bad things would happen to her.” The girl “described how, on one occasion, Patterson got mad at her and hit her ‘really hard’ on her back with what she described as a handle for something used to clean blinds and that it hurt really bad when Patterson hit her with it.” But on Jan. 10, he told her he’d be leaving for five or six hours. Jayme told police that once she was certain he’d left, she freed herself from beneath his bed, threw on a pair of his shoes and ran.
15of 25OTHER KIDNAP SURVIVORS TO JAYME: ‘YOU’RE NOT ALONE’Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire via Getty ImagesOther kidnap survivors offered Jayme their support. Elizabeth Smart, 31, at right, who endured nine months of captivity after being abducted from her Salt Lake City home in 2002, wrote on Instagram: “No matter what may unfold in her story let’s all try to remember that this young woman has SURVIVED and whatever other details may surface the most important will still remain that she is alive.” The former Michelle Knight, who was held in a Cleveland home for more than a decade before she was freed along with two other young women in 2013, said Jayme’s recovery brought “tears of joy.” She offered this advice: “Take time to heal and just know you’re not alone. As long as you have love and support, you can do anything you set your mind to.”
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OTHER KIDNAP SURVIVORS TO JAYME: ‘YOU’RE NOT ALONE’
Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire via Getty Images
Other kidnap survivors offered Jayme their support. Elizabeth Smart, 31, at right, who endured nine months of captivity after being abducted from her Salt Lake City home in 2002, wrote on Instagram: “No matter what may unfold in her story let’s all try to remember that this young woman has SURVIVED and whatever other details may surface the most important will still remain that she is alive.” The former Michelle Knight, who was held in a Cleveland home for more than a decade before she was freed along with two other young women in 2013, said Jayme’s recovery brought “tears of joy.” She offered this advice: “Take time to heal and just know you’re not alone. As long as you have love and support, you can do anything you set your mind to.”
16of 25JAYME’S HAPPY REUNION WITH DOG AND FAMILYCourtesy of Jennifer HalvorsonIn the first image of Jayme released publicly to PEOPLE after her rescue, at right, she is all smiles with her dog, Molly, and her aunt Jennifer Smith, who is the sister of Jayme’s late mother, Denise, and will act as the teen’s guardian. “She is so glad to be home,” family friend Jennifer Halvorson tells PEOPLE. “And she is obviously thrilled to have her dog. Her dog was everything to her. She wanted a dog forever. She had begged and begged [her mother] Denise to get a dog. And finally, Denise caved. That dog was super important to her. She’s glad to have her dog back.”
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JAYME’S HAPPY REUNION WITH DOG AND FAMILY
Courtesy of Jennifer Halvorson
In the first image of Jayme released publicly to PEOPLE after her rescue, at right, she is all smiles with her dog, Molly, and her aunt Jennifer Smith, who is the sister of Jayme’s late mother, Denise, and will act as the teen’s guardian. “She is so glad to be home,” family friend Jennifer Halvorson tells PEOPLE. “And she is obviously thrilled to have her dog. Her dog was everything to her. She wanted a dog forever. She had begged and begged [her mother] Denise to get a dog. And finally, Denise caved. That dog was super important to her. She’s glad to have her dog back.”
17of 25DURING REUNION, ‘EVERYONE WAS IN TEARS’Jayme Closs, center, with her cousin Lindsey Smith and Corey Sager.Courtesy of Lindsey SmithAs Jayme at last reunited with her family at her aunt Jennifer Smith’s home, “everyone was in tears,” says Jayme’s cousin, Lindsey Smith (pictured with Jayme, middle, and Cory Sager). She says Jayme is “doing pretty good” since her rescue, but is “still in shock that she’s back home. She’s nothing but smiles. I think it’s just going to be a one-day-at-a-time thing — figure things out as we go. Just make sure she has what she needs.”
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DURING REUNION, ‘EVERYONE WAS IN TEARS’
Jayme Closs, center, with her cousin Lindsey Smith and Corey Sager.Courtesy of Lindsey Smith
As Jayme at last reunited with her family at her aunt Jennifer Smith’s home, “everyone was in tears,” says Jayme’s cousin, Lindsey Smith (pictured with Jayme, middle, and Cory Sager). She says Jayme is “doing pretty good” since her rescue, but is “still in shock that she’s back home. She’s nothing but smiles. I think it’s just going to be a one-day-at-a-time thing — figure things out as we go. Just make sure she has what she needs.”
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JAYME HAD ‘GOOD NIGHT’ OF SLEEP ON FIRST NIGHT AFTER ESCAPE
Jennifer Halvorson
19of 25UNOPENED CHRISTMAS PRESENTS AWAITED JAYMEJayme Closs and aunt Jennifer Smith.Jennifer HalvorsonAlthough the Christmas holiday came and went without any signs of Jayme while the search for her continued, Jayme’s aunt Jennifer Smith (at right, with Jayme) insisted on keeping the teen’s unopened presents under the tree. “I said, ‘These presents are going to sit right here and wait for Jayme to come home,'" Smith told CBS'48 Hours. “I knew she was close and I never gave up that hope.”
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UNOPENED CHRISTMAS PRESENTS AWAITED JAYME
Jayme Closs and aunt Jennifer Smith.Jennifer Halvorson
Although the Christmas holiday came and went without any signs of Jayme while the search for her continued, Jayme’s aunt Jennifer Smith (at right, with Jayme) insisted on keeping the teen’s unopened presents under the tree. “I said, ‘These presents are going to sit right here and wait for Jayme to come home,'" Smith told CBS'48 Hours. “I knew she was close and I never gave up that hope.”
20of 25FAMILY HAS ‘SOME SENSE OF PEACE’Jayme Closs and cousin Lindsey Smith.Jennifer Halvorson"It will be a long road but we are family strong and we love this little girl so much!!," Jennifer Smith wrote of her niece Jayme (pictured at right, with Jayme’s cousin Lindsey Smith). “We will do anything and everything!!” Smith said of her “beloved sister” Denise and brother-in-law Jim, “I keep assuring them Jayme is safe and we will make sure forever." Jennifer Halvorson tells PEOPLE: “I think everyone just finally had a sense of some peace.”
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FAMILY HAS ‘SOME SENSE OF PEACE’
Jayme Closs and cousin Lindsey Smith.Jennifer Halvorson
“It will be a long road but we are family strong and we love this little girl so much!!,” Jennifer Smith wrote of her niece Jayme (pictured at right, with Jayme’s cousin Lindsey Smith). “We will do anything and everything!!” Smith said of her “beloved sister” Denise and brother-in-law Jim, “I keep assuring them Jayme is safe and we will make sure forever." Jennifer Halvorson tells PEOPLE: “I think everyone just finally had a sense of some peace.”
21of 25KILLER MADE TWO PRIOR ATTEMPTS AT KIDNAPPINGJake Patterson, 21.Barron County Sheriff’s DeptIn the criminal complaint against Patterson, authorities revealed that on two prior occasions before Jayme was taken, he drove to her home intent on kidnapping her before deciding it was too risky. On a first attempt, he said he was spooked after seeing a large number of vehicles in the driveway. Days later he returned but backed off again when he “noticed the lights were on … and people were walking around in the house,” the complaint states.
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KILLER MADE TWO PRIOR ATTEMPTS AT KIDNAPPING
Jake Patterson, 21.Barron County Sheriff’s Dept
In the criminal complaint against Patterson, authorities revealed that on two prior occasions before Jayme was taken, he drove to her home intent on kidnapping her before deciding it was too risky. On a first attempt, he said he was spooked after seeing a large number of vehicles in the driveway. Days later he returned but backed off again when he “noticed the lights were on … and people were walking around in the house,” the complaint states.
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KILLER SAID HE WAS ‘HONEST’ ON JOB APPLICATION
AP
23of 25A $25,000 REWARD HONORS JAYME’S ‘BRAVERY AND STRENGTH’During the search for Jayme, Turkey products company Jennie-O – for which both of her parents worked – offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to her recovery. On Jan. 24, Steve Lykken, the president of Jennie-O Turkey Store, announced that reward would go to Jayme, saying her “bravery and strength have truly inspired our team members around the world.”
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A $25,000 REWARD HONORS JAYME’S ‘BRAVERY AND STRENGTH’
During the search for Jayme, Turkey products company Jennie-O – for which both of her parents worked – offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to her recovery. On Jan. 24, Steve Lykken, the president of Jennie-O Turkey Store, announced that reward would go to Jayme, saying her “bravery and strength have truly inspired our team members around the world.”
24of 25KILLER PLEADS GUILTYT’xer Zhon Kha/The Post-Crescent via APIn March 2019, Patterson pleaded guilty to charges of intentional homicide and kidnapping.In return for his pleas to three charges in Barron County, Patterson will not be charged with crimes in Douglas County, where he held Jayme captive.
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KILLER PLEADS GUILTY
T’xer Zhon Kha/The Post-Crescent via AP
In March 2019, Patterson pleaded guilty to charges of intentional homicide and kidnapping.
In return for his pleas to three charges in Barron County, Patterson will not be charged with crimes in Douglas County, where he held Jayme captive.
25of 25JAYME FEELING ‘STRONGER’ EVERY DAYBarron County Sheriff’s Department.One year after her abduction, Jayme told ABC News she isfeeling “stronger”all the time.“I really want to thank everyone for all the kindness and concern that people all over the country have shown me," she said in an exclusive statement to ABC News. “I am very happy to be home and getting back to the activities that I enjoy. I love hanging out with all of my friends, and I feel stronger every day!”
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JAYME FEELING ‘STRONGER’ EVERY DAY
One year after her abduction, Jayme told ABC News she isfeeling “stronger”all the time.
“I really want to thank everyone for all the kindness and concern that people all over the country have shown me," she said in an exclusive statement to ABC News. “I am very happy to be home and getting back to the activities that I enjoy. I love hanging out with all of my friends, and I feel stronger every day!”
source: people.com
