Jodi Sue Huisentruit: Gone forever

If you are a loyal follower of true crime cases, then you are familiar with Jon Benet Ramsey, Sharon Tate and countless others. However, there is a case that has stayed on my mind for many years. It happened on June 27, 1995, when Jodi Huisentruit, a popular Iowa newscaster, prepared to drive to work around 4 a.m. before someone abducted her. Despite being absent for nearly 30 years, her family and friends have never forgotten her.

She worked as a producer/anchor for CBS-TV affiliate KIMT-TV in Mason City, Iowa. During the investigation, law enforcement didn’t find any witnesses to the abduction. Huisentruit left her shoes, a hair dryer, and her car keys dangling from her driver's side door. She was abducted while getting into her car. One witness claimed to have heard a scream in the morning while another person saw a mysterious white van in the parking lot. The police also observed drag marks.

The morning she disappeared; Jodi received a phone call from her producer Amy Kuns. Amy called her to ensure she was awake. Jodi said she would get ready and be at work as soon as possible. She never made it to work and remains missing today.

For many years, I have followed this case. I have seen family and friends appear on different television programs pleading for tips to help find Jodi. The police have received thousands of tips and interviewed many people over the years. There have been two suspects. One being John Vansice, a friend of Jodi’s who was possibly the last person seen with Jodi before her abduction. He has since moved to Arizona and no longer discusses the case with the media. While living in Iowa, Vansice cooperated with the investigation. He took a lie detector test, provided DNA evidence, and even had an alibi. I have seen people imply Vansice was involved, but I don’t believe he harmed Jodi.

Another person of interest was Tony Jackson, who was convicted of raping four women. At one time, he lived near Jodi. He has denied having any involvement in Jodi's disappearance. Today, Jackson is no longer considered a suspect in Jodi's abduction.

It is believed that Jodi had a stalker. She had discussed her concerns with her sister. Jodi believed this person knew her address, watched her, and knew her schedule. It seems likely that this individual abducted Jodi nearly 30 years ago. There hadn’t been any developments on Jodi’s case until New Year’s Eve 2020 when someone spray painted the words “Frank Stearns Machine Shed.” This follows an accusation made by a former Mason City police officer named Maria Ohl, accused three other police officers of abducting and killing Jodi. She named Officer Frank Stearns as one of the officers. Ohl said when she reported this information, no one believed her. There was no evidence linking any of the officers to Jodi’s death.

The only other news about the case is that Jodi’s mother Imogene died in 2014 without ever knowing what happened to her beloved youngest daughter. As a spiritual person, I am confident in saying Jodi is now reunited with her parents.

I also hope that I will live long enough to find out what happened to this young woman. If you are reading this, maybe you know what happened to her? Jodi's family and friends still mourn her loss. There must be someone out there who knows what happened to her. If you know anything about Jodi Huisentruit, please reach out to law enforcement and provide them with your tips. There is also a website devoted to finding Jodi called www.findjodi.com.

Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Catchmykiller. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer, where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.