The Latest: Man pleads guilty in kidnapping of Jayme Closs
BARRON, Wis. (AP) — The Latest on Wednesday’s arraignment of the man suspected of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs, slaying her parents and holding her captive for 88 days (all times local):
1:05 p.m.
A Wisconsin man has pleaded guilty to kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents.
Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. A count of armed burglary was dropped. The intentional homicide counts carry a sentence of life in prison.
Patterson admitted to kidnapping Jayme after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at the family’s home on Oct. 15. Patterson held her at a remote cabin for 88 days before she escaped in January. A criminal complaint says Patterson told authorities he decided to “take” Jayme after he saw her getting on a school bus near her home.
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11 a.m.
Residents in a small Wisconsin town say they’re hoping to see a guilty plea from the man accused in the kidnapping of 13-year-old Jayme Closs and slaying of her parents.
Jake Patterson faces arraignment Wednesday afternoon on charges of homicide and kidnapping. He wrote to a Minneapolis TV station that he intended to plead guilty, but his defense attorneys have not confirmed that.
John Terpstra is a church pastor in Barron. He says he hopes Patterson keeps his word so the Closs family doesn’t have to go through a court case.
Retiree Kathy Wirth says she’s sorry for what Jayme went through and still has to go through.
Jayme was held for 88 days in a cabin about an hour north of her family’s home before she escaped in January.
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12:01 a.m.
A man charged with kidnapping a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl and killing her parents is expected to enter a formal plea when he appears in court for an arraignment.
Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson wrote a letter to Minneapolis television station KARE saying he intends to plead guilty. His attorneys and prosecutors have not commented ahead of Wednesday’s arraignment.
He’s accused of killing James and Denise Closs and kidnapping their daughter, Jayme, on Oct. 15. Jayme was held for 88 days before escaping in January.
Patterson is charged with two counts of intentional homicide and one count each of kidnapping and armed burglary. He faces life in prison if convicted on the homicide counts.
