Jodi Huisentruit book

[Spaceman22]

I haven't seen any posting regarding this, so I thought I would throw this out there for you.

Back in 1995, Jodi Huisentruit, a young anchorperson for a local TV station in Mason City, Iowa disappeared under mysterious circumstances one summer morning on her way to the station to produce and anchor the morning broadcast, which was set to air at 6:00 AM. She never made it to work.

UM profiled this case shortly after it happened. Perhaps some remember this segment. To be honest, I was disappointed by the UM segment. It didn't go into much detail about various theories surrounding what happened to Jodi.

Just recently, a new book has come out, written by a fellow news anchor from a different station. Her name is Beth Bednar, and she explores the case in great detail. The title of the book is "Dead Air: The Disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit." I just read it, and I think it's worth your time.

I'd also be interested in using this thread to discuss the case and your opinions, for those who are familiar with it.

[crystaldawn]

Originally Posted by Spaceman22

I haven't seen any posting regarding this, so I thought I would throw this out there for you.

Back in 1995, Jodi Huisentruit, a young anchorperson for a local TV station in Mason City, Iowa disappeared under mysterious circumstances one summer morning on her way to the station to produce and anchor the morning broadcast, which was set to air at 6:00 AM. She never made it to work.

UM profiled this case shortly after it happened. Perhaps some remember this segment. To be honest, I was disappointed by the UM segment. It didn't go into much detail about various theories surrounding what happened to Jodi.

Just recently, a new book has come out, written by a fellow news anchor from a different station. Her name is Beth Bednar, and she explores the case in great detail. The title of the book is "Dead Air: The Disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit." I just read it, and I think it's worth your time.

I'd also be interested in using this thread to discuss the case and your opinions, for those who are familiar with it.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to get that one.

[M_86]

Thanks for posting that. I'm new too to the forum, but have always been an avid lover of UM!
I'm originally from South Dakota, have been to Mason City, and I remember the Jody Huisentruit case well.
I'll definitely look for that book. I just got done reading "A Beautiful Child" by Matt Birkbeck, and that story is based on the Sharon Marshall/Franklin Floyd/Michael Hughes case. One of the best books I've ever read. That whole case is just totally mind-boggling.

[asmitty]

Originally Posted by M_86

Thanks for posting that. I'm new too to the forum, but have always been an avid lover of UM!
I'm originally from South Dakota, have been to Mason City, and I remember the Jody Huisentruit case well.
I'll definitely look for that book. I just got done reading "A Beautiful Child" by Matt Birkbeck, and that story is based on the Sharon Marshall/Franklin Floyd/Michael Hughes case. One of the best books I've ever read. That whole case is just totally mind-boggling.

I'll have to pick up a copy of this one. I, too, was disappointed by the lack of details in the UM segment. Missing persons segments were usually my favorites due to the degree of mystery surrounding many of them. This one fell a bit flat as far as the UM coverage was concerned. It almost felt like UM jumped on this one too soon before many theories had been formulated. This one also strikes close to home as I am originally from Des Moines, IA and currently live in South Dakota, so I've always been close to the location. I also have always been fascinated with the Johnny Gotsch case as it took place in Des Moines the year I was born. Another paper boy was snatched around the same time only three blocks from my grandmother's house. His name was Eugene Martin.

Off topic, but M_86, mind telling me which part of SoDak you're from? I'm currently in Sioux Falls.

[WishfulDreamer]

The UM airing of this case seemed almost like a special alert, rather than a typical missing segment. It was done not too long after the disappearance and although it is disappointing not many theories are presented, I'd say it was also a good thing to get the news spreading. Details may have been intentionally witheld so as not to jeopardize the investigation.

[Spaceman22]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

The UM airing of this case seemed almost like a special alert, rather than a typical missing segment. It was done not too long after the disappearance and although it is disappointing not many theories are presented, I'd say it was also a good thing to get the news spreading. Details may have been intentionally witheld so as not to jeopardize the investigation.

That's probably true. I hadn't thought about it that way. Still, however, I think this is one example of how UM evolved over time. In the early years, a case like this one would be dark and creepy with an air of mystery. This type of coverage on UM from the mid 90s felt more like AMW. It is good, however, that word got out quickly.

On the other hand, as the book points out, there is so much to this case, so many possibilities, that it seems like a short-change for the audience to pretty much ignore details. For example, I don't think that John Vancise, Jodi's friend and person of interest in the case, was ever mentioned in the segment.

I still hold out some hope that this case might be solved someday. I think it is highly unlikely that Jodi is still alive, but at the very least those close to her could find out exactly what happened.