Jake Patterson, suspect in Jayme Closs case, waives preliminary hearing
BARRON -- Jake Patterson, the suspect in the Jayme Closs case, will appear in court on Wednesday morning, Feb. 6 for a preliminary hearing in Barron County. Patterson faces two counts of first degree intentional homicide for the murders of Jayme's parents, James and Denise Closs, one count of kidnapping, and one count of burglary while armed with a dangerous weapon for the Oct. 15 home invasion in Barron that led to Jayme's disappearance.
Jayme escaped from a cabin in Gordon in Douglas County on Jan. 10 after 88 days in captivity and flagged down a woman for help. She was able to provide a description of the car Patterson was driving, and he was arrested minutes later. She was soon reunited with her family, who never gave up hope she'd be found.
Jayme Closs enjoys steak with her grandfather
Jayme Closs
Sharon Masek
"I think that’s been really helpful to me to see the pictures with her family. It still bothers me a great deal that something so violent could happen here," said Sharon Masek, manager at Superior Silica Sands in Barron.
A handmade sign outside Masek's business, welcoming Jayme Closs home, has been photographed countless times since the 13-year-old was found alive.
“Our office managers all came up with the idea, and said, "Let’s make a sign for Jayme." They did it very quickly that morning. It's hand drawn. It’s got some real human contact. That’s why I think it stands out," said Masek.
Jake Patterson
According to the charging document , Patterson told investigators he saw Jayme getting on a school bus near her home and decided to abduct her. The complaint said Patterson went to the Closs home Oct. 15 with the intention of abducting Jayme and with plans to kill if necessary. He allegedly told authorities he shot Jayme's father, James Closs, through the front door, then went inside and found Jayme and her mother huddled together in a bathtub. He shot Denise Closs, then dragged Jayme to a car, the complaint said. He threw her in the trunk and drove off, pausing to yield to three squad cars speeding toward the house with flashing lights, the complaint said.
Barron homicide scene
He took her to his cabin near Gordon, a township of 645 people in thickly forested Douglas County, according to the complaint.
Gordon home where prosecutors say Jake Patterson held Jayme Closs
There, prosecutors said he ordered her into a bedroom and told her to take off her clothes and get dressed in his sister's pajamas. He then threw her clothes into a fireplace in the cabin's basement, according to the complaint.
Whenever he had friends over, he made clear that no one could know she was there or "bad things could happen to her," so she had to hide under the bed. He sealed her under the bed with tote boxes and weights so she could not crawl out, according to the complaint. She had to stay under the bed whenever he left the house, sometimes going for hours without food, water or bathroom breaks.
Gordon home where prosecutors say Jake Patterson held Jayme Closs
Gordon home where prosecutors say Jake Patterson held Jayme Closs
When his father visited, Patterson told investigators, he turned up the radio in the bedroom to cover any noise she might make.
He said he assumed he had gotten away with the slayings and kidnappings after two weeks went by. He told detectives that on the night of the kidnapping he put stolen license plates on his car and removed an anti-kidnapping release cord from his trunk. He also shaved his head so he would not leave any hair behind and chose his father's Mossberg shotgun because he thought it was a common model that would be hard to trace.
James, Denise and Jayme Closs
The district attorney in Douglas County, where Gordon is located, has said he has no plans "in the immediate future" to file additional charges against Patterson -- saying in a statement that his decision involved considering several factors, including "the existence of other charges and victim-related concerns." That announcement was significant because it could mean that details of any abuse Jayme suffered while in captivity may be kept private.
He was transferred to the Polk County Jail shortly after he made his initial appearance in court Jan. 14. He's been held on a $5 million cash bond.