BARRON (WKOW) — A 21-year-old Douglas County man has been arrested and is expected to be charged in connection with the kidnapping of Jayme Closs and the murder of her parents.
Jake Thompson Patterson, from Gordon, Wisconsin, was apprehended by Douglas County deputies shortly after Closs was found alive. Patterson was captured based on a description of his vehicle that Closs gave to the sheriff’s office.
Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said the suspect was interviewed by law enforcement after being apprehended. Fitzgerald said he did not believe the suspect had any contact with the Closs family prior to the alleged Oct. 15 kidnapping of Jayme Closs.
Fitgerald said the suspect took steps to hide his identity from law enforcement.
“This case remains very active and fluid,” said Fitzgerald.
Closs went missing Oct. 15 when her parents were found dead in the family’s home near Barron in northwestern Wisconsin.
The Barron County Sheriff’s Department posted on its Facebook page Thursday evening that she had been found alive in Douglas County, Wisconsin, which borders Lake Superior.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Department posted a note on its website saying Jayme was “located” in the Town of Gordon at 4:43 p.m. Thursday and a suspect was apprehended in the town about 10 minutes later.
More at WKOW 27 News