A press conference held by Barron County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin has shed additional details on Jayme Closs, a 13-year-old girl found alive close to Gordon, who vanished in October after someone shot her parents to death in their own home.

“[The suspect is] Jake Thomas Patterson. He is 21 years old, from Gordon, Wisconsin,” Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said during the Friday morning press conference. “Jayme was taken against her will. We do believe Jayme was the only target…. The suspect took measures to avoid detection.”

It’s unclear whether the suspect and Jayme knew each other prior to the abduction. The suspect does not have a criminal history  but he does “have a tie” to Barron County, Fitzgerald said. The sheriff also said the suspect likely did not know Jayme’s parents.

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Patterson is behind bars, facing two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping.

Authorities said they are not looking for any other suspects at this time. No one else was in the suspect’s home when police searched it. He was captured in his car, just down the road from his residence in Gordon. Another press conference is scheduled for 4 p.m. today.

Jayme is Discovered

On Thursday at around 4:45 p.m., a woman was walking a dog in a housing development just outside of Gordon, when a girl with matted hair and oversized shoes approached her for help. The woman, Jeanne Nutter, ran to a house in another neighborhood, hoping to get as far away from the home Jayme disappeared from before asking for help.

They arrived at the home of teacher Kristin Kasinskas and her husband, Peter, who live off of  S. Eau Claire Acres Circle with their children.

“I was terrified, but I didn’t want to show her that,” Nutter said, according to Macon Telegraph. “She just yelled please help me I don’t know where I am. I’m lost. My only thought was to get her to a safe place.”

The neighbor, frantic, explained that the girl was likely Jayme, a 13-year-old who vanished after her parents were shot to death inside their Barron home.

“This is Jayme Closs! Call 911!” the neighbor declared.

Peter Kasinskas described Jayme’s demeanor as “flat,” according to the outlet, while the neighbor, who wanted to remain unnamed, explained Jayme walked up to her for assistance. While inside Kasinskas home, Jayme was offered food and drink but declined. The girl explained she had no idea where she was or anything about the area, but she thought she may have been there most the time she’s been missing.

“I honestly still think I’m dreaming right now. It was like I was seeing a ghost,” Peter Kasinskas told the outlet. “It was scary and awesome at the same time. My jaw just went to the floor.”

Authorities arrived and blocked area off surrounding to a cabin off of the 14100 block of S. Eau Claire Acres Circle, then apprehended Patterson. Jayme was subsequently taken into police custody, then taken to the hospital, where according to Paul Blume with Fox9, she stayed overnight for observation.

Jayme’s Disappearance

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Jayme disappeared from her Barron home after two adults, identified as her parents, James Closs, 56, and Denise Closs, 46, were found dead a little after 1 a.m. on October 15. Both victims were shot to death. According to Fitzgerald, a 911 call from the home had noises in the background, but no one specifically spoke to the dispatcher.

The 911 dispatch log released on October 18 indicated the call to 911 came from the cellphone of Denise at close to 1 a.m. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald indicated no one could make out the words of the caller.

“It was on a cell phone and there was no comment made — no one communicated with the dispatcher,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t know if the word ‘help’ was said, but there was some sort of disturbance going on, which is why officers were sent to the house.”

According to the call log, the 911 dispatcher called the cell phone number back numerous times but didn’t receive an answer. Within four minutes from the time the initial call was made, officers arrived at the home, but Jayme was already gone.

Three different officers were dispatched to the family’s home, around 45 miles northwest of Eau Claire.

The first officer arrived at the family’s Barron home by 1 a.m., and 56-year-old James Closs was found by the front door. At 1:03 a.m., the officer noted that a male was down and “multiple rounds” had been spent. The incident was initially thought to be a suicide before the officer knew Denise had also been shot. At 1:06 a.m., the officer stated that the front door had apparently been kicked in.

“…ADVISED THE DOOR HAS BEEN KICKED IN. ADVISED THAT THE MALE WHO IS DOWN HAD ANSWERED THE DOOR. UNKNOWN IF ANYONE IS MISSING.” (1:06 a.m.)

At 1:11 a.m., an officer reported that both James and Denise “were down” and unresponsive. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald later confirmed that both victims had been shot and killed. Their deaths were listed as homicides.

Over two hours later, at 3:57 a.m., officers entered Jayme into the system as a “missing juvenile.” They combed the house and area thoroughly for the teen first, noting that they couldn’t find her nor any clues to her whereabouts. At  5:13 am, dispatchers sent out a “Missing Endangered Child” notification, indicating Jayme was likely abducted from the residence. Authorities later said she was likely taken by gunpoint.

Authorities previously stated they didn’t have a description of a suspect. There was nothing amiss in her home or school life on surface, and family and friends said Jayme did not have a boyfriend. Investigators reportedly searched her social media accounts and didn’t find anything unusual.

Read 911 transcript here

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[Feature Photo: Jayme Closs/Handout]