Barron County Sheriff(BARRON, Wis.) — It’s not clear where the $50,000 reward offered in the Jayme Closs kidnapping case will go now that the 13-year-old is home safe, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said.
Suspect Jake Patterson, 21, is accused of gunning down Closs’ parents in Barron, Wisconsin, on Oct. 15 and fleeing with the 13-year-old to his rural Wisconsin home. Closs managed to escape Thursday after allegedly being held captive there for nearly three months.
Closs’ mysterious abduction sparked a massive, months-long investigation involving the FBI, who offered a reward up to $25,000 for information leading to her whereabouts.
The Jennie-O Turkey company, where Closs’ parents worked, also offered a $25,000 reward, said Leonard Peace, spokesperson for the FBI in Milwaukee.
No decision has been made on what to do with that combined $50,000 reward, said Fitzgerald, who told ABC News Wednesday the “discussion is ongoing.”
Peace echoed the sheriff, telling ABC News “the reward is still under review.”
Closs, lauded by officials for making what they called a brave break for freedom, told police she crawled out from where Patterson allegedly trapped her under his bed when he left the house Thursday.
Closs fled the home and approached a woman walking her dog to plead for help, officials said. The dog walker rushed Closs to a neighbor who called 911.
“Jayme is a hero in this case, no question about it,” the sheriff told reporters Friday. “She’s the one that helped us break the case.”
Patterson, who is charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, kidnapping and armed burglary, has not entered a plea.
He is due to return to court on Feb. 6.
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