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Mayra Amit
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Peyton Moreland
You're listening to an Ono Media podcast. Hey everyone and welcome back to the into the Dark podcast. I'm your host, Peyton Moreland. I'm so glad you are here and listening. I hope all of you have had a happy holidays. We are finally getting to the end. I don't know about you, but this season is just a little bit chaotic for me. I am ready for it to be like January 13th. Yeah, like I would I if I could close my eyes and open, that's what I would rather it be. But can't do that. And so we're here recording another episode for my 10 seconds. This week, Garrett and I went and saw Marty supreme with Timothee Chalamet. Okay. I didn't watch the trailer because we were going to the movies and I didn't want to spoil it. I was under the assumption that this movie was about a ping pong player that like wins the championship at the end. It wasn't. It was good. Timothy did good. I understood the storyline. But you know, sometimes when a movie's trying to win like an Oscar and not necessarily like entertain an audience, so they made him very unlikable as the main character. Like likable, but not. And let me explain to you why the entire movie was basically showing him being having narcissistic tendencies, manipulative, gaslighting, thinking he's the only person in the world that exists, thinking his problems are more important than anyone else's, treating people who have treated him really good like crap and then gaslighting them with his charismatic personality and all of the consequences of those actions. Literally making it. Yeah, yeah, it was a little triggering for me. But like I said, he did a really good job portraying it. So as far as like a movie goes, that was the whole storyline and I believed every second. I was like, wow, he's really killing this character because you hate him, but you love him. You're rooting for him, but he's a bad person and you hate him and you think everyone in his life would be better off without him. So yeah, that is my very professional, critically acclaimed movie review of Marty Supreme. Yeah. Now you have a better idea about it because it was definitely not an underdog ping pong movie. Okay. Like I thought it was going to be. But I thought I really did love the characters. I thought they all did good. And yeah, that is my 10 seconds. That is what we did this week. So let's jump over into today's case. Now, if you follow a lot of true crime, you're probably used to certain tropes and ways of telling stories. You start with a dead body, then the police investigation. Finally they find the culprit, they arrest them and they go to trial. And the story ends when justice is served. But real life is not always that neat and tidy. And even if you're following a true story, you might not get the full picture from the outside. Anytime a violent offense is committed, there is always someone left picking up the pieces. Survivors who have to grieve their loved ones, communities that suffer the scars of loss. And today I am telling you about a crime that is solved. It has gone to trial. Everything's done in a legal sense, but it actually still isn't over, even today. So let's start by going back to Monday, October 15, 2018. It is a few minutes before one amount. That is when a call goes through to the 911 dispatch center in Barron County, Wisconsin. The operator can see that the call is from a nearby small town also called Barron. Now, for context, Barren has a population of about 3,400 people. It is a fairly small town in the heart of the Midwest, the sort of place where you can find rolling cornfields and farmland that stretches into the distance. And not the sort of town where people need to reach out to 911 very often. This sort of call in the middle of the night is certainly unusual. And to make matters stranger, the caller doesn't actually say anything. They don't explain who they are or what is going on. All the operator hears is muffled shouting and heavy breath. It's obviously concerning enough for the operator to send police to that address, and it only takes them four minutes to get there. Now, as soon as police arrive at the house, they see a very nervous looking dog running around in the yard. The front door to the home is open. They walk in and find a 56 year old man lying dead just inside the entryway. Now his name is James Claas and this is his home. Now it's clear to the police that he was shot to death with a 12 gauge shotgun. And when they go further into the house, they find even more signs of violence because there's a light on in the bathroom and the door isn't only open, it is broken. Like someone smashed it off its hinges to get inside. And inside the bathroom a second victim in is lying dead on the ground. It is James's wife, 46 year old Denise. And she too was shot to death. And her injuries are consistent with her husband's. The killer used the same 12 gauge shotgun to murder her too. Now, as disturbing as the scene is, there is one more thing in particular that has the police just feeling uneasy. See, they know that James and Denise do not live alone. They have a daughter, a 13 year old named Jamie, and there's no sign of her in the house. It's impossible to say if she's alive or dead or kidnapped. She's missing. So right away the police launch a search for Jamie. They don't believe she's a suspect in her parents murder. Instead they actually fear that the killer might have abducted her. So the investigators officially classify her as missing and endangered. They post her name and photo on social media, encouraging the people of Barron to call 911 if they see her. And they also put out an Amber Alert while they wait for tips to come in. Some officers head to the middle school that Jamie attends. Remember, this is a small town. They talk to her friends, teachers and classmates, asking if anyone knows of someone who might want to hurt Jamie or her family. They also ask if she's dating anyone or if she's recently broke up with anybody. And an early theory is that Jamie might have had a secret boyfriend. Someone who lashed out after a bad fight or an end of their relationship. But nobody can think of a single credible suspect. So when those investigations go nowhere, their next tip is to publicly call for tips. The detectives ask the people of Barron and the surrounding community to call if they notice anything strange, especially if their friends or neighbors are acting unusual or if anyone is breaking their typical routine. The officers basically encourage people to call in if they spot anything. It's even a little odd. Nothing is too small to be worth reporting. Before you know it, the tips do start rolling in. And by Tuesday, the day after Jamie's disappearance and her parents murders, the police have heard from over 200 people. And as of Thursday, they have more than 800 tips. And when Friday comes around and the case still hasn't been solved, the number ticks up to 1,000. Now, by the time the investigation actually wraps up, the police will field over 2,000 of these calls. The officers investigate each and every one, but sadly, none of them produce any leads. All of these tips were useless. So by October 27, almost two full weeks have passed since the double homicide and Jamie's disappearance. The police still don't have a single lead. And the people of Barron know that it's time to lay James and Denise to rest. They need the closure and comfort that can come from holding a funeral. It's a private event with no media allowed inside the church, but still so many people show up that there isn't enough room for everyone to park in the lot. Now, while the funeral itself is closed to the public, some attendees talk to the press before going in. And they speak emotionally about James and Denise. They share how James was a huge fan of athletics. He played sports in high school. He was a die hard fan of the Green Bay packers and the University of Wisconsin's team, the Badgers. James was also a very strong person. He was the sort of guy who would be there to support his friends no matter how hard things got. And his wife was similar. Denise cared deeply about the people around her. She was an avid gardener. She liked putting up birdhouses and feeders in her yard. And on top of that, Denise was very devout and involved with the church for all of her life. She had loved stories about angels. She found it comforting to think that these guardians were watching over her and her family. And most importantly, Denise and James were both very close to their daughter. They would have done anything for her. In fact, to all appearances, they'd died probably trying to protect her. And now they're both gone too soon. Their friends and family can only hope that they're literally with angels now. So by the end of the funeral, everyone is feeling sad and discouraged. James and Denise both lost their lives too young. The police aren't any closer to finding their murderer. And no one knows what has happened to Jamie. Now, all through the month of October, there have been active search parties, but by this point, they're obviously not really expecting to find her alive anymore. They are scouring cornfields and wooded areas in search of her remains. But still they find nothing. So the people of Barron host regular vigils they give statements to the press, trying to keep Jamie's face in the headlines so people will know to look out for her. And then at the end of October, the police make a huge announcement. They have made an arrest related to Jamie's case. Investigators announce they have a man named Kyle Jankianis in custody. Get this. The detectives literally arrested him inside Jamie's home. Officers caught him in the act of robbing the place where the murders took place. Among other things, he was trying to steal Jamie's clothes and underwear. Now, obviously, this is a huge violation, and it makes Kyle look incredibly suspicious. But after they dig a little deeper, the police realize he had nothing to actually do with the murders or the kidnapping. So even though they've made an arrest that's tied to the case, they're actually not any closer to solving the homicides. So October becomes November, and then December arrives. With no new leads. It's looking increasingly like Jamie will never be found. The vigils become less frequent, and then they trickle to nothing. People stop organizing search parties as they get caught up in the busyness of the holiday season. And by the new year, to all appearances, the case has gone cold and Jamie is missing.
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Peyton Moreland
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Peyton Moreland
But then something unexpected happens on January 10, 2019. For context, that is 88 days after James and Denise's murders, meaning Jamie has been missing now for nearly three full months. Now, on that day, a woman named Janie Nutter decides to visit her vacation home with her husband. So the two of them, they own a cozy cabin in Gordon, Wisconsin. Now, Gordon is about an hour away from Barron, where Jamie and her parents lived until the murders. Now, interestingly, this is actually a spur the moment decision. Jeannie and her husband don't spend a ton of time in their vacation home in Gordon. But that day, for whatever reason, they get the impulse to go to the cabin. So once they arrive, Genie decides to take her golden retriever for a walk so he can get some exercise and use the bathroom. Imagine her surprise when midway through the walk, Genie spots a familiar looking young girl just walking down the road. She's wearing pajama pants and a big baggy sweatshirt that doesn't fit her really well. The girl is also wearing shoes that are too big for her. They look like men's tennis shoes. Now, Jeanie recognizes this young girl. It's a small town. She's seen the news reports about James and Denise's murder and their missing daughter. It actually feels almost unbelievable to her that three months after the fact, she's positive that this girl who she stumbled on walking toward her on the street is Jamie. And as soon as Jamie sees Jeanie, she yells she needed help. She tells Genie she just escaped from her kidnapper and she's worried he might find her and try to abduct her again. Now, I'm not sure if Jeannie is walking without her cell phone or maybe she just doesn't have service. But for whatever reason, she doesn't call the police right away. Instead, she and Jamie run together to the closest house. Now, it's owned by a couple named Peter and Kristen Kazinskis. Now, they knock on the door and Peter and Kristen are home, and they let Jeie and Jamie come inside. Now, right away, Jeannie explains to the couple what's going on, her neighbors. And Jamie chimes in with additional details, including the name and the physical description of the man who'd been holding her captive for months. So as soon as they get the story out, Kristen calls 91 1. She tells the operator that Jamie Claus is at her house, Douglas County. 91 1. Hi. I have a young lady at my house right now. And she just says her name is Jamie Cloth. So clearly the dispatcher doesn't really believe her. They're like, are you sure? She's like, yeah, it's her. Like, I'm a hundred percent. It is her. And then Kristen repeats the information that Jamie told her and Jeannie. She says that Jamie was kidnapped by the same man who killed her parents, Jake Thomas Patterson. Now, the more Kristen talks, the more terrified Jamie becomes. She's, like, worried, telling him, Jake could come down the street at any moment. He could take us back. Like, please, we gotta get going. Kristen tells the operator we might be in danger. And the dispatcher advises them to lock all of the doors and just stay in the house. Officers are on the way, but nobody should let anyone else in until they get there. Now, while they wait for the police to arrive, the adults do what they can to keep Jamie calm and comforted. Remember, she's a teenager. She seems a bit out of it, as though she might be in shock. They offer her a blanket, food and water. Jamie accepts the blanket, but she doesn't want to eat or drink anything. And while she seems tense and on edge, Jeannie asks Jamie if she wants to pet her golden retriever. Jamie admits she does love dogs, so she cuddles with the animal until she feels a bit calmer and safer. Now, before long, the police arrive at this neighbor's house. They assure Jamie, you're safe now. They confirm the same statement she gave Kristen and Jeannie. And based on her testimony, some officers actually go to Jake Thomas Patterson's house, which is not too far away. The thing is, Jake has been a loner most of his life. This is the guy she's accusing. When he was in high school, he had a hard time making friends and connecting with people. And when he graduated, he apparently felt a little bit lost. Jake didn't know what he wanted out of life or what he should do next. He didn't want to go to college. And he didn't have any real professional ambitions either. At one point, Jake enlisted in the Marines, but he only made it through five weeks of basic training. And then he came home. And afterward, he never stuck around at any job for long. It would be a few months here and there before he would quit or get let go. He also never connected with his co workers or his neighbors. So even now, as of early 2019, Jake Patterson is still known as a loner. He's the person you hear about on the news a lot. Someone who gets described as quiet or the guy who keeps to himself. He's the sort of person who nobody really ever suspects of being capable of murder or of kidnapping a 13 year old girl. And yet Jamie is sure from the time she meets police that he's the one who did it. And the moment the police pull up to his front door, he actually surrenders. They take him to the station where he gives a voluntary confession. Now, between the statements that Jamie and Jake give, the investigators are able to piece together exactly what happened. They learn that Jake saw Jamie for the first time at some point in mid October of 2018. It's hard to say the exact date, but it was just a few Days before the murders, Jake happened to be driving through Jamie's neighborhood on his way to a temporary job that he was working. He was stuck in morning rush hour traffic and a bus ahead of him pulled over at a corner. And that is when Jamie got on the bus on her way to school. And something about the way she looked, the way she was acting, it caught Jake's attention. He instantly became obsessed. Now keep in mind, he had never met Jamie or spoken to her before. He didn't even know her name. But in that moment, he resolved to learn everything he could about her, about this 13 year old girl. He returned to her neighborhood so he could see her again and figure out where she lived. And then on two separate occasions, he drove by her house and pulled over to see if anyone was home. He told himself if the house was quiet and if Jamie was alone, he was going to go inside and take her. But when he saw the lights were on and cars parked out front, he changed his mind. He didn't want to get caught, but he still couldn't let go of his obsession. With each day that went by, Jake became more convinced that he needed to get Jamie out of her house and into his. Somewhere along the way, he shaved his head and his beard. He figured that if he was hairless, he was less likely to leave DNA behind. When he finally did abduct Jamie, he also convinced his father to loan him a 12 gauge shotgun. This is completely premeditated. He's planning weeks in advance. Then finally, right around midnight on October 15, he put his plan into motion. According to him, he drove all the way from his house to Jamie's, arriving just before 1am and when he got there, Jamie's dog immediately started barking. It was actually loud enough to wake her up. And she in turn went to get her dad, James. Her dad James went to open the front door and look outside, see what was going on. And tragically, he pulled it open right as Jake was approaching the front door. So Jake lifted his own father's shotgun, fired, and killed James on the spot. Now, by this point, Jamie's mother Denise is also awake and she saw what had happened to her husband. She immediately grabbed two things, Jamie and a phone. She dragged both into the bathroom and locked the door. And then she held Jamie tight while she dialed 91 1. Problem was, Denise couldn't tell the operator what was going on. She was too afraid that Jake would overhear the call and find them in the bathroom. Hence the silent 911 call. So Denise sat in absolute silence, praying the dispatcher would trace the call and send police officers to save them. Which we now know is what almost happened. But the four minute respond time wasn't fast enough. Instead, Jake broke the bathroom door down. He grabbed Jamie. She and Denise screamed for help, but Jake ignored them both. Instead, he tied Jamie up, put duct tape over her mouth, and then shot Denise right in front of her daughter. Jamie watched as her mother died. Of course, she was grief stricken and terrified. She tried to fight back. It was no use. Jamie was much smaller than Jake and she was also tied up. Jake quickly carried her outside, tossed her in the trunk, and then drove all the way back to his home. As he was racing away, he literally passed the squad cars that were headed toward Jamie's home. Unfortunately for Jamie, none of the police officers knew to look for her yet. So they let Jake get away and speed all the way back to Gordon, Wisconsin. Now afterward, Jamie was Jake's captive and I don't know exactly what she survived during this time. Many of the details of her case have been kept confidential to protect her privacy. But there are a few facts that have been released. Jamie lived with Jake in his house. Sometimes the two of them watched TV with one another. But anytime a news report came on about Jamie's disappearance or her parents murder, Jake would change the channel or sometimes he would just turn the TV off. He claimed the coverage upset him. He didn't want to be reminded of what he had done to get her. This also meant that Jamie had a hard time getting a sense of just how hard people were looking for her. She never had a chance to sneak away from him and learn more. Because all day, nearly every day, Jamie and Jake were together. Now, like I said before, Jake was a loner. He didn't have guests over very often. But every Saturday, Jake's father actually came over to visit. He always arrived at the same time, so Jake knew when to expect him. So each Saturday she was captive before his dad got there, Jake ordered Jamie to climb under the bed. He also said that if Jamie made any noise or tried to get out, he would kill her. Obviously, Jamie believed him. She knows that he killed her parents. She's terrified of Jake. So she always slid under the bed and did her best not to make a noise or draw any attention. And to prevent people from seeing her, Jake lined up plastic tubs and laundry baskets around the bottom of the bed. That way, if anyone did happen to go in there, she was out of sight. And sometimes she was left there for up to 12 hours with no food, water or access to A bathroom. At one point during her captivity, Jamie realized she couldn't keep doing this. She could hear Jake talking to a guest in the other room, and she just knew that if the other person could figure out that she was there, she could be saved. So she pushed the baskets and tubs out of the way to try and come out. But before she could get any help, Jake convinced his visitor to leave. He then went into the room, saw that Jamie had moved, and he screamed at her. He hit the wall. He struck her badly in the back. It was terrifying, frightening, painful. But Jamie knew she had to keep trying to escape at this point. So she made another attempt sometime later when someone else was at Jake's home again. Except it played out the exact same way. The visitor failed to notice Jamie. Jake caught her. He responded with anger and violence. So after this, Jamie realized she needed a different plan. She couldn't just keep climbing out from under the bed and hoping that these strangers see her or hear her or help her. She stopped trying to escape, but she was just biding her time until the right opportunity appeared. Now, as the months went by, Jake must have started to believe he had Jamie completely under his control. He clearly thought she would never attempt another escape because on January 10, he left her home alone while he went job searching. Keep in mind, Jake had been unemployed the whole time he had Jamie at his house. He was home all day, every day to keep an eye on her. But apparently his money was running low. He couldn't afford to be out of work much longer. So he warned Jamie he was going to be gone for a short while. She better still be under the bed when he got home. And then he went to a local warehouse to apply for an opening he had heard about. And Jamie realized this was her chance. As soon as Jake went out the front door, she pushed the bins and the laundry baskets out of the way. She crawled out from underneath the bed and headed straight for the door. Jamie didn't even pause long enough to put on warm clothes. She grabbed a pair of Jake's sneakers so she wouldn't be barefoot. Now, Jamie didn't know where she was. She didn't know who to go to for help. She just wandered down the street until she spotted someone who looked friendly. And that person was Jeannie, the neighbor who was out walking her dog. Jamie screamed to her for help, and, well, we all know what happened after that. Obviously, the important thing is that Jamie is safe now, and she essentially rescued herself. But even though she had managed to get away from Jake, I mean, He Jamie is still dealing with a lot of trauma, not to mention she's grieving both of her parents murders. Not long after her escape, Jamie gives a public statement. She says that she used to enjoy going shopping with her friends, being at school, and seeing people having dance classes. But now those things just fill her with dread. She said she hates going out in public because all she can think is that someone's going to hurt her. Home isn't a safe place for her either, because her parents aren't there. It's a reminder of the people she lost. Her grief is overwhelming, and it's hard for Jamie to know what to do from one day to the next. In the meanwhile, she's staying with relatives and working on finding a way to recover emotionally. But it is going to be a long, slow road. Now. As for Jake, he's oddly quiet in jail. He's waiting for his trial, and of course, lots of reporters and journalists want to hear his side of the story. They reach out asking for interviews, but he always declines to go on camera. They also write him letters with questions like, why did you take Jamie? Do you regret what you did? Are you planning to fight the charges? Are you going to plead guilty? But Jake refuses to speak to any of them. He only says that he knows he did something very wrong and there's nothing he can say to defend himself. And he wants to spare Jamie from any further trauma that would come from publicly discussing what he did, which is an odd stance because if he really cared about Jamie's feelings, he wouldn't have murdered her family and taken her from her home or held her prisoner. So twisted. And this stance is also strange because Jake goes on to not keep his word. He eventually speaks out in the spring of 2019, and that's when he replies to a letter from a reporter with a local NBC affiliate. And in the reply, Jake says he's ready. He's finally going to share his side of the story. He opens by saying he deeply regrets what he did. Jake claims he never wanted to hurt Jamie, but things got out of hand. According to him, he didn't plan the crime in advance. He never intended to kill Jamie's parents or kidnapper. He just had an impulse one day, acted without thinking, and ended up in a bad situation. And in the letter, Jake also says that he plans to plead guilty to the murders and the abduction because he doesn't want to hurt Jamie any more than he already has. And he knows that it will be painful for her to relive everything in a courtroom, which he knows is what will happen if he fights the charges. Then he ends the note with the words, I'm sorry, Jamie, for everything. I know it doesn't mean much now, of course, as soon as Jake's letter gets published, people start poking holes in his story, particularly his insistence that he didn't want to hurt Jamie. And it was a single impulsive decision because we know he planned the murder and abduction in advance. We know he scouted her house multiple times. He shaved to avoid leaving DNA. He got his hands on his father's gun. These are all clear signs that the crime was premeditated. It's clear Jake isn't being entirely truthful in his confession. And the only question now is whether that will affect his trial. Well, turned out not to be an issue because he pleads guilty to two counts of murder and one of kidnapping. It's part of the deal. In exchange for his plea, the state drops an armed burglary charge and some other charges related to what he did to Jamie while he was holding her hostage. And again, because those details aren't public, nor has Jamie spoken about them, I don't know what the specific charges are. The officials negotiated this deal in part to protect Jamie. If the authorities went to charge Jake for these crimes, they would also have to publicly reveal exactly what was happening during those three months. And frankly, it's really not necessary to drag out the trial or subject her to that if it's not what she wants. Because for the two counts of murder, Jake is sentenced to two life sentences and he gets another 40 years for the abduction. He's never getting out. And Jamie is spared the stress of a trial. And I'm pleased to say that now in 2024, Jamie publicly announced that she was doing much better. On the five year anniversary of her escape from Jake's home, she puts out a public statement with updates on her recovery. She says she can enjoy social activities again. Her hobbies bring her peace and comfort. To be clear, she's not obviously 100% back to her normal self. She might not ever be what is normal self, but Jamie is well on her way to recovery. Naturally, after she gives her statement, a lot of newspapers and websites write about it and they tell her story like it's inspirational and they praise Jamie for her resilience. And I do want to be clear. Jamie showed incredible courage. But her case is not a feel good story, which is why I haven't told it like that. She lost her parents, her freedom, her sense of safety. It's trauma, it's Great that Jamie is working to overcome all of that. But ideally, she should have never had to face this situation to begin with. Now, in any case like this, there is a long period of recovery afterward. It doesn't end or tie up neatly, especially if there is a firsthand survivor, not even if the killer is caught or put on trial. People like Jamie have to survive and keep going through all of life's up and downs. I hope for her that her future is full of good things. And I ache for her that this has ever been a piece of her reality. And that is the shocking survival story of Jamie Claus and the murder of her parents. I tried to write this as the way it unfolded, which was Jamie was missing for three months and no one had any idea what happened to her. And then when she suddenly turned up, not even really in a horrible physical state, it was shocking for people, it was confusing, it was shocking. No one really knew what happened, but it ended up being just a horror story. A random abduction of a 13 year old girl, an abduction straight from her house where she knew her parents were murdered. It's disgusting that these things happen, that people like this exist, people who could give this kind of trauma to someone to have to survive with for the rest of their life. So let's take a moment right now to just think of Jamie, keep her in your thoughts, put out positive energy for her as that's all we can do. It's always shocking that things like this still happen. But I'm not sure it'll ever stop. Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of into the Dark and I will see you next time. Goodbye.
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Peyton Moreland
Is that guy with the binoculars watching us?
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Host: Payton Moreland
Date: December 31, 2025
In this gripping episode of Into The Dark, host Payton Moreland delves into the haunting true crime case of the Closs family in Barron, Wisconsin. What begins as a chilling double homicide unfolds into the desperate search for a missing 13-year-old girl, Jamie Closs, and an exploration of the far-reaching impact of violent crime on survivors and communities. Payton presents the story in a way that is both compassionate and brutally honest, emphasizing the lifelong trauma and slow recovery process for those left behind.
“You start with a dead body, then the police investigation. … But real life is not always that neat and tidy.” (09:03)
“Anytime a violent offense is committed, there is always someone left picking up the pieces.” (09:24)
“She just escaped from her kidnapper… she’s worried he might find her and try to abduct her again.” (14:10)
“Jamie didn’t even pause long enough to put on warm clothes. She grabbed a pair of Jake’s sneakers so she wouldn’t be barefoot.” (22:26)
“He claims he never wanted to hurt Jamie, but things got out of hand.” (25:19)
“Her case is not a feel-good story, which is why I haven’t told it like that. She lost her parents, her freedom, her sense of safety. It’s trauma.” (28:46)
“I hope for her that her future is full of good things. And I ache for her that this has ever been a piece of her reality.” (29:32)
On survivor trauma:
"Even if you're following a true story, you might not get the full picture from the outside. Anytime a violent offense is committed, there is always someone left picking up the pieces."
— Payton Moreland (09:24)
On Jamie's courage:
“Jamie essentially rescued herself.”
— Payton Moreland (23:15)
On Patterson's excuse:
"He claims he never wanted to hurt Jamie, but things got out of hand."
— Payton Moreland (25:22)
On media narratives:
"Jamie showed incredible courage. But her case is not a feel good story... Ideally, she should have never had to face this situation to begin with."
— Payton Moreland (28:46)
Empathy for survivors:
"People like Jamie have to survive and keep going through all of life’s up and downs. I hope for her that her future is full of good things."
— Payton Moreland (29:32)
This episode of Into The Dark delivers a thorough, sensitive retelling of the Closs family murder—focusing not just on the crime itself, but on the ongoing trauma faced by Jamie Closs and her community. Payton Moreland avoids sensationalism, highlighting Jamie’s resilience while respecting the true cost of her survival. The story’s unresolved emotional aftermath and the host’s raw empathy set this episode apart, making it a must-listen for those interested in the real impact of crime and the long road to healing.