Into The Dark – Episode 152: The Closs Family Murder

Host: Payton Moreland
Date: December 31, 2025

Episode Overview

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.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking from True Crime Tropes

• Payton challenges the typical structure of true crime storytelling, noting that:

  “You start with a dead body, then the police investigation. … But real life is not always that neat and tidy.” (09:03)

• She stresses the lingering aftermath for survivors:

  “Anytime a violent offense is committed, there is always someone left picking up the pieces.” (09:24)

2. The Crime: A Night of Terror in Barron, WI

• Timeline:
  • Early morning, October 15, 2018: 911 receives a silent call from the Closs home. (09:38)
  • Police arrive four minutes later to discover James (56) and Denise Closs (46) murdered by shotgun; their daughter Jamie is missing.
• Scene Details:
  • The bathroom door had been smashed off its hinges.
  • Jamie’s absence is immediately noted, prompting an Amber Alert for her suspected abduction.

3. Community Response and the Search for Jamie

• Investigation:
  • Over 2,000 tips are received, with officers canvassing friends, classmates, and neighbors. (11:20)
  • Early and unfounded suspicions fall on a possible secret boyfriend, but no leads materialize.
• Public Grief:
  • Vigils and a packed funeral for James and Denise occur within weeks—underscoring community devastation. (11:52)
  • Payton remarks on how the search transitions from hope to expectation of tragedy.

4. False Leads and Ongoing Despair

• False Break:
  • Police arrest Kyle Jankianis inside the Closs home, but he is found to be a burglar, not the killer or abductor. (12:21)
• Case Goes Cold:
  • By New Year’s 2019, the search has essentially stalled, hopes dim both publicly and privately. (12:33)

5. Jamie’s Miraculous Escape

• Rescue:
  • January 10, 2019: After 88 days missing, Jamie escapes from captivity. She’s found by local resident Jeannie Nutter, then sheltered by neighbors Peter and Kristin Kasinskas who call 911. (13:39–15:30)
• Emotional Recounting:
  • Payton evokes the urgency and disbelief:

    “She just escaped from her kidnapper… she’s worried he might find her and try to abduct her again.” (14:10)

6. The Kidnapper: Jake Thomas Patterson

• Background:
  • Revealed to be a reclusive young man, Jake Patterson is described as a “quiet loner.” (16:35)
  • He confesses fully during questioning upon his arrest.
• Premeditation and Obsession:
  • Patterson became fixated after seeing Jamie board a school bus. He stalked her, scouted her home, and planned meticulously, even shaving his hair to avoid leaving DNA. (17:23)
  • The crimes were premeditated, not impulsive as he would later claim.

7. Jamie’s Captivity and Acts of Survival

• Daily Trauma:
  • Jamie endured nearly three months as Patterson’s captive, subjected to intimidation, isolated in the house, and forced to hide under a bed for hours when visitors arrived. (19:38–21:19)
• Survival Attempts:
  • Her initial escape attempts failed and were met with violence, causing her to bide her time for a safer opportunity. (21:31)
• Successful Escape:
  • When Patterson left her alone to job hunt in January, Jamie made a desperate, barefoot run for freedom. (22:16)
  • Payton’s description is vivid and emotional:

    “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)

8. Aftermath and Recovery

• Jamie’s Public Statement:
  • Jamie admits her former joys—shopping, dance, school—now trigger fear and dread. (23:42)
  • She is living with relatives, facing a long road to emotional healing.
• Patterson’s Legal Proceedings:
  • Initially silent, Patterson eventually admits guilt in a written confession but attempts to minimize premeditation.

    “He claims he never wanted to hurt Jamie, but things got out of hand.” (25:19)

  • Pleads guilty to two murders and one kidnapping; receives two life sentences plus 40 years.

9. Reflections on Justice and Survivorship

• Media Portrayal Versus Reality:
  • Payton warns against framing Jamie’s survival as a feel-good story:

    “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)

• Hope for Jamie:
  • On the five-year anniversary of her escape, Jamie shares she is finding peace in hobbies and social activities, though full recovery remains ongoing.
• Host’s Closing Thoughts:
  • Payton echoes profound empathy for Jamie and outrage at the senseless violence:

    “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)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• 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)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction and host’s reflection: 00:57–02:33
• Overview of the Closs case: 09:03–13:00
• Discovery of the crime scene and initial investigation: 09:38–11:20
• Community response and funeral: 11:52–12:33
• False arrest and fading hope: 12:21–12:33
• Jamie’s escape and rescue: 13:39–15:30
• Profile of Jake Patterson and confession: 16:35–19:38
• Jamie's captivity details and attempts to escape: 19:38–22:16
• Her successful escape and rescue: 22:16–23:15
• Aftermath: Jamie’s trauma and Patterson’s legal process: 23:42–27:14
• Reflections on recovery and survivor experience: 28:46–29:32
• Closing thoughts and call for empathy: 29:32–End

Summary

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.