The Prosecutors – Episode 336

The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit, Part 1 of 2: "Camera One"

Podcast Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Brett and Alice
Podcast: The Prosecutors (PodcastOne)

Overview

In this episode, Brett and Alice dive into the mysterious 1995 abduction of Jodi Huisentruit, a beloved Minnesota-born news anchor from Mason City, Iowa. As prosecutors, the hosts explore the complex timeline, the immediate and thorough investigative response, and the persistent questions lingering 30 years later. The case remains unsolved, but the podcast aims to spark reflection, discussion, and possibly new leads.

Episode Structure & Main Topics

1. Introduction & Case Background
2. Jodi's Life & Career
3. Timeline: The Days Leading Up to the Abduction
4. Critical Morning: June 27, 1995
5. Crime Scene Analysis
6. Early Investigation & Community Response
7. Suspects & Key Persons of Interest
8. Initial Theories & Case Observations
9. Preview of Part Two

Detailed Summary

1. Introduction & Case Background

• Theme: Revisiting one of the most famous media-related abduction cases, analyzing evidence and theories with a prosecutorial lens.
• Brett opens by highlighting Jodi’s rise as a news anchor and the lasting impact of her disappearance on true crime circles.
• Alice and Brett briefly joke about fall and family holidays before turning somber and respectful when discussing Jodi's case.
• Quote:

  "Jody Huisentruit was really... I mean, she was on the verge of really making it in her career, becoming something big. She was beloved, as you’re gonna see, in her job and her disappearance...her abduction is one of the most famous cases in true crime." — Brett (05:20)

2. Jodi's Life & Career

• Background: Born June 5, 1968, Long Prairie, MN; youngest of three sisters with large age gap.
• Talents: Star golfer (won state championship twice), basketball, softball, student council.
• College: Started at Moorhead State, transferred to St. Cloud State (mass communications major); co-anchored local TV, studied abroad, interviewed high-profile figures.
• Quote:

  "She was a great friend and a go-getter who was always working on self-improvement." — Brett (08:30)

• Career: Started as a Northwest Airlines flight attendant, then moved to news (KGAN TV in Cedar Rapids, KSAX in Alexandria, KIMT in Mason City).
• By 1995: Anchoring morning/noon news for KIMT, about to break into a major market.
• Quote:

  "Jody’s heart was telling her to follow a different career path. One of her co-workers recalls Jodi saying that her future was on the air, not in air." — Alice (11:18)

3. Timeline: The Days Before the Abduction

• June 25, 1995: Weekend water skiing trip with friends, notably John Van Sice (to be discussed in depth), Tammy Baker, Annie Cruz.
• June 26, 1995:
  • Anchored morning news at 6:00am
  • 9:00am: Attended/covered a golf tournament
  • 3:30pm onward: Dinner at country club after tournament
  • During dinner, mentioned "annoying phone calls" and intent to change her number.
• 8:24pm: Called friend Kelly Torgerson, sounded cheerful.
• Notable detail: Jodi mentions being tired and about going to bed soon, though this could be polite conversation, not a binding timeline.
• Quote:

  "One of her golf partners said that Jody had mentioned receiving annoying phone calls and had even planned to change her number soon to stop those phone calls from happening." — Brett (15:56)

4. Critical Morning: June 27, 1995

• Jodi normally arrived at the station between 3–3:30am.
• Producer Amy Kunz notices her absence, calls at 4:00am; Jody answers, seems normal, says she overslept.
• 4:30am: Neighbors report hearing a woman scream (only revealed after the fact).
• Jodi fails to show up; by 7:13am, police are called for a welfare check.
• Quote:

  "Neighbors of Jody’s apartment complex will later report hearing a woman scream." — Alice (18:16)

5. Crime Scene Analysis

• Police Arrive: Quickly spot Jodi’s red Mazda Miata.
• Evidence:
  • Personal items scattered near car (blow dryer, earrings, hairspray, high heels)
  • Drag marks found
  • Car key bent and found on ground
  • Partial palm print on car (possibly a light pole—sources conflict)
  • Single hair strand (DNA possible but details are scarce)
• Scene is Violent: Suggests blitz-style abduction at or next to her car.
• No signs of struggle in apartment; everything inside appeared normal.
• Quote:

  "They find her blow dryer, her hairspray, her earrings—all scattered along the ground near her car...they also find drag marks on the pavement...They also find her car key—it is on the ground and is actually bent." — Brett (34:16)

• No blood was found.
• Insight:

  "People who abduct others tend to study their routines. In this case, Jodi’s unusual late departure may have thrown off a potential stalker.” — Alice (24:49)

6. Early Investigation & Community Response

• Police Response: Immediate, robust. Within 3 hours of suspected abduction, police arrive and take action.
• Search Efforts:
  • Rescue teams, search dogs, and divers canvassed a two-mile, then ten-mile radius within hours.
  • Helicopters used in the days after.
  • Over 100 people interviewed in the first 48 hours.
  • FBI and Iowa DCI brought in within a day.
• Community: Reward announced and volunteers drawn from across the area.
• Quote:

  “This is not a situation where she’s just been dragged to a location. Because of how quickly this had to happen and because her stuff is still there…the drag marks end. It seems pretty clear what happened is she gets thrown into another vehicle, is transported elsewhere.” — Alice (58:55)

• Frustration for Investigators:

  "It's frustrating—how could they not find anything? They responded so well…immediate response by the police, serious efforts...and yet here we are 30 years later..." — Brett (59:34)

7. Suspects & Key Persons of Interest

John Van Sice

• Jodi’s water-skiing friend, approx. 20 years her senior; married.
• First to show up at the crime scene, volunteers to police that he was likely the last to see her, as Jodi had reportedly watched a video of her birthday party at his house after the golf tournament (timing is disputed).
• Reportedly named his boat after Jodi.
• Community and police suspicion due to his behavior and connection.
• Quote:

  "He tells investigators that, wouldn’t you know it, he was the last person to see Jody, because always good. So now he's shown up at the scene of the crime and he's like, I'm the last guy who saw her, probably." — Brett (44:48)

• Hosts' Tone: Move between amusement and skepticism about Van Sice’s motivations and the intensity of his attachment.

  "If you named a boat after me, I'm pretty sure both of our spouses would have problems with that." — Alice (54:13)

Theories of Abduction

• Stranger / Opportunistic
• Stalker / Obsessed Fan (possible connections to “annoying” phone calls)
• Someone Known to Jodi (perhaps a friend or acquaintance harboring unrequited romantic or obsessive feelings)
• Quote (on theories):

  "There's three broad possibilities...a random abduction, by a stalker, or by someone she knows." — Brett (25:46)

8. Initial Theories & Observations

• The Timing: Jodi departing late disrupts a stalker's plans and may hint at someone with intimate knowledge of her schedule.
• Attack Details: Experts consider the space (small parking lot close to apartment door); the attack likely occurred in under 30 seconds, indicating the perpetrator had to be extremely close or possibly exited with her.
• Police and Host Reflection:

  "They pulled out all the stops. They begin searching the immediate area...divers, canines, everything you could imagine." — Alice (61:32)

9. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "She was the kind of person who lit up a room...almost a stereotype of what you see when you look at these true crime cases." — Brett (09:40)
• "Her future was on-the-air, not in-air." — Alice (11:18)
• "This looks incredibly violent based on the drag marks. The bent key, which is, of course, made of metal, how it got bent, maybe she fell on it, maybe there was some sort of struggle." — Alice (36:09)
• "She probably had no idea they were coming...someone comes up and they smash into her. They take her out..." — Brett (37:13)
• Fun banter and gentle ribbing: Alice and Brett compare their friendship to Jodi and Van Sice as they consider boat-naming habits.

10. Preview for Part Two

• Promise to discuss:
  • More suspects
  • Deeper crime scene analysis
  • Further oddities in the apartment
  • How the investigation has evolved with new technology and cold case methodologies
  • Recent flurry of media attention and leads
  • Community possibilities for generating tips

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------| | 05:20 | Jodi’s career potential & case impact | | 08:30 | Jodi’s personality and life | | 11:18 | "Future on the air, not in air" anecdote | | 15:56 | Annoying phone calls, dinner timeline | | 18:16 | Jodi oversleeps, last phone call | | 34:16 | Discovery of crime scene, items at the car | | 36:09 | "This is a really violent scene..." | | 44:48 | Van Sice’s arrival, "last to see her" | | 54:13 | Boat-naming, personal relationships analysis | | 58:55 | Crime scene breakdown/possible vehicle usage | | 59:34 | Investigation frustration |

Episode Tone & Style

• Conversational, often light-hearted where appropriate, but pivots to seriousness and reverence when discussing the crime and Jodi’s life.
• Deeply knowledgeable—Alice and Brett frequently draw on their legal/prosecutorial experience.
• They dissect theories with analytical reasoning but invite listener speculation and input.

Closing Remarks

• The case, though three decades old, is presented as solvable—with calls to action for listeners to report even the smallest tip.
• An open invitation for listener theories and experiences, highlighting the role of crowd-sourced justice.
• The hosts urge listeners to check out additional resources like the FindJodi website and podcast for more in-depth background.

Next Episode: More on Jodi’s last days, Van Sice’s involvement, the state of the apartment, additional suspects, and the lasting legacy of the case.

If you have information about Jodi Huisentruit’s disappearance, please contact the Mason City Police Department at 641-421-3636.

Episode summarized with original tone and speaker attributions for true crime fans and newcomers alike.