The Jodi Huisentruit billboard in Mason City, IA, will remain up in that community for at least another year.
FindJodi has just signed a renewal contract for the billboard, which was made possible by a generous donor.
Jodi’s sister, JoAnn Nathe, visits her sister’s billboard in Mason City, IA.
The billboard is one of several media tools used by FindJodi since the nonprofit organization was created in 2003 by two Austin, MN, TV journalists, Josh Benson and Gary Peterson.
Their goal was to keep Jodi’s case in the spotlight and for the website to serve as a clearinghouse for tips that might lead to Jodi.
Josh and Gary’s earliest efforts included a 13-part series for KAAL-TV in 2004 called “The Huisentruit Files”. If you are new to Jodi’s case, it’s a good primer on the investigation.
More recently, our 2022 web post and podcast “27 Years and 27 Facts” featured more information on the search for Jodi.
Our first billboards went up June 5, 2018, to mark Jodi’s 50th birthday.
Every year since then, we have renewed our billboard contract to help keep Jodi visible in Mason City, where she was abducted on June 27, 1995, on her way to anchor the morning news at KIMT-TV.
Austin, MN, radio host and podcaster Scott Fuller joined the team in 2020 and created a FindJodi podcast series. Scott produces the podcast with other team members and it includes guest interviews. Beside Scott and Josh, the all-volunteer team is comprised of Jay Alberio, Tara Manis Benson and Caroline Lowe. Thirty-three podcast episodes have been released.
Listen to “An Interview With Patty Wetterling” on Spreaker.
The episodes have included Q&A sessions with the team, as well as interviews with key people who knew Jodi.
Listen to “A Retired FBI Profiler Discusses Jodi’s Case” on Spreaker.
Jacob Wetterling’s mom, Patty, former FBI profiler Julia Cowley and no body murder expert Tad DiBiase also have been interviewed.
To quickly catch up on the basics of Jodi’s case you can listen to podcast episode 29, “27 Years, 27 Facts.”
As the team learns new information, “27 Facts” will be updated on our website.
At minimum, the billboards and podcasts have generated national media attention and also help keep Jodi’s visible in the northern Iowa and southern Minnesota areas.
The first billboard 5 years ago said: “Someone knows something. Is it YOU? ”
In 2021, the message was updated with more of a sense of urgency. It says “Don’t sit in silence, the time to talk is NOW.”
We put the same message on flyers, asking people to post in their communities and share on social media.
The billboards have been up at several different locations in Mason City. The current one is on Monroe Avenue South.
As we prepare to host another ceremony in June to remember Jodi in Mason City, we ask anyone with information to come forward and not make Jodi’s loved ones wait another year for answers.
Anyone with information about Jodi’s case can reach out to the Mason City Police Department at (641) 421-3636. Information can also be provided to Iowa DCI Special Agent Ryan Herman: rherman@dps.state.ia.us
You can also contact us at FindJodi.
