Private Investigator Claims He’s Found ‘Potential Suspect’ in Jodi Huisentruit Case

Just as billboards keeping her case alive have surfaced in Mason City, IA, there is another potential break in the decades-long case regarding what happened to Jodi Huisentruit.

Jodi Huisentruit was a 27-year-old news anchor that disappeared back in June 1995 in Mason City, IA. She disappeared in the early morning hours of June 27, 1995 after telling a colleague that she had overslept and was running late for work.

READ MORE: New Hulu Documentary Explores Jodi Huisentruit's Case

When Huisentruit still hadn't made it to work by 7am, Mason City Police were notified. Her vehicle was found at her apartment, along with a bent car key, her high heels, and evident signs of a struggle. To date, she is believed to have been abducted, but extensive investigations have failed to uncover any concrete evidence as to what happened or where her remains could be.

Private Investigator Claims He Has a Potential Suspect:

Steve Ridge, a licensed private investigator in Iowa who has been working on the case for years, came forward to the media this week and announced he believes he has a potential suspect in the case. Per KSNB, Ridge said the conclusion came after he spoke with a witness who reportedly confessed about an interaction she had during the time period in which Huisentruit went missing:

Essentially, it’s a woman, who I surfaced, who had a relationship with a suspect in the case almost immediately after Jodi went missing. It was in the months right after - Steve Ridge, per KSNB

Ridge added that the witness provided a great deal of evidence to support her claim, including dates, times, photos, financial records, ticket stubs, and handwritten communication that corroborated the romantic relationship between her and Huisentruit's potential abductor.

Unclear at this time is the suspect's identity, or if he's even still alive. Ridge passed along his findings to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI):

I have very high confidence in the special agent in charge of this case with the DCI, and I’m confident that he will take it seriously and run with it. I also would encourage the local authorities to reach out to the cold case unit at the attorney general’s office and bring them into the case - Steve Ridge, per KSNB

New Billboards Surface in Mason City:

A week prior to what would've been Jodi Huisentruit's 58th birthday, the website FindJodi, which has stayed posted on relevant updates to the case for years, put up three new billboards in the Mason City area. The awareness these billboards generate can't be overstated. It keeps her name in the minds of residents and those passing through the area, and also keeps her memory eternal.

You can read more about a private investigator potentially finding a break in the Jodi Huisentruit case on KSNB's website. Stay up to date with the case and learn more about it on FindJodi's website.