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Officials announce arrest in kidnapping of Jayme Closs, murder of her parents

Posted at 9:14 PM, Jan 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-11 15:40:30-05

BARRON, Wis. (AP) — Detectives are interviewing a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl who authorities say managed to escape from a cabin months after being abducted from her home.

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Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said Friday at a news conference that investigators don't think Jayme Closs had ever interacted with 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson before they say he killed her parents and kidnapped her in October.

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He said he doesn't know if Jayme was abused by her captor and that detectives are interviewing her about her ordeal.

Authorities say Jayme escaped Thursday from a cabin near Gordon and they arrested Patterson on homicide and kidnapping charges.

Gordon is in Douglas County and about 60 miles north of the Closs' home in Barron County.

Fitzgerald said Patterson has a tie to Barron County, but he didn't specify except to say it wasn't a connection to the Jennie-O Turkey Store in Barron where James and Denise Closs worked.

Sheriff Fitzgerald says investigators believe Patterson killed Jayme's parents because he wanted to abduct her.

Authorities say Patterson was arrested based on a description of his vehicle that Jayme was able to provide.

WPTV contributed to this report.