Wisconsin Man Gets Life for Kidnapping Jayme Closs, Killing Her Parents

BARRON, Wis. (AP) – A Wisconsin man will spend the rest of his life in prison for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents.

Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson was sentenced Friday in Barron County. He pleaded guilty in March to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. He admitted to abducting Jayme in October and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs.

The teen was held captive in a remote cabin for 88 days before she escaped.

Patterson was sentenced to life in prison without release on each homicide count and 25 years in prison on the kidnapping count. The sentences will be served consecutively. </s> The man who pleaded guilty to kidnapping Wisconsin teen Jayme Closs after killing her parents last fall is due to be sentenced at a hearing Friday, May 24.

Jake Patterson faces life in prison. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said Closs' family is expected to give a statement at the sentencing.

The sentencing and statements will be streaming here live at 1:35 p.m. courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio. </s> BARRON, Wis. — The man who pleaded guilty to kidnapping Wisconsin 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdering her parents has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The judge handed down the sentence after hearing statements from the Closs family, the prosecution, the defense, Jake Patterson, and Jayme Closs herself. There was no question that Patterson would receive life in prison, but the judge had to decide Friday in Barron County court whether he would ever be eligible for parole, after hearing from the people affected by his crimes.

"There are some things that Jake Patterson can never take from me," Jayme said in a statement that was read to the court. "He can't take my freedom. He thought that he could own me but he was wrong. I was smarter. I watched his routine and I took back my freedom. I will always have my freedom and he will not."

Patterson pleaded guilty on March 27 to the murders of James and Denise Closs and the kidnapping of Jayme.

Ahead of handing down the sentence, Judge James Babler said to the families, "I wish that the justice system could make you whole again. I wish we could go back in time to make sure that James and Denise Closs were never murdered nor Ms. Closs kidnapped. But I and the system can't do that for you. At best it is my hope that today's hearing will bring you a bit of closure to this awful nightmare and perhaps some return to a sense of safety and security."

He said the overriding factor in his decision was the safety of the public. "You are the embodiment of evil," he said to Jake Patterson. "You are one of the most dangerous men to ever walk on this planet."

The judge sentenced Patterson to two life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of James and Denise Closs, and the maximum of 40 years for the kidnapping of Jayme Closs, all to be served consecutively.

Five months after escaping from her 88 days in captivity, Jayme had some words for the man who kidnapped her and killed her parents.

"Last October Jake Patterson took a lot of things that I love away from me," the statement read. "It makes me the most sad that he took away my mom and my dad. I loved my mom and dad very much and they loved me very much. They did all they could to make me happy and protect me."

Jayme described how she has to have an alarm on the house now, just to go to sleep. She said Patterson took away her love for dance, school, and going out with her friends. But he didn't take everything.

"Jake Patterson can never take away my courage," she said. "He thought he could control me, but he couldn't. I feel like what he did was what a coward would do. I was brave and he was not. He can never take away my spirit."

"I will go on to do great things in my life, but he will not," Jayme's statement continued. "Jake Patterson will never have power over me."

She said she thinks Patterson needs to stay locked up "forever."

RELATED: From missing to found alive: A timeline of the Jayme Closs case

Jayme's family members spoke at the hearing as well.

"Jayme no longer has her parents, which were her whole world, and she was their whole world. She no longer has her home," said Jennifer Smith, Jayme's aunt, addressing Patterson. "She lives in fear, doesn't have a normal 13-year-old life, and that's all from what you did."

"You took so much from Jayme. You took her parents, her home, her childhood and her happiness," said Lindsey Smith, Jayme's cousin.

"Thank God, after 88 days, we got answers," said Kelly Closs Engelhardt, James Closs' sister, after describing the ordeal. She credited Jayme for those answers.

"She saved our family, she put the pieces together. And now we need to move on," she said. "We have to go to sleep at night knowing that our niece is finally safe and that nobody else can be hurt."

Mike Closs, James' brother, said that James and Denise died trying to protect Jayme.

"Because of this monster Jayme won't have her mom and dad at her dance recitals, won't have her mom and dad at her prom," he said. "My brother won't be able to walk down the aisle at her wedding day."

After the family statements, Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright gave a graphic description of Patterson's crime in court, going step by step through the murders and kidnapping. He painted a picture of Jake Patterson's character, using Patterson's responses to a letter KARE 11's Lou Raguse sent him while he was in prison. In that letter, Patterson called his reasons for doing what he did "complicated." Wright said the letter shows no signs of remorse.

"Nowhere in the defendant's answers to Mr. Raguse's questions will you find him expressing any remorse for murdering James and Denise," he said.

"Jake Patterson is a cold blooded killer," Wright said. Patterson shook his head no.

"The impact of what he did will never go away for Jayme and for the families of James and Denise, some of whom you have heard from today," Wright continued.

Wright wrapped up his argument by saying, "Jayme should not have to spend one second of the rest of her life having to worry about the defendant being free."

RELATED: 'I can’t believe I did this' | Accused Jayme Closs kidnapper writes letter from jail

Jake Patterson's attorney Charles Glynn spoke to the judge saying, "Mr. Patterson severely over reacted to his loneliness."

"Mr. Patterson knows and has accepted that he is going to die in prison," Glynn continued. "And hasn’t asked us to argue for anything else.”

Glynn said that Patterson's isolation led to his crimes, and that he has rehabilitative needs. He said Patterson saved the families the "agony" of a trial, thanks to his guilty plea.

Jake Patterson did speak briefly in court, saying tearfully, "I would do absolutely anything to take back what I did. I would die. I would do absolutely anything to bring them back. I don't care about me, I just, I'm just so sorry. That's all."

RELATED: Complaint: Patterson chose Jayme Closs at random after seeing her get on bus

Ahead of his guilty plea, Patterson said in the letter to KARE 11's Lou Raguse that he planned to plead guilty. “I can’t believe I did this,” he wrote at that time.

Patterson took a plea deal in Barron County that included an agreement that additional charges would not be filed in Douglas County, where Jayme was held. An additional charge of armed burglary was also dropped as part of the deal.

The crimes to which Patterson confessed began early the morning of Oct. 15, 2018, when deputies arrived at the Closs home in Barron, Wisconsin, to find Jayme missing and her parents fatally shot. A nationwide effort to bring Jayme home commenced over the next three months, but after 88 days in captivity, it was Jayme herself who found a way out.

On the afternoon of Jan. 10, 2019, she escaped from the cabin where Patterson was holding her, found a woman walking her dog, and asked for help. The woman took her to a nearby home and asked the owners to call 911.

Patterson was arrested shortly after, driving around the area. He told deputies at that point, “I did it,” according to the criminal complaint.

He was charged in Barron County days later. The criminal complaint states that he told investigators he chose Jayme at random after seeing her get on a school bus in Barron. "He knew that was the girl he was going to take," the complaint said.

According to the complaint, Jayme told investigators that Patterson held her at a cabin in Gordon, Wisconsin for 88 days. She was kept underneath his bed, blocked in by plastic totes and weights, and threatened that bad things would happen if she tried to get away. She described Patterson striking her with an object once when he became angry.

One day, though, on Jan. 10, Patterson told Jayme he would be gone for five or six hours. She pushed her way out from under the bed, found a pair of Patterson’s shoes, and left the house to find help.

Jayme was recently honored as a “Hometown Hero” by the Wisconsin Assembly. She also received the reward money designated for her “rescuer” from Jennie-O, where her parents had been employed.

At a news conference after the sentencing, Jayme Closs' aunt, Jennifer Smith, said: "I can tell you she has made a great deal of progress… Jayme will likely have more to say in the future." </s> BARRON, Wisconsin -- The Wisconsin man who admitted kidnapping a 13-year-old girl after killing her parent has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.Patterson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for each count of first-degree murder of James and Denise Closs, and received the maximum sentence of 40-years for the kidnapping of Jayme Closs.Several family member made impact statements in memory of their loved ones, as well as a written statement from Jayme Closs."For 88 days he tried to steal me and he didn't care who he hurt or who he killed to do that. he should stay locked up forever," Jayme said in her impact statement.Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson is facing life in prison when he's sentenced Friday in Barron County Circuit Court for kidnapping Jayme Closs and killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, on Oct. 15 at the family's home near Barron, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Minneapolis."There's some things that Jake Patterson can never take from me. He can't take my freedom," Jayme said "I was smarter. I watched his routine and i took back my freedom. I will always have my freedom and he will not. Jake Patterson can never take my courage. he thought he could control me but he couldn't."Jayme escaped in January, after 88 days in Patterson's cabin near the small, isolated town of Gordon, some 60 miles (97 kilometers) from her home. Patterson told authorities he decided Jayme "was the girl he was going to take" after he saw her getting on a school bus near her home.Patterson earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and kidnapping."I would do absolutely anything to bring them back. I don't care about me. I'm so sorry," Patterson told the court. </s> BARRON, Wis. (WFRV) - The man convicted of kidnapping Jayme Closs and killing her parents is set to be sentenced in Barron County Court Friday afternoon.

Jake Patterson pleaded guilty to two counts of 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide and one count of Kidnapping/Carrying without Consent in March.

He faces two life sentences for the homicide charges alone, but before a sentence is handed down, anyone who wishes to speak on Patterson's behalf will have the opportunity to do so, including Patterson himself.

Jayme Closs' family will also have the opportunity to read victim impact statements in court, but will also have the option of submitting those statements to the prosecutor in writing.

The sentencing hearing is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. </s> March 27 (UPI) -- The 21-year-old man charged with killing two Wisconsin parents and kidnapping their 13-year-old daughter pleaded guilty to the crimes Wednesday.

Jake Patterson, of Gordon, Wis., appeared in a Barron County courtroom and entered a guilty plea on two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and a third count of kidnapping, Wisconsin online court records indicate.

A fourth felony, burglary while armed with a dangerous weapon, was dismissed, the court records show.

Patterson was charged in mid-January in the killing of James M. Closs, 56, and Denise J. Closs, 46, the parents of 13-year-old Jayme Closs.

They were found dead in their Barron, Wis., home in mid-October. Jayme was missing until January, when she escaped Patterson's captivity and was found some 65 miles north of Barron in Douglas County, Wis.

A criminal complaint said Patterson targeted Jayme for kidnapping when he spotted her boarding a school bus. He raided her home and shot her parents to death before kidnapping the girl.

Jayme was held under a bed for hours on end during her captivity, according to the complaint.

As part of his guilty plea, Patterson will not face charges related to potential crimes committed in Douglas County, court records show.

Patterson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, according to the court records, and faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. His cash bond, set in January at $5 million, was revoked Wednesday. </s> The man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs is expected to plead guilty in Wisconsin Wednesday.

Jake Patterson, 21, is charged with kidnapping, homicide and armed burglary.

RELATED ‘I Can’t Believe I Did This,’ Jayme Closs’ Alleged Kidnapper Writes In Letter From Jail

Patterson is accused of kidnapping Jayme after killing her parents last October. Closs was able to escape after 88 days.

In a letter to a Minneapolis TV station, Patterson says he intends to plead guilty but neither his attorneys nor prosecutors have commented on Wednesday’s arraignment hearing. </s> Wisconsin Man Sentenced To 2 Life Terms For Kidnapping Teen, Murdering Her Parents

Enlarge this image toggle caption Renee Jones Schneider/AP Renee Jones Schneider/AP

Updated at 6:43 p.m. ET

A judge in Wisconsin has ruled that 21-year-old Jake Patterson will spend the rest of his life behind bars by sentencing him to two life terms in prison without the possibility of release for kidnapping a teenager and murdering her parents last year.

Patterson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of intentional homicide in the deaths of James and Denise Closs, who were killed at their home in Barron, a town in northern Wisconsin. He also admitted kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and keeping her captive for 88 days.

Patterson was also sentenced to 25 years in prison for abducting the girl.

The case drew national attention as an intense search for the teenager ended with her escaping captivity and leading authorities to her captor in January.

Jayme Closs did not appear in court for the sentencing, but her guardian read a statement on her behalf, saying Patterson "thought that he could own me, but he's wrong. I was smarter." She said she wanted to see Patterson "locked up forever," as quoted by the Associated Press.

Describing Patterson as "the embodiment of evil," Barron County Circuit Court Judge James Babler said the defendant's crime was "the most heinous and dangerous" he had seen.

As NPR reported in January, authorities disclosed the gruesome details of the Closs killings in a criminal complaint covering their murders; the discovery of their bodies; the conditions under which Patterson kept Jayme Closs hidden under his bed; and her eventual escape.

According to the complaint, Patterson, a cheese factory worker, told investigators that he had "put quite a bit of thought into the details of how he was going to abduct" Closs after seeing her for the first time getting on a school bus. The teenager escaped when Patterson left her alone for several hours, making it possible for her to find help. Authorities took her into custody and launched a search for Patterson. When he was pulled over shortly thereafter by police, he volunteered, "I did it."

According to the complaint, Patterson told investigators that, after seeing media reports, he had believed that he had escaped detection for the murders of Closs's parents. It was through those reports that he had learned the names of his victims. "The defendant stated he never would have been caught if he would have planned everything perfectly," it stated.

Wisconsin Public Radio reported that:

"Barron County District Attorney Brian Wright told a judge during Jake Patterson's sentencing hearing Friday that Patterson would never stop trying to find and possibly kill Jayme if he gets out of prison. "He said Patterson can never get another opportunity to kidnap another girl and kill her or anyone with her. "Patterson wrote that he had fantasized 'about keeping a young girl, torturing her and controlling her.' "

Prosecutors did not charge Patterson with any other behavior toward Jayme during her captivity as a way of sparing her more pain and scrutiny. </s> BARRON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty Wednesday to kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents, in a move that spares the girl held captive in a remote cabin for three months from the possible trauma of having to testify at his trial.

Jake Patterson, 21, sniffled and his voice caught as he pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped a count of armed burglary. Patterson faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced May 24; Wisconsin does not have the death penalty.

Patterson had said he would plead guilty in a letter sent this month to a Minneapolis TV station, saying he didn’t want the Closs family “to worry about a trial.”

Patterson admitted kidnapping Jayme after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, on Oct. 15 at the family’s home near Barron, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Minneapolis. Jayme escaped in January, after 88 days in Patterson’s cabin in near the small, isolated town of Gordon, some 60 miles (97 kilometers) from her home.

The plea, coupled with an earlier decision by prosecutors not to bring charges in the county where Jayme was held, increases the chances that the details of her time in captivity will remain private.

Patterson stoically answered “yes” and “yeah” to repeated questions from Barron County Judge James Gabler about whether he understood what he was doing. Later, as he responded “guilty,” to each count, he could be heard sniffling. He paused for several seconds after the judge asked him about the kidnapping charge before stuttering, “guilty.”

Defense attorney Richard Jones told Gabler that Patterson “wanted to enter a plea from the day we met him” and brushed off strategies presented to him, including trying to suppress his statements to investigators.

“He rejected all that and has decided this is what he wants to do,” Jones said.

Members of the Closs family and Patterson’s father and sister all left the courthouse without commenting.

According to a criminal complaint, Patterson told authorities he decided Jayme “was the girl he was going to take” after he saw her getting on a school bus near her home. He told investigators he plotted carefully, including wearing all-black clothing, putting stolen license plates on his car and taking care to leave no fingerprints on his shotgun.

Jayme told police that the night of the abduction, the family dog’s barking awoke her, and she went to wake up her parents as a car came up the driveway. While her father went to the front door, Jayme and her mother hid in the bathroom, clutching each other in the bathtub, with the shower curtain pulled shut.

Patterson shot Jayme’s father as he entered the house, then found Jayme and her mother. He told detectives he wrapped tape around Jayme’s mouth and head, taped her hands behind her back and taped her ankles together, then shot her mother in the head. He told police he dragged Jayme outside, threw her in the trunk of his car, and took her to his cabin, the complaint said.

During Jayme’s time in captivity, Patterson forced her to hide under a bed when he had friends over and penned her in with tote boxes and weights, warning that if she moved, “bad things could happen to her.” He also turned up the radio so visitors couldn’t hear her, according to the complaint.

Authorities searched for Jayme for months and collected more than 3,500 tips. On Jan. 10, Jayme escaped from the cabin while Patterson was away. She then flagged down a woman who was out walking a dog and pleaded for help. Patterson was arrested minutes later.

Patterson grew up in the cabin where he held Jayme. He wrote in his high school yearbook of plans to join the Marines after graduation, but he was kicked out barely a month after joining up. He worked just a single day at a turkey plant in 2016 before quitting; he told investigators he spotted Jayme while heading to work at a cheese factory where he already planned to quit after two days.

The day Jayme escaped, Patterson had applied online for a job at a liquor store with a resume that misrepresented his experience.

Laura Tancre, of nearby Star Prairie, said she was relieved by Patterson’s plea and “happy for the little girl.” Tancre, 57, worked at the same plant as Jayme’s parents and called them “very nice people.”

“I think he should get life for killing both parents,” she said. “I’d hate for him to get out and be able to do it again.”
In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, Jake Thomas Patterson is sentenced to life in prison for the kidnapping of Jayme Closs and the murders of her parents.