Gretchen Harrington Wiki, Wikipedia, Parents, Reddit
Gretchen Harrington Wiki, Wikipedia, Parents, Reddit -: The ex-preacher convicted of murdering a young girl who was approaching his church in 1975 Just outside of Philadelphia in Marple Township, Pennsylvania, Gretchen Harrington, 8, was killed, shocking the community. Authorities claim that the individual has just confessed.
News -:
On August 15, 1975, Gretchen Harrington, a young girl of 8, was kidnapped and slain as she headed to a Bible camp in a township outside of Philadelphia.
Authorities announced on Monday that a man who had previously held the position of pastor at one of the camps’ host churches had been arrested and accused of killing Harrington.
The former pastor, David Zandstra, 83, recently confessed after being given new evidence, including claims from a witness that he attempted to kidnap and assaulted another local girl, according to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office.
A law firm defending Zandstra reportedly acknowledged being aware of the accusations but declined to speak further, according to NBC Philadelphia.
He is charged with murder in the first, second, and third degrees, kidnapping, and having a firearm in his possession while engaging in criminal activity. The alleged offenses allegedly occurred in Marple Township, about 10 miles west of Philadelphia.
The unnamed new witness, according to the prosecution, produced a diary. One month after Harrington left, Zandstra allegedly filed a note in the criminal complaint against her, speculating that she might be responsible for the two failed attempts to kidnap another female.
I will inform you. It is claimed that the witness made a note in a notebook entry from September 15, 1975. The two efforts to kidnap Holly were human-made. I can’t tell anyone this, but I think he might be the one who kidnapped Gretchen. Mr. Z may have been the culprit.
According to the complaint, Harrington alleged that the suspect had groped her during a stay at his home seven days before she vanished. The witness, who was 10 years old at the time, was good friends with one of Zandstra’s children.
Talking to the suspect
Zandstra was questioned by investigators on July 17 close to his home in Georgia, according to the lawsuit and Delaware County D.A. spokesperson Margie McAboy.
State Police Trooper Eugene Tray said the suspect offered to speak before having his Miranda rights read to him at the news conference on Monday.
When presented with the new witness information, Zandstra reportedly confessed, according to Tray.
He appeared relieved, the trooper said. According to him, “It felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.”
Zandstra asserted that he was driving on August 15, 1975, when he noticed Harrington leaving for the Bible camp that his church, Trinity Church Chapel Christian Reform Church, was hosting.
He frequently picked up children to take them to the mid-morning program, the prosecution claims. Harrington was well-known to the Zandstra family because they were close friends with another daughter, the complaint claims.
The prosecution claims she was last seen two blocks from her house.
Zandstra asserted that he had driven Harrington to some nearby woods after picking her up from the church when she was en route there. She asked him to take her home, but he urged her to take off her clothes. He stated that he punched her in the head and she never regained consciousness after she refused to remove her clothes.
The lawsuit asserts that the suspect disposed of her body, which was “half-naked,” in the woods before covering it with flora.
Strange details
He gave a description, according to the lawsuit, stating that Harrington was 50 pounds, 3 feet 6 inches tall, and had blonde bunches. The lawsuit claimed that Zandstra supplied details regarding the girl’s shorts, including that they had a zipper and a snap in front but no evident buttons, during an interview days later.
The kid’s mother had made the shorts expressly for her daughter, according to the prosecution, and the girl never showed up for Bible camp, making it impossible for him to have seen her there.
On October 14, 1975, Harrington’s bones were discovered at a state park in the nearby Edgmont Township.
According to the lawsuit, at least two hits to the head were the cause of the victim’s homicide.
The Harrington family thanked the police and the prosecution for their work.
Gretchen’s kidnapping and death, according to the family, “have forever altered our family, and we miss her every single day.”
According to Marple Township Police Chief Graeff Brandon, Harrington’s time on Earth was “a life unfulfilled… because of pure evil and depravity.”
He asserted at the news conference on Monday that her murder represented a shift for the area, which had previously seemed quite safe and crime-free. According to the chief, it “transformed this community.” It took place in Anytown, USA.
More Casualties?
According to prosecutors and prisoner records, Zandstra left the church and moved, first settling in Plano, Texas, and then in Georgia, where he was detained on Monday for a sixth day without bond in the Cobb County Adult Detention Facility.
Because authorities are concerned there could be more victims, they have asked anyone with information to contact them. State police were comparing his DNA to cases that were either open or cold, according to a statement from the D.A.’s office on Monday.
Zandstra allegedly refused to waive extradition to Pennsylvania, which would have slowed down the process but not necessarily prevented it, according to the prosecution.
According to Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer on Monday, the 48-year-old case is concluded.
“We’re bringing him here to Delaware County, trying him, convicting him, and he’s going to die in jail,” he proclaimed.
Also Read :