Jodi Huisentruit (born June 5th, 1968) was a morning news anchor for KIMT and a rising local star in Mason City, Iowa. This was until June 27th, 1995, when after being woken up by a phone call from her producer over being late, she was never seen again. 

On June 27th, 1995, Jodie Huisentruit was woken up by her colleague at KIMT because she had not shown up to work. After this, she got ready and went out to her car. After multiple more calls to Huisentruit with no answer, and her still not showing up, the Mason City police department was called in to do a welfare check on her, where they discovered she had been abducted. Her belongings were scattered around her red Mazda Miata, and her key was in it, but bent, suggesting a struggle. Neighbors report hearing a scream outside the apartment complex, however, no one contacted authorities. 

Those who knew Huisentruit have said she had a very lively and bubbly personality such as Dick Hartvigsen from North Liberty, IA who knew her personally. “She was a very outgoing people person, with a very bubbly personality. Just a really really nice person”. There have been many theories about what happened to Huisentruit, but none with as much evidence as the theory that serial rapist, Tony Dejuan Jackson (currently serving a life sentence in Minnesota for multiple counts of rape in 1997) killed her and buried her by a silo next to Highway 6, in Tiffin. 

Jackson, who at the time lived just a block away from KIMT, became a suspect in the case after jailhouse informant Dennis Goff claimed Jackson told him he murdered an anchorwoman, and also heard him reciting this rap rhyme, 

“She’s a stiffen’ 

Around Tiffin

In a pileage of silage

bylow, low below

Off a highway 

By a grave road”

Those familiar with the part of Highway 6 just a little northwest of the school, leading to Oxford/Amana might recognize where these lyrics could be referring to. An old, rusty silo on a farm on the other side of the Highway from Oak Hill Cemetery. When searched with cadaver dogs, however, all that turned up were animal bones. 

When questioned about Huisentruit, Jackson never denied the crimes he is convicted of but denies being a murderer. He even sued multiple websites dedicated to finding Huisentruit, such as findjodi.com, as he believes his name being used in connection with the case resulted in a plea deal being taken off the table for him. However, these cases were thrown out in the end. “We want to make sure we preserve the integrity of the case. If we are able to file a charge we want the person held responsible to be able to have a fair day in court.” said the Chief of Police of Mason City, and head of the case, Jeff Brinkley, regarding giving out information on the case.

Ultimately though, Jackson has been completely ruled out as a suspect by the police, as most evidence is circumstantial. There are many more suspects in this case and I urge readers to dive into this case and come to a conclusion themselves.