The Mysterious Disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit Has Confused Investigators for Decades

Back in the mid-1990s, the mysterious disappearance of a young KIMT (a CBS affiliate in Mason City, Ia.) anchorwoman named Jodi Huisentruit shocked the nation. The then-27-year-old was already making quite a name for herself in the local news scene, and in her free time, she was also an avid golfer.

Now, ABC is revisiting the case of Jodi's disappearance in a new episode of 20/20 titled Gone At Dawn. In it, the network will be tapping experts, law enforcement, and utilizing a variety of evidence-based sources to compile a more clear image of what went down on the day of Jodi's disappearance than ever before.

With that being said, what do we know about what happened to Jodi nearly three decades ago? Keep reading to find out.

ABC's 20/20 special, airing Jan. 28, 2022, promises to take a deeper dive into the details of the case than ever before, but here's what you need to know about how it all went down.

Authorities believe that Jodi was kidnapped just after 4 a.m. local time on June 27, 1995, as she was walking towards her red Mazda Miata, which was parked in a lot near her apartment complex.

Neighbors reported hearing a woman's scream around that hour, and Jodi's belongings were strewn about the crime was strewn about. These included broken car keys, red high heels, a blow dryer, a can of hair spray, and a set of earrings, all of which belonged to Jodi, per Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

Investigators began working on the case back in 1995, but were unable to establish substantial enough leads to pursue any suspects in the crime. By 2001, Jodi was declared legally dead, and things largely went quiet regarding the case.

However, in 2015, the entirety of the Iowa House of Representatives' 100 members signed a motion requesting Mason City to declare June 27, 2015, as Jodi Huisentruit Day.

Although it has been nearly three decades since Jodi disappeared, new information about the case is still seemingly emerging.

According to ABC, the program "features exclusive, extensive access to the Mason City Police Department and the lead investigator on Huisentruit’s case, Terrance Prochaska. This report includes, for the first time, Prochaska’s comments about his work on the case years after it first began and takes cameras on a ride-along, tracing Huisentruit’s steps the night before her disappearance."

On top of that, the new show will feature conversations with "Tony Jackson, a serial rapist whose name has been associated with the case since 1998 despite the fact he’s been cleared by police, who denies any involvement in Huisentruit’s disappearance."

The synopsis of the episode also mentions "a new lead regarding a buried freezer."

Gone At Dawn's story will be drawn from real interviews with people close to the case over the years as well as members of FindJodi, a team "dedicated to collecting and investigating new tips to try to solve the mystery."

Be sure to check out Gone At Dawn when it airs on Jan. 28, 2022, at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.