Portion of 2017 Warrant Unsealed in Huisentruit Case

New details emerge in the Jodi Huisentruit investigation after the partial unsealing of a 2017 search warrant.

Background: Jodi Huisentruit's Disappearance

Huisentruit was a morning news anchor for KIMT in Mason City, Iowa. She disappeared on June 27, 1995. Authorities believe that she was abducted early that morning while heading to her car to go to work. Despite a decades-long investigation and countless leads, no arrests have ever been made in the case.

A Person of Interest in the Case

In 2017, investigators obtained a search warrant to track the movements of John Vancise, who was named as a person of interest in the case, according to KWWL. Vancise was never charged in the case and passed away in late 2024. KWWL reports that in March of 2017, investigators used the warrant to track Vancise's vehicles as he traveled from Iowa to Arizona.

Effort to Unseal the Warrant

KWWL reports that a hearing was held in March to consider unsealing the warrant. Attorneys in favor of its release stated that making the information public would help clear Vancise and give his family closure. Prosecutors and members of Huisentruit's family opposed the move, saying that it could jeopardize the investigation.

Only a Portion of the Warrant has Been Unsealed

KWWL reports that only part of the search warrant has been made public. The unsealed details confirm that law enforcement tracked a car and a truck belonging to Vancise during his move to Arizona. Other details in the warrant remain sealed.