New Developments in the Jodi Huisentruit Case

The case of missing Iowa news anchor Jodi Huisentruit is nearing its 30th year of going unsolved. Monday, a hearing was held to unseal a search warrant that could provide more insight into the unsolved case.

KCRG reports that the court hearing on Monday involved a search warrant from 2017 that dealt with two cars that belonged to John Vancise. Vancise has long been someone who interested law enforcement in the case, as it is believed that he was the last person to see Huisentruit alive back in 1995. According to KCRG, the search warrant was for GPS data involving his 1999 Honda Civic and his 2013 GMC SUV. However, Vancise passed away in December of 2024, which led to the argument of whether the documents should be unsealed.

According to KCRG, private investigator Steve Ridge is asking the court to unseal the warrant. He argues that the state cannot continue to investigate or prosecute someone who has passed away. He also noted that the family needs closure, to know that he is no longer being investigated for a crime he can't be charged with.

Mason City Police have stated that no useful information came from the search warrant, according to KCRG. Officials say that other information inside the warrant could compromise the investigation if released.

KCRG reports that the judge in the case will review the search warrant and will have an answer on if it will be unsealed within 30 days. Some say that if the document is unsealed, it could be heavily redacted to protect some sensitive information.