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What We Know About The Suspect In The Kidnapping Of Jayme Closs

(CNN) -- Authorities on Friday identified the suspect in the kidnapping of 13-year-old Jayme Closs as Jake Thomas Patterson. Patterson is also suspected of killing Jayme's parents in their Wisconsin home in October.

Jake Thomas Patterson
Jake Thomas Patterson and Jayme Closs (credit: Barron County Sheriff's Department)

Here's what we know about him:

• Patterson is a 21-year-old from Gordon, Wisconsin, about 70 miles north of Barron, not far from where Jayme lived with her parents.

• Patterson was taken into custody Thursday after the girl gave investigators a description of his vehicle, according to Douglas County Sheriff Tom Dalbec. A short time later, a patrol officer found a vehicle that matched the description and pulled it over. Patterson was arrested down the road from his home outside Gordon. He did not appear to be looking for Jayme, Dalbec said.

• He's being held in the Barron County Jail. He faces two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the killings of Jayme's parents, James and Denise Closs, and one count of kidnapping, Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald told reporters.

Missing Teen Jayme Closs Was 'Unkempt' And Wearing Men's Shoes, 911 Caller Says

• Patterson "planned his actions and took many proactive steps to hide his identity from law enforcement and the general public," Fitzgerald said.

• Fitzgerald said investigators believe Jayme was Patterson's target and that the suspect had no earlier contact with her family.

• Patterson had "zero" criminal history locally or in Wisconsin, Fitzgerald said. Authorities are not looking for any additional suspects.

• He's unemployed, Fitzgerald said, and lives in a remote area outside Gordon.

 

News Conference: Jayme Closs was found alive and 'unkempt', 87 days after her parents were found dead in their Wisconsin home. Investigators have a suspect in custody.

News Conference: Jayme Closs was found alive and 'unkempt', nearly 3 months after her parents were found dead in their Wisconsin home. Investigators have a suspect in custody -- Jake Thomas Patterson, 21. He's facing charges for kidnapping and the murder of Jayme's parents.

Posted by CBS Denver on Friday, January 11, 2019

(The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

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