Legal Proceedings and Verdict
David Zandstra, a retired minister, was found not guilty of the 1975 murder and kidnapping of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington in , with a jury deliberating for about an hour.
The defense argued that Zandstra was coerced into confessing, highlighting a lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime, while prosecutors stood by their decision to charge him, despite acknowledging the case's difficulties.
Case Background and Aftermath
Harrington disappeared in 1975 while walking to a Bible camp, and her body was found two months later. The case remained unsolved until new information led to Zandstra's arrest in 2023.
Following the verdict, Zandstra's family expressed relief after 18 months of custody, while the prosecution and the community continue to honor the commitment to cold-case victims.