Dear Heinrich,
Nearly 27 years, a perverted mind, a .38 snub-nosed Smith & Wesson revolver, and an innocent child who simply asked, “What did I do wrong?” That’s all it took for you, huh? Really?
Now, I normally don't get pissed off over much, but you robbed me of my childhood, Heinrich. I wasn’t allowed to bike to my friend’s house, walk to the park or play alone outside because of you. All because you made an ungodly decision on October 22nd 1989. Years before I was born. Years before children in Minnesota and children across the nation were born. You not only took away a privilege my parents and my parent’s parents had growing up, but you took away our trust and safety in society as children.
My mom and dad were blessed to grow up knowing things like this just never happened. Not in a small town in Minnesota. But I’m sure as hell they never would’ve thought they’d be telling their own kid to “be careful” and “don’t talk to strangers” when I went out by myself. In today’s world, it’s dangerous for a kid to bike on the street. All because of you, Heinrich.
I’m sure it ate away at your pathetic self all those years. I’m sure you thought about it every single day. Well guess what? It’s going to continue to eat away at you till you go absolutely insane, Heinrich. So why did you wait all these years? Did you think you would die beforehand in hopes that you wouldn’t face punishment? Did you really think you were going to get off that easy?
Well guess what, Heinrich? You’re wrong. God serves justice to those who stand and wait, and Jacob’s parents stood and waited. They lived in a constant hope. You gave them the slightest chance of anticipation that their son was still alive, just simply not found. Waiting to come home. Jacob's mom, Patty Wetterling, even became an advocate for missing children. Her tenacity and strength completely astounding to her family and everyone across the nation.
But then you crushed them because you didn’t have the balls to come forward and serve your time. You told them, in gruesome detail, what you did to their son, brother and friend.
An innocent little boy who you abducted, sexually assaulted on the edge of the woods, and shot two bullets in the back of his skull. A boy who simply said, "I'm cold. Take me home."
Almost 27 years ago. A sick and pitiful 27 years.
You took away birthdays, Christmases, Easters, hockey games, graduations, and so much more from that little boy and his family. Moments they can't ever get back because they will never happen.
It’s truly a shame. You know why? You could’ve done something with your life before it all happened, Heinrich. You could’ve been known as a good person. Someone fulfilling and successful. God gave you life so that you could do great things and be a light to society; He gave you freewill to choose: either to add to the beautiful things in this world, or the dark things people hate.
So why did you add to the darkness, Heinrich? Was it more fulfilling to make others despise you? Was it because your life sucked? Was it because your car was repossessed, you were unemployed, and your mom remarried at the time? Was it because you were in pain? I'm sorry, Heinrich. I'm sorry that you had to go through that terrible period of pain. But, guess what else, Heinrich? That's life. People have gone through far worse than you have. You could’ve turned your life around. You could’ve chose to be stronger. You could’ve decided to work on yourself and become a better man rather than be weakened by the devil’s temptations.
You know why? Because this is what you’ll always be known for: The man who sexually assaulted an innocent 11-year-old boy from a small town in Minnesota, put two bullets in the back of his head, dug a grave for his body and never said a word for nearly 27 years. Otherwise known to the world as an “evil serial predator.”
Now, I could continue to rant about your poor life choices, Heinrich. I could say so much more to you, but you don’t deserve another word – another breath – from me or anyone else affected by your decision. I hope you’re sickened by your own self. I even hope they blast Jacob's favorite song, Listen by Red Grammer, in your jail cell. But I really hope you’re sorry and you plan to try to be a better man. Most importantly, I hope you pray to God for forgiveness because He has the final say. But as a Christian would say it, I can somehow muster my forgiveness to you. I forgive what you did because if Jesus can forgive me for my sins, then I can forgive you too.
The only 'thank you' I have for you is finally stepping forward to tell the truth and letting the Wetterling family be at peace.
Yours truly,
a Minnesotan kid you pissed off
