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Retired Minister Acquitted in Cold Case of 1975 Child Murder

MEDIA, Pa. — A retired minister from Georgia, David Zandstra, has been found not guilty in the murder of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington, whose remains were discovered nearly 50 years ago in a southeastern Pennsylvania park. The jury reached its verdict on Friday after deliberating for just one hour following a four-day trial.

Zandstra was charged last summer with kidnapping and murdering Harrington, who vanished in 1975 while walking to Bible camp at a chapel where Zandstra served as pastor. Her body was discovered two months later by a jogger in Ridley Creek State Park.

According to the Delaware County district attorney, Zandstra had attempted to offer Harrington a ride on the day she disappeared. Prosecutors alleged that the retired minister confessed to the crime after investigators obtained new details leading to his interview.

In defense, Zandstra’s attorney, Mark Much, argued that the confession was coerced, suggesting that detectives used misleading tactics to extract false admissions. The defense maintained that there was no physical evidence linking Zandstra to the crime and pointed out that police had explored other potential suspects.

Christopher Boggs, another defense attorney, expressed relief that Zandstra’s family could finally welcome him home after he had endured 18 months in custody.

After Harrington’s disappearance, the local community mobilized, conducting extensive searches in surrounding woods. Authorities distributed over 2,000 flyers and established a 24-hour hotline, receiving numerous tips during the investigation, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The discovery of Harrington’s remains was grim; her clothing was found meticulously folded nearby, and her underwear was reportedly hung from a tree branch, described at the time as “like a flag … as if to call attention to the place.”

Source
www.yahoo.com