BARRON, Wis. — Defense attorneys for a man accused of kidnapping a Wisconsin teen and fatally shooting her parents say his motivations will become clear as the case progresses.
Investigators believe Jake Thomas Patterson broke into 13-year-old Jayme Closs' home near Barron in October, killed her parents and abducted the girl. He's accused of holding her in a remote cabin for nearly three months before she escaped last week.
According to court documents, he told detectives he spotted Jayme getting on a school bus one day and decided he would take her.
Richard Jones and Charlie Glynn are Patterson's public defenders. They told The Associated Press Wednesday that they know everyone wants to know why Jayme was abducted. Jones says "there will come a time in this proceeding when that question will be answered."
They declined to comment on Patterson's mental health.
In another development, authorities are trying to determine what will become of the $50,000 reward offered in the Closs case.
Jayme was discovered Thursday by a woman walking her dog near the small northwestern Wisconsin town of Gordon, 60 miles away from her hometown of Barron. That woman, Jeanne Nutter, took Jayme to the home of Peter and Kristin Kasinskas, who called 911.
Peter Kasinskas told The Associated Press the couple does not want the reward. He says if anyone gets it, Jayme should because "She got herself out."
The FBI offered a $25,000 reward on Oct. 24 for information about Jayme's whereabouts. The Jennie-O Turkey Store, where James and Denise Closs worked, later doubled the amount to $50,000.
Milwaukee FBI spokesman Leonard Peace said Tuesday that the reward remains under review. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald says the reward is being discussed with the FBI and will be determined later.
