In a chilling development, authorities have arrested an 83-year-old man, David Zandstra, for the kidnapping and murder of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington, who vanished while walking to Bible camp in a township outside Philadelphia on August 15, 1975.
The Delaware County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest on Monday, stating that Zandstra, who had been the pastor of one of the camp’s host churches, recently confessed after being confronted with new evidence, including allegations from a witness claiming he may have tried to kidnap another local girl and groped her.
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Breakthrough Arrest in Decades-Old Cold Case
The witness, whose identity remains undisclosed, provided a diary containing an entry written one month after Harrington’s disappearance, speculating that Zandstra might be connected to the attempted kidnapping of another girl.
In the entry, the witness expressed suspicions that he could be the one responsible for kidnapping Gretchen.
Further revelations emerged from the witness, who recounted an unsettling incident where Zandstra allegedly groped her during a sleepover at his home, just seven days before Gretchen went missing.
Officials interviewed Zandstra near his Georgia home on July 17, where he voluntarily spoke to State Police Trooper Eugene Tray, confessing to the crimes when confronted with the new witness information.
According to the criminal complaint, Zandstra admitted that he came across Gretchen walking to the Bible camp and offered her a ride to the church.
He parked the vehicle in nearby woods, where he attacked her when she refused to undress, causing her to lose consciousness. Zandstra left Gretchen’s body in the woods, covering it with foliage.
Harrington’s father, a pastor at an adjacent church, hosted the second half of the summer Bible camp where Gretchen was expected.
When she failed to arrive on time, her father immediately alerted the authorities.
The arrest of David Zandstra marks a significant breakthrough in a decades-old cold case, finally bringing some closure to Gretchen Harrington’s family and the community.
As the legal proceedings unfold, questions surrounding this horrifying crime will hopefully be answered, allowing for justice to be served.
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