The man who confessed to kidnapping Wisconsin teen Jayme Closs and murdering her parents last year sent a letter from jail to a Minnesota reporter, giving a bizarre explanation for his crimes. Jake Patterson, 21, was arrested in January after Closs was able to escape his remote cabin, where she was held captive for three months. Shortly after his arrest, Patterson told police that after watching Closs get on a school bus one day, he knew "she was the girl he was going to take." Prior to the kidnapping, Closs and her parents had no connection to Patterson at all.
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In a response to a letter KARE 11's Lou Range sent him, Patterson — who has no prior criminal history — gives another no less baffling motive for his heinous crimes. "Hi, IDK if I'll actually send this," is how the letter starts. Patterson writes that he plans to plead guilty so Closs and her family don't have to go through a trial.
According to Patterson, kidnapping Closs and killing her parents wasn't planned. "This was mostly on impulse. I don't think like a serial killer," Patterson writes. "At the time I was really pissed. I didn't 'want' to. The reason I did this is complicated. No one will believe or can even imagine how sorry I am for hurting Jayme this much."
In large bubble letters, Patterson writes: "I'm sorry Jayme! For everything. I know it doesn't mean much."
Closs was found disheveled and skinny in Gordon, Wisconsin, which was 70 miles from her home, by a woman walking her dog. Patterson reportedly kept Closs under his bed for as long as 12 hours a day without food, water, or bathroom access and hit her at least once. Since Closs saved herself by escaping from Patterson, she will be given the $25,000 reward that was being offered for information leading to her safe return.
Patterson will be arraigned on March 27.
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