48 Year Old Cold Case Finally SOLVED In 2023

Today we take a look at the solved cold case in 2023 of Gretchen Harrington.

00:00 Intro
00:06 Gretchen Harrington

#coldcases #solvedcases

[beckymoffitt]

Just the fact he said exactly what she was wearing but claimed he hadn’t seen her that day should have made him the prime suspect. He should have been brought to justice years and years ago.

[sonablom]

As a kid all you'd hear was stranger danger but the person who ended up preying on me and my sister as kids was our own uncle. Make sure your kids know they can come talk to you even if the person making them uncomfortable or giving them weird vibes is someone close to you and someone trusted. Try teaching them that sometimes the stranger to be afraid of is the stranger that lives behind the mask of the people closest to you.

[patrickfaulds]

Your daughter comes to you and basically says "I was molested at my friends sleepover. I know who done it and his daughter says he does it to her too." and your response is "lets not sleepover there anymore" ...that's it? WTF is wrong with these parents??

[kimpelders]

My husband can't even describe our daughter's shorts that specific. It gives me chills to hear a grown man talk about a little girl like that 😢

[leighafrancis]

I’m grateful that Gretchen’s murderer but finally brought to justice, but I find it distasteful that the police department and government officials gave themselves so many accolades for solving the case when it was the book author and the informant that solved the case for them. They had him in their hands and let him go to live almost FIFTY additional years in peace when he could have been caught immediately and not harmed anyone else.

[altawarren]

There is another story here, his kids were abused and they did not get help. His wife has some accountability in this for her own kids and for Gretchen.

[Montina_Paullin]

This case should've been solved in a week.

[kristineguetschow]

The police take all the credit for the unwavering dedication in solving Gretchen’s murder. The case would still be unsolved if not for the CI.

[shayzoo]

Pretty sad that an eight year old girl figured out who did it but the cops couldn’t figure out it was the man who had a detailed description of what she was wearing even though he supposedly never saw her that day. My guess is the cop was dirty and knew EXACTLY who did it. There’s no way you wouldn’t follow up on that discrepancy as a detective. The arrest was totally due to the diary of a child being brought back to their attention. I doubt he would have ever been arrested if she hadn’t come forward. Kind of disgusting how the cops took all the credit for it.

[mjustjeanette]

Now is the time to run a detailed investigation of other missing/assaulted children in EVERY town this man has been a pastor.

[davidmarshall]

As a retired Detective I find it difficult to believe that the shorts issue was not pursued. I have dealt with church officials personally and find them as difficult and evasive as the hard headed criminal. Cardinal Pell in Australia is a classical example of “I see nothing, heard nothing and say nothing “ in an attempt to evade justice for the victims. He passed away recently with a head full of knowledge surrounding his criminal priests and his own criminal behaviour. Victims are never considered on ly looked at as collateral damage.

[JudyCKim]

I'm so glad that this case was finally solved, but what makes me mad is that he got to live his life for 48 years after he murdered a poor innocent child. They thought he did it right after the murder, so why didn't they arrest him then? It's also so sick that a pastor that the family trusted did this. The police shouldn't be celebrating themselves when they could have caught the murdered sooner than within 48 years.

[gagecollins]

As soon as I heard how specific he described the outfit, I knew he was guilty. To then hear "he didn't see her that day" solidified it for me. Heartbreaking it took almost 50 years for confirmation. I understand the innocence and nievety of children, but why was that one friend "almost getting kidnapped twice" a secret? I find it hard to believe an adult didn't tell her it was a secret, who told her it was a secret?

[MrLuisafernanda]

The parents of that girl who chose to move away without reporting that monster, should also have being held accountable.
Had they reported that man, poor Gretchen would still be alive.
Only God knows how many more victims there are after Gretchen.

[judybrown]

Why didn't you mention the lady who kept a diary as a little girl? She was the hero in solving this case!

[patrickregan]

My only child, a little girl born in 74, still my pride and joy, has a little girl of her own, now age 24. I watch these stories because of them. Worry is a normal parental condition. Evil beings exist obviously who prey upon helpless children and too often just get away with it! 😢

[cynthiacurrier]

What I find so disgusting is that, once again, a case that should have been solved within a week and probably could have prevented others from being victimized was solved, not by law enforcement, but from the efforts of a woman that spent time and resources towards researching this case, thus bringing attention to it prompting a witness to come forth. There was nothing in this article that warranted any law enforcement agency to apply credit to themselves or other agencies, yet, there you have it, the self-congratulations, affirmations, pats on the back and credit in a blatant and arrogant bid for self promotion.

[sonjasmith]

NOBODY should be patting themselves on the back for this case being solved, save the new investigators. This case should have been solved right away, if the mama hand made her clothes, and this evil monster knew EXACTLY how her shorts were made and what she was wearing, even though he said he hadn't seen her that day. The second they found her and saw what she was wearing, that should have been "case solved". Also, this a-hole DID sexually assault her, because he knew how her shorts were buttoned up. Who knows how many other kids he sexually assaulted or killed in this monster's lifetime. His wife doesn't get a pass, either. IMO, she knew what was happening to her daughters, if one of them used to hear her sister crying at night.

[ElizaSimmer]

It’s the ppl your closest to you have to worry about not always the strangers. And that’s the saddest part.

[selinalee]

She was such a beautiful little girl, her pictures of her smiling are precious. Rest in peace Gretchen.

Thank you for the people pointing out the typo