The woman who went by the name of “Cindy” is withdrawing her story now about witnessing the torture and murder of Mason City TV anchor Jodi Huisentruit in 1995. The Mason City Police Department, in a news release issued late Wednesday, says none of the information provided by the witness could be substantiated and when investigators re-interviewed the witness Wednesday afternoon, she recanted key elements of the information previously provided.
The Anoka, Minnesota, woman had offered information to authorities last week, saying she witnessed the murder as a 13-year-old runaway who was taken to a barn north and west of Mason City. The woman described the incident to Twin Cities TV station KMSP over the weekend, and now another Twin Cities TV station, WCCO, says the woman had asked its news department for compensation in exchange for details about what she said she knew. The station declined the woman’s request.
Mason City police are still urging anyone with information they deem relevant to the Huisentruit investigation to contact the police department at 641-421-3636.