Dead Air - The Disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit

by Beth Bednar

On her way to work one summer morning, a beautiful young television anchorwoman vanishes without a trace. Precious little evidence remains: only her car and a few puzzling clues. Peer behind the scenes of this true crime story, and uncover the cold case file of Jodi Huisentruit, the Iowa anchorwoman who mysteriously disappeared before dawn that summer morning in 1995. Somewhere, someone still harbors the truth about what really happened. An intriguing and compelling case from the heartland of America, the search for Jodi Huisentruit baffles authorities. Multiple scenarios and theories abound. Sixteen years later, the memories of Jodiand her disappearanceremain to haunt an entire industry, her family and friends, and a loyal viewing audience. Written by a former television anchor woman with an inside look into the TV news business, this eerie and unforgettable mystery still poses more questions than answers.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Mystery

200 pages, Hardcover

First published April 21, 2011

Reviews

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

The details of this case are fascinating, and would have made for an excellent long-form magazine piece. There is much interesting information in this book, but unfortunately it's padded with a lot of extraneous stuff- you sense it was added to make the thing book-length. Also, long chapters at the end, one detailing what various psychics have suggested about the case (!) and another where the author imagines the various scenarios in dramatized vignettes (including one on Jodi's final moments from Jodi's perspective which borders on contemptible) are given too much room, too much heft, and take away from the credibility of the rest of the book. There's no denying the author's sincere interest, and she details some interesting facts, but I can't recommend this book.

[McKanzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beth obviously doesn't think very highly of Jodi and doesn't really know how to write a book. I feel like so little of this book was actually about the case that it didn't even summarize what we know about the case.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unsolved true-crime book. It is about the mysterious disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit, a morning news anchor at a small Iowa TV station. Jodi went missing in the early morning hours of June 27, 1995 leaving behind her car with the key bent in the lock and a scattering of personal items in the parking lot. Though there were many people up and about at that hour, no one saw anything. This book was written by a fellow local TV news anchor and describes the last known day of Jodi's young life. It also goes into some depth about who might have wanted to take Jodi or hurt her, including a couple of suitors, some drug dealers, and stalkers.

I was living in North Carolina at the time of Jodi's disappearance and so I never heard of her but I am always down for true-crime books, so that was why I read this. After reading this, I have my suspicions about who I believe likely took Jodi. You may develop your own theories after reading this book. The author really goes into depth about the various theories surrounding her disappearance. There are a lot of moving parts to this book but the author deftly weaves them together in such a way that you're never confused about who or what. There are some references to sex throughout the book, some alcohol use, and a scene or two of violence. I liked this book and hope that they eventually find Jodi.

[Tess Mertens-Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live in the south metro area of Minneapolis, and remember when Jodi disappeared.
She was an up-and-coming news anchor out of Mason City, IA with aspirations to go to national news centers.
After oversleeping one day, her colleague called her and she rushed out the door. She never showed up to the TV station just a few blocks away. Once the police were brought in later that day, there was the scene of a struggle by her car still parked in her apartment complex.
To this day, the case is unsolved.
The book goes into Jodi’ family, aspiration, and social life. Shwe as very forthcoming and was known in the local bars. She was 27 years old, attractive, and very social.
The book goes into the investigation, and in 1995 DNA was just beginning to be used in criminal investigations. It seems the [police did their best with the tools they have, but there has been no body found. Will we ever know hat happened to Jodi. I hope someday there will be closure for the family.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disorganized, as if Bednar was just writing was the thoughts came into her head. We don’t really hear about Jodi and her life up until her disappearance until a few chapters in the book. It would have been better had the book followed a timeline.

Very repetitive; annoyingly so.

A lot of rumors and speculation, even a macabre sort of Groundhog Day, featuring several fictional versions of the events that could have transpired the morning Jodi disappeared.

She also states in the book that Ann Pressly, a news anchor in Arkansas was murdered by her stalker, but that is not true. It was a home invasion and robbery gone wrong.

I finished the book because I have been interested in Jodi’s case since I first heard about years ago, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I worked for 10 years as a news anchor at the station that Jodi worked at while she went missing, so this is a true story that is very close to my heart. Beth does a good job of exploring the tragic mysetry from all different angles, and even though the crime hasn't been solved, she will leave you with some clues and ideas of your own.

[Mckenna Lloyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find this case very interesting but this book was unbelievably boring and poorly written, unfortunately. could have easily been at least 100 pages shorter as all the known details are constantly repeated.

[Joanne Sachau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of information that I did not know. Maybe police messed up?

[Judy Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am still curious about where Jodi rests. Her family deserves to know.

[Jennifer Henschel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. I am sitting at my job in Albert Lea, MN and had never heard of the psychics who believe that Jodi is buried in Albert Lea. That was interesting. I pray that she is found so her family can get some closure. I hope her story will someday have an end to it.

[Craig Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came into the books Dead Air with some personal touchstones.

First, I grew up in the KAAL/KIMT broadcast area. I was no longer living locally in 1995, having moved to the Twin Cities, at the time of Jodi's disappearance, but when the event happened, it felt "close to home" since it affected the area I grew up in.

Further complicating matters were some personal connections. My birth sister, who I did not meet until I was in college but had met and knew well by 1995, grew up in Clarissa, MN, and Long Prairie, MN, so there was a chance that she actually knew of Jodi and her family, since it's not a large area up there and everyone tends to know everyone, to some degree.

So there was a feeling from two directions of this crime hitting "a bit too close to home for comfort."

Finally, the author of this book, Beth Bednar, was the primary local news anchor at KAAL during most of my childhood. She began as a co-anchor with Bill Hudson, but by the time I was in high school in the 1980s, Beth was the full-time anchor.

Beth came from an older school of journalism, when delivering the news in an unbiased way was more than a marketing catchphrase. I am pleased to report than, upon reading Dead Air, Beth Bednar has not changed that style.

While not entirely dispassionate, Bednar relates the facts and theories of Jodi's disappearance without really developing a pet theory of her own, an approach that does justice to this unsolved cold case. She relates some of the rumors and innuendo surrounding the case without buying into it herself as a writer, nor utilizing it to titillate the reader in an exploitative manner.

Although some true crime fans may prefer a more sensationalism and the proffering of a personal theory, Bednar adroitly avoids such potential pitfalls to simply relate all that is known, and the important bits about what is suspected, in this tragic disappearance.

One longs for the day when Bednar's "it is what it is" approach was the journalistic fashion of the day. While bombast and opinions draw more viewers, it gets us no closer to the truth. Well-written!

[Dara S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read!!! Was Jodi's disappearance connected to what she knew or who she knew or was it a random act of a stalker? Theories, psychics and possible scenarios abound. Some in depth information about Jodi's last hours and possible suspects. Could her death be connected to another friend's death just a few months before her disappearance?
I hope that anyone who reads this book who has information on the case will put aside their fears and come forward so that her family can have closure.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a very interesting book about the Jodi Huisentruit disappearance. I found it fascinating, however, if you are not familiar with the story or from the upper midwest, it might not be a compelling read.

I grew up watching Beth Bednar anchor the news for many years and thoroughly enjoy her writing style but I did think that in the last couple of chapters it was a lot of repetition and conjecture. The book fizzled out for me towards the end.

[Andrea Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intriguing real-life mystery, particularly because the key players are so close to home. However, this book is very poorly written - a combination of traditional, straightforward journalism; third-person perspective; hypothetical supposition; and repetitition. It was strange that the author would often interject seemingly unconnected tidbits or stories, would elude to topics to be covered later (some were, some were not) and then talk about herself.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I live in the Cedar Rapids area, so I am am somewhat aware of Jodi's disappearance and remember when it happened. While this book satisfied my curiosity as to different theories, I felt that it lacked the concrete facts I was looking for. There is a lot of extraneous information and plausible explanations, but I never had the sense that the author had much official first-hand information. Like another reviewer said, it would have made a good long article

[Kris Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being from Mason City and remembering the event as it was happening and hearing rumor after rumor, this was very interesting but at the same time gave me that lump in the pit of my stomach that I remember at the time. Anyone that was here at the time, would love to revisit this event through Beth Bednars book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give it a 3 because the woman can string words together in a meaningful way. I'd rate it higher except that I agree with other readers about some of the repetition. The book could have been shorter.

[Eunys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the topic is sad and at times gruesome, this book reads smoothly. I'd recommend it to anyone who recalls the time of Jodi's disappearance and still wonders about it.

[Jordan Hamann · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so inspiring to read and being a Mason City, IA native it makes you think. What happened to her? You want to do anything to find her

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and well done. I hope the mystery is solved soon, so her family can have some closure.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still unsolved mystery of the disappearance and untimely death of KIMT-TVs anchorwoman. Unfortunately, I knew how the book didn't end.

[Melissa Dally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am interested in this case as an Iowan who remembers when this took place. It was interesting, many details. It could've been stronger without the information from the psychics.

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinion this focused on one theory too much considering no charges have been filed in this case. Other theories were only briefly mentioned.