New Person of Interest in Cold Case of Missing Iowa News Anchor

Over 30 years after her mysterious disappearance, a new individual has emerged as a person of interest in the case of Jodi Huisentruit, an Iowa news anchor who vanished in the summer of 1995.

Brad Millerbernd, the ex-husband of Huisentruit’s childhood friend Patty Niemeyer, was investigated following tips suggesting his possible involvement in the suspected abduction. When Huisentruit disappeared, Millerbernd lived about three hours from her Mason City apartment. His ex-wife told filmmakers in a recent documentary that he closely resembled police suspect sketches that had never been publicly released.

Huisentruit was 27 when she called into work at 4 a.m., saying she was late. By 6 a.m., she had not arrived, and her employer proceeded with the broadcast. When she did not respond to follow-up calls, authorities responded to her apartment, where signs of a struggle were found. Near her vehicle, her bent car keys, along with a blow dryer, a high-heel shoe, and hair spray, were discovered abandoned.

Investigators initially searched for a missing person but soon considered abduction. Despite extensive efforts, little evidence was retrieved—only a palm print on a nearby light pole. Huisentruit was declared dead in 2001, but her remains have never been found, and no suspects have been formally charged.

Notably, Niemeyer recalled that her ex-husband called her on the anniversary of Huisentruit’s disappearance, which heightened her suspicions. She also mentioned that Millerbernd and Huisentruit had dinner together the fall before her disappearance and that he contacted her weeks earlier. This coincidence, coupled with observations of a white van around Huisentruit’s home on the morning she went missing, spurred further inquiries. Millerbernd’s vehicle was similar to the witness accounts, but he maintained his innocence, cooperated with police, and denied any involvement.

Other potential persons of interest included John Vansice, a friend who was with Huisentruit the night before she disappeared, who also denied involvement. Despite these leads, the case remains unsolved after decades.

In recent developments, new interviews and evidence have renewed interest in solving the case, which will be explored in a new Hulu documentary set to premiere on July 15.