The suspect in the kidnapping of Jayme Closs and the murder of her parents is pleading guilty.
Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson agreed to a deal with prosecutors, and he was convicted in Barron County court Wednesday afternoon. He was emotional, and got choked up, while entering his guilty pleas to two of the three counts.
Prosecutors agreed not to charge him in connection with any crimes committed in Douglas County, while Closs was in captivity at a cabin in the Gordon area. Prosecutors are also dropping a burglary charge.
Closs was kidnapped last September, after Patterson shot and killed her parents, James and Denise Closs, at their home in the Barron area. She escaped in January, after 88 days in captivity.
Patterson now faces two automatic life prison sentences. He’ll be sentenced on May 24th, and a judge will decide if he’ll ever be eligible for parole.
