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Pessimism about missing student's fate as evidence trickles out
December 9, 2003

Dru Sjodin, a 22-year-old University of North Dakota student, has been missing since Feb. 22. (Courtesy of finddru.com)

Grand Forks, N.D. — (AP) Hopes of finding a missing college student alive faded Tuesday, as authorities confirmed a preliminary finding of her blood in a suspect's car and revealed that they had found one of her shoes near the Red Lake River. Dru Sjodin, a 22-year-old University of North Dakota student, has been missing since Nov. 22. Thousands of volunteers have searched for her since.

Grand Forks County Sheriff Dan Hill said he thinks it unlikely that she is alive.

I certainly hate to be discouraging to the family or anyone, but it looks to me now that it's more of a recovery mission than a rescue. - Grand Forks County Sheriff Dan Hill

"I certainly hate to be discouraging to the family or anyone, but it looks to me now that it's more of a recovery mission than a rescue," Hill said, in an interview with The Associated Press.

Sjodin family members declined to comment on his statements.

Hill confirmed that investigators made a preliminary DNA match of blood found in the car of a suspect, Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., with DNA taken from Sjodin's toothbrush. Asked how much blood was found in Rodriguez's car, Hill said a small amount. He described it as "a spattering."

Sjodin's shoe was found early in the week following her disappearance, Hill said, but not revealed until Tuesday. No other clothing has been found, he said. Divers have searched the Red Lake River thoroughly, and don't believe Sjodin is in it, he said.

An affidavit unsealed later Tuesday had only one new piece of information: Rodriguez's account of his whereabouts at the time Sjodin disappeared from a Grand Forks mall parking lot. According to the affidavit, Rodriguez told police he was watching a movie, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," until 7 or 7:30 p.m. Police said the movie wasn't being shown at any theater near Columbia Mall that day.

Sjodin was last heard from as she spoke with her boyfriend via cellphone from that mall parking lot. The call was cut off, but not before Sjodin said something like "Oh my god," according to her boyfriend. Police said earlier that they had probable cause to believe Rodriguez was at the mall the day Sjodin disappeared.

Hill also confirmed other information reported in the case, including the finding of a knife in Rodriguez's trunk that matched a sheath found near Sjodin's car, and that Rodriguez's car and its trunk had been extensively cleaned before his arrest.

Rodriguez, a 50-year-old with a history of violent sexual assaults, was arrested Dec. 1 in nearby Crookston, Minn. He is jailed on $5 million bond, charged with kidnapping.

Rodriguez was interviewed by authorities last week, but has since declined to speak with investigators. He has said through his attorney that he is innocent.

While Sjodin's family members didn't want to comment Tuesday, a private investigator working with the family, Bob Heales, said they had been aware of what investigators had found before details were reported in the media. Some of them spent at least part of the day searching for Sjodin.

Meanwhile, the governors of North Dakota and Minnesota said they would send National Guard members and other state employees later this week to help with the search for Sjodin. North Dakota was to send 175 people; Minnesota hadn't committed a number. They expected to search Friday through Sunday; exactly where hadn't been determined.

Rodriguez has said he wanted to stay in jail because of fears for his safety. He faces a preliminary hearing Feb. 4 and arraignment Feb. 6.

Rodriguez is a convicted rapist who has a history of attempted kidnapping with adult women, and has used a weapon in at least one assault. He was registered as a predatory offender, the classification for those believed to be at the highest risk of committing another sex crime.

Rodriguez was released from a Minnesota prison in May after serving 23 years for an attempted abduction in 1979. In that case, Rodriguez tried to abduct a woman off the street, and stabbed her when she fought back.

The affidavit made public Tuesday was originally sealed at the request of prosecutors. After several news organizations objected, prosecutors said they wouldn't oppose making it public. Grand Forks District Judge Lawrence Jahnke ordered it released Tuesday over the objection of Rodriguez's attorney, David Dusek, who said media coverage would make it more difficult for his client to get a fair trial.

In his order, Jahnke said he agreed to seal the documents originally to protect the investigation and make sure the Sjodin family didn't hear details from the media first. After most of the material in the affidavit leaked, Jahnke said he saw no compelling reason it should remain sealed.

Grand Forks County state's attorney Peter Welte said he wouldn't comment on the case beyond what was in the seven-page affidavit. Dusek referred reporters to his filing against the release of the papers.

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