Pastor Acquitted of 8 year old Girl’s Murder
A jury has declared David Zandstra, an 84-year-old retired pastor, not guilty of the murder of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington. The judgement came on January 20, 2025, after a four-day trial in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. This case dates back to 1975 when Gretchen disappeared on her way to summer Bible school.
Zandstra was accused of killing Gretchen after she left her home to go to church. He was arrested in July 2023, nearly 50 years after the girl went missing. Prosecutors claimed that he offered her a ride, took her to Ridley Creek State Park, and then killed her. At the time of his arrest, Zandstra was living in Georgia.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that Zandstra had confessed to the crime. However, his lawyer insisted that the confession was forced and not voluntary. The defence maintained that Zandstra was pressured into admitting guilt. After about an hour of deliberation, the jury found him not guilty of all charges, which included first-, second-, and third-degree murder, as well as kidnapping and criminal homicide.
Zandstra had been a pastor at the Trinity Chapel Christian Reformed Church in Broomall, Pennsylvania, during the mid-1970s. On August 15, 1975, the day Gretchen vanished, she was on her way to a Bible camp at that same church. Investigators later discovered that the church was less than half a mile from her home.
Gretchen’s father, who was also a minister at a nearby church, reported her missing when she did not arrive at the camp. Zandstra also called the police that morning to report her disappearance. Her body was found about two months later in Ridley Creek State Park.
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The case has haunted the local community for decades. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer referred to the events of 1975 as a crime that “left a family and a community forever changed.” Witnesses had reported seeing Gretchen talking to someone driving a green station waggon or a two-tone Cadillac around the time she disappeared.
In July 2023, when police confronted Zandstra with allegations of sexual misconduct from the 1970s, he reportedly admitted to offering Gretchen a ride. He claimed he took her to a wooded area and asked her to remove her clothing. When she refused, he said he struck her in the head.
Despite the serious allegations, the jury’s verdict means that Zandstra is no longer facing any charges related to this case. The outcome has left many in the community reflecting on a tragedy that has lingered for so long.
Content Credit| Kemi Arowolo
Picture Credit | https://www.npr.org/
