Jake Peterson, 21, a man from Wisconsin, was sentenced Friday to life in prison for kidnapping 13-year-old girl Jayme Closs and murdering her parents, Fox News reports.
The judge sentenced Peterson to two consecutive life terms for intentional homicide, along with 25 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision for kidnapping without the possibility of release.
"There's no doubt in my mind you're one of the most dangerous men to ever walk on this planet," James Babler, the judge, said, calling Peterson the "embodiment of evil."
Jayme Closs: 'I will always have my freedom and he will not' https://t.co/mQ3vpBCN3N pic.twitter.com/Tt52C08Inh
— Brenna Safadi (@brennasq) 25 мая 2019 г.
According to his own statements, Peterson succumbed to his fantasies of keeping a young girl, while torturing and controlling her. At some point, he even fantasized of having several girls and murdering several families. Once the idea was rooted in his mind, he started looking for someone and Closs was unlucky to be the first one he saw.
The court documents say Peterson first noticed Closs boarding a school bus, which he followed. He attempted to kidnap the girl twice, but each time turned back because of activity at the house.
After the kidnapping, he kept the girl for 88 days, trapped under his bed, using "totes filled with weights," and occasionally hit her with a "curtain rod."
According to District Attorney Brian Wright, the man kept the girl in constant fear with threats of things getting even worse.
The girl managed to escape on 10 January when Peterson was away, she ran away to a neighbour's house, who then called the police. Peterson was reportedly arrested minutes after he returned home.
'He can never take away my spirit': Jayme Closs' statement read in court before her kidnapper was sentenced to life in prison https://t.co/gjWnHGQLul pic.twitter.com/IGFG4Wdmvn
— aasseew (@asdfgeeeee2) 25 мая 2019 г.
In court, the 13-year old victim said she wants the man to be "locked up forever."
"He thought that he could own me but he was wrong. I was smarter," she said in a statement. "I was brave and he was not…. He thought he could make me like him, but he was wrong…. For 88 days he tried to steal me and he didn't care whom he hurt or whom he killed to do that. He should be locked up forever."
During the hearing, Peterson said he regretted what he did and wished he could bring the girl's parents back.
