MEDIA, Pa. — A retired minister from Georgia has been acquitted in the case concerning the tragic death of an 8-year-old girl whose remains were discovered in a southeastern Pennsylvania park nearly 50 years ago.
Eighty-four-year-old David Zandstra, from Marietta, Georgia, was found not guilty by a jury after just one hour of deliberation following a four-day trial.
Zandstra faced charges for the kidnapping and killing of Gretchen Harrington, who vanished in 1975 while walking alone to a Bible camp at a chapel where Zandstra served as a pastor. Her remains were located two months later by a jogger in Ridley Creek State Park.
According to the Delaware County district attorney, Zandstra had offered Harrington a ride on the day she disappeared. Prosecutors claimed that Zandstra confessed to the crime after authorities received new information and conducted interviews.
Zandstra’s defense attorney argued that law enforcement pressured him into a false confession. They emphasized the lack of physical evidence linking Zandstra to the scene, pointing out that other potential suspects had been investigated.
After the verdict, a defense attorney remarked that Zandstra’s family is relieved he can return home after spending 18 months in custody.
Following Harrington’s disappearance, extensive search efforts were mobilized, including hundreds of volunteers combing nearby wooded areas. Authorities also disseminated over 2,000 flyers and established a 24-hour hotline that received numerous calls.
The investigation revealed that when Harrington’s body was found, her clothing was neatly folded nearby, with her underwear hanging from a tree branch, drawing significant attention to the area.
