88 Days in the Dark: The Abduction and Survival of Jayme Closs

In the early hours of October 15, 2018, a quiet home just outside Barron, Wisconsin, became the scene of an unimaginable tragedy. Twenty-one-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson arrived at the Closs family residence shortly before 1 a.m., armed with a shotgun and wearing a mask. Within minutes, James and Denise Closs were dead, and their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme Lynn Closs, had been taken from the only life she had ever known.

James Closs was the first to encounter the masked gunman at the door. Believing Patterson to be a police officer, he asked him to identify himself. Instead of answering, Patterson fired, killing him instantly. He then forced his way inside the home, searching room by room to ensure there were no witnesses. Denise Closs and Jayme had locked themselves in the bathroom. Denise placed a silent 911 call as Patterson tried to break through the door. When he succeeded, he bound Jayme with duct tape before fatally shooting her mother. He dragged Jayme from the blood-soaked house, forced her into the trunk of his car, and disappeared into the night.

Police arrived within minutes, but Patterson was already gone. Neighbors later said they had heard gunshots but dismissed the sound as hunting, common in the rural area. For Jayme, the horror had only just begun.

Jayme Closs: Hometown Hero | Full Episode

Patterson drove nearly 70 miles to a secluded cabin in Gordon, Wisconsin, where he held Jayme captive for the next 88 days. He controlled her through fear and isolation, repeatedly threatening her with harm if she tried to escape. When he left the cabin, he forced her to hide beneath his bed, barricading her in place with heavy objects so she could not move or be heard. At times, she was left there for hours without food, water, or access to a bathroom.

The isolation was suffocating. Patterson’s father visited the cabin regularly, and during those visits Jayme was hidden under the bed while music played loudly to mask any sound she might make. Patterson rarely allowed her outside and believed she was too frightened to ever run. He did not lock the doors. He did not think he needed to.

On January 10, 2019, that belief proved wrong. When Patterson left the cabin for several hours, Jayme managed to free herself. Wearing only a light shirt, leggings, and Patterson’s sneakers, she ran into the cold, unsure of where she was or who she might find. Eventually, she encountered a woman walking her dog, who immediately recognized her from the intense media coverage surrounding her disappearance. Jayme was taken to safety, and police were called.

When officers arrived, Jayme calmly told them who had killed her parents and where she had been held. Minutes later, deputies spotted Patterson’s vehicle nearby. After being stopped, he exited his car and admitted, “I did it.”

Patterson confessed quickly and later pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. At his sentencing in May 2019, Jayme’s family spoke about the devastation left behind. Jayme’s own statement, read by an attorney, described how her parents and her home had been the center of her world and how Patterson had taken both from her in a way that would never fully fade. She spoke of the lasting fear, the loss of safety, and the strength he failed to destroy. She asked the court to ensure he would never harm anyone again.

The judge sentenced Patterson to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 40 years. He was later transferred to a prison in New Mexico and registered as a sex offender.

After her recovery, Jayme went to live with relatives, beginning the long process of rebuilding her life. In the years since, she has emerged as a powerful voice for missing and exploited children, turning her survival into advocacy and awareness.

Jayme Closs’s story is one of profound loss, resilience, and courage. It is a reminder of the fragility of safety and of the extraordinary strength it can take for a child to survive, escape, and endure.