A former pastor has been arrested for the cold-case murder of an 8-year-old girl in Pennsylvania, a crime that had remained unsolved for decades.
The disturbing revelation came to light when the 83-year-old suspect, David Zandstra, confessed to abducting and killing the young girl while she was on her way to Bible camp.
According to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the incident occurred on August 15, 1975, when Zandstra allegedly pulled up alongside the victim, Gretchen Harrington, in his green station wagon.
He offered her a ride, and she accepted, unaware of the horrifying fate that awaited her.
Zandstra admitted to investigators that he took Gretchen to a secluded location, where he instructed her to undress. Tragically, when she resisted, he resorted to violence, beating her to death. After committing the heinous act, he drove back to his church as if nothing had happened.
“David Zandstra is a monster. He is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Delco District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said on Monday.
“He killed this poor 8-year-old girl he knew and who trusted him. And then he acted as if he was a family friend, not only during her burial and the period after that, but for years.” Stollsteimer added.
The case remained a mystery for decades until January of this year when investigators interviewed a woman who claimed to be best friends with Zandstra’s daughter.
She alleged that during a sleepover at his home when she was just 10 years old, Zandstra had groped her. Armed with this information, detectives confronted the former pastor, who eventually confessed to the abduction and murder of Gretchen.
The young girl’s skeletal remains were discovered several weeks after her disappearance in Ridley Creek State Park, located over seven miles from her home. The tragedy left the community in shock, and her family has endured the pain of not knowing who was responsible for her untimely death for almost five decades.
Zandstra, who currently resides in Georgia, now faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and third-degree murder, in addition to kidnapping a minor and possessing an instrument of crime.
In response to the recent developments, Gretchen’s grieving family released a statement expressing their hope that the person responsible for their daughter’s death will finally be brought to justice.
“It’s difficult to express the emotions that we are feeling as we take one step closer to justice,” the statement read.
“Gretchen was only 8 years old when she was suddenly taken away from us on her way to church on Friday, August 15, 1975. If you met Gretchen, you were instantly her friend. She exuded kindness to all and was sweet and gentle,” the statement added.
