DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa [TND] — The case of a missing 8-year-old girl from Pennsylvania, whose remains were found in 1975, was solved.
Authorities in Media, Pennsylvania charged 83-year-old David Zandstra with criminal homicide, murder of the first, second, and third degree, kidnapping of a minor and the possession of an instrument of crime, nearly 50 years after Gretchen Harrington was murdered.
Zandstra admitted to the crime, according to Delaware County District Attorney, Jack Stollsteimer.
Harrington left her home to walk to her summer bible camp on August 15, 1975.
Zandstra was a pastor at the church, Trinity Church Chapel Christian Reform Church, where Harrington was going to camp.
Authorities stated that Zandstra would give instruction to the children at the camp. The morning Harrington went missing, Zanstra, transported the children at the camp to a separate church, The Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Harrington's father was a pastor at The Reformed Presbyterian Church at the time He reported his daughter's disappearance to police when she didn't show up.
Two months later, skeletal remains were found at Ridley Creek State Park and were identified as Harrington.
Zandstra was questioned about Harrington's disappearance when her remains were found.
Authorities said Zandstra denied seeing Harrington on the day she was abducted.
Earlier this year, investigators learned Zandstra allegedly groped a girl, who was best friends with his daughter, years ago. The witness told police investigators she attended sleepovers at Zandstra's house and was touched in the groin area by Zandstra. She told investigators Zandstra's daughter said her dad did that sometimes. The same person told investigators Zandstra remembered a child in her class was nearly kidnapped twice. In the witness' diary from 1975, she noted that she thought Zandstra kidnapped Harrington.
In July, investigators met with Zandstra in Marietta, Georgia, where he lives.
Zandstra admitted to authorities he saw Harrington walking on the morning of her disappearance. He told them he offered Harrington a ride and took her to a wooded area. He said he asked Harrington to remove her clothing after he parked the vehicle. Zandstra struck the in the head with a fist when she refused. Zandstra told investigators Harrington was bleeding and he believed he had killed her. He admitted to covering Harrington's body and leaving the scene.
Zandstra was taken into custody on July 17. He was denied bail and remains in jail in Cobb County, Georgia.
Stollsteimer filed a petition with Gov. Josh Shapiro to have Zandstra in Pennsylvania custody.
Authorities collected Zanstra's DNA. The sample will be examined and compared to other DNA samples collected in open cases in Pennsylvania and across the country, stated Stollsteimer.
After living Pennsylvania, Zandstra lived in Plano, Texas, as well as the Marietta, Georgia area.
Anyone with additional information about Zandstra’s activities when he was living in Texas or in Georgia are asked to call the Pennsylvania State Police.
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