'Gathering of Hope' planned Monday for missing Wisconsin teen Jayme Closs

Local and federal authorities are continuing to investigate the disappearance of 13-year-old Jayme Closs, who has been missing since last Monday when her parents were shot and killed in their home in Barron, Wisconsin. 

There have been no credible sightings of Jayme so far, despite the more than 1,200 tips that have come in. The Barron County Sheriff’s Office said it has thoroughly investigating at least 1,000 of those tips so far.

Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald is calling for up to 2,000 volunteers to join another search looking for evidence related to Jayme's disappearance and her parents' murders. Volunteers are asked to meet at The Hungry Hollow Grounds in Barron at 9 a.m. 

Shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 15, neighbors heard two gunshots come from the Closs family home. At 12:53 a.m., Barron County dispatchers received a 911 call from Denise Closs’ cell phone. No one spoke to dispatchers, but there was a lot of yelling in the background. The call then dropped.  

Calls back to Denise’s cell phone went unanswered. The first officer arrived at the Closs home minutes later and discovered the bodies of Denise and James Closs. Both died of gunshot wounds. The front door to the home had been kicked in. 

The sheriff’s office believes Jayme was home at the time of the shooting. By the time officers arrived, she was gone. 

At 1:06 a.m., the call log reads that a male is down—at that time officers did not know Jayme was missing. She was officially listed as a missing child at 3:57 a.m., according to the log. An AMBER Alert for her was issued later that day. 

Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald has said Jayme is not a suspect in her parents’ murders. She is believed to be in danger and has been added to the top of the FBI’s Missing Persons list. Her information is now be posted on billboards and gas pumps nationwide. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the tip line at 1-855-744-3879 or email jaymetips@co.barron.wi.us with any photos of videos of possible sightings. 

A “Gathering of Hope” is taking place Monday evening at Jayme’s middle school in Barron. The event goes from 6-8 p.m. at the Barron High School football field. 

Green bracelets are also being sold in several locations in the Barron area with the message, “Find Jayme Closs.” Proceeds will go towards assisting Jayme’s grieving family.