Cold Case Breakthrough: Retired Pastor, 83, Charged With 8-Year-Old Pennsylvania Girl's Death During Bible Camp in 1975

An 83-year-old former church pastor has been accused of the 1975 murder of an 8-year-old girl who vanished en route to Bible summer camp.

The disappearance and murder of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington had perplexed authorities in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, for nearly half a century until a former pastor at the church she attended confessed to the crime on Monday, according to the county prosecutor.

Retired Pastor Arrested for 1975 Cold Case Murder

"The murder of Gretchen Harrington has tormented law enforcement since that dreadful day in August 1975," Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said in a statement announcing the arrest of a suspect in the girl's slaying.

Stollsteimer reported that David Zandstra, 83, of Marietta, Georgia, has been charged with criminal homicide, murder in the first, second, and third degrees, kidnapping a minor, and possessing a weapon. In Georgia, Zandstra was apprehended on July 17. His parole was denied, and he remains in Cobb County Jail, Newsweek reported.

Stollsteimer stated that Zandstra is attempting to avoid extradition to Pennsylvania, but the prosecutor's office has requested a warrant from the governor to transport Zandstra to Delaware County, west of Philadelphia.

On August 15, 1975, Harrington walked to Bible school at Trinity Chapel Christian Reformed Church, where Zandstra served as pastor, according to Stollsteimer. Even though the chapel was less than a half-mile away, the young girl never made it.
Stollsteimer stated that Zandstra was the one who contacted the Marple Police Department to report the victim's disappearance.

A few months later, on October 14, Harrington's skeletal remains were discovered in the nearby Ridley Creek State Park. Her head injuries were determined to be the cause of her death, which was ruled a homicide. The question of who murdered the girl baffled authorities for 48 years.

In a news release, the district attorney's office said that his confession came after investigators presented him with new evidence gathered early this year, including an interview with a confidential informant and a diary entry the informant wrote in 1975 when she was 10 years old.

According to the release, the camp took place at both the Trinity Church Chapel Christian Reform Church - where Zandstra served as pastor - and the Reformed Presbyterian Church - where Gretchen's father served as pastor.

Per CNN, Gretchen's father became concerned when she failed to appear at his church, and it was Zandstra who contacted the police to report her disappearance.

Suspect Initially Denied Involvement to Crime

According to a newly released criminal complaint, investigators noted inaccuracies in Zandstra's initial statements and questioned how the pastor knew so much about what Gretchen was wearing that day when she never arrived at camp.

Zandstra denied knowing anything about the disappearance at the time. According to the release, investigators learned the former pastor now resides in Marietta, Georgia, and confronted him with the new evidence there last month.

Zandstra acknowledged offering Gretchen transport to summer camp on the morning of her disappearance. The complaint states he told officers he drove the minor to a wooded area and ordered her to disrobe. When she refused, he struck her in the head and left her bleeding in the area, believing she was deceased, as per NBC News.

The district attorney's office stated that a DNA sample was collected from Zandstra so it could be compared to DNA recovered from the crime site as well as open cases in the state and country.

Zandstra fled Pennsylvania after Gretchen's disappearance and resided in Plano, Texas, and Marietta, Georgia. The Pennsylvania State Police are requesting that anyone in these communities with information pertinent to Zandstra contact them.