A retired minister from Georgia, David Zandstra, has been found not guilty in the decades-old case of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington’s tragic death. The jury in Delaware County deliberated for just an hour after a four-day trial before acquitting the 84-year-old former pastor, who lives in Marietta, a suburb of Atlanta.
This case goes back almost 50 years to a summer morning in 1975 when young Gretchen vanished while walking to Bible camp. The camp was held at a chapel in Media, Pennsylvania, where Zandstra served as a pastor. Two months later, her lifeless body was discovered in Ridley Creek State Park by a jogger. Her clothes were found neatly folded nearby, and her underwear was hanging from a tree branch, a detail that haunted the community for years.
In the summer of 2023, Zandstra was charged with kidnapping and killing Gretchen after investigators received fresh information. Authorities claimed Zandstra confessed during an interview, admitting he had offered Gretchen a ride the day she disappeared. This confession formed the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case.
However, the defense argued otherwise. Zandstra’s attorney, Mark Much, told jurors the confession was coerced, saying detectives used pressure and manipulation to get the retired minister to admit to a crime he didn’t commit. Another defense attorney, Christopher Boggs, emphasized that there was no physical evidence tying Zandstra to Gretchen’s death. Boggs also pointed out that police had previously investigated other suspects who, he argued, were more likely responsible.
After spending 18 months in custody, Zandstra’s family expressed relief that he could finally return home. The case, which stirred painful memories in the community, has now come to a close, leaving questions unanswered for those still seeking justice for Gretchen Harrington.
