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In just-released 'Footprint to Murder' documentary, WCCO reveals Jeanie Childs case

The documentary, which includes in-depth interviews, police interrogation footage and evidence photos, is available to view online for free on YouTube and on WCCO's website.

a publicity image shows a blonde woman wearing a red jacket, as well as a closeup of an evidence photo of a bloody footprint
The publicity image for 'Footprint to Murder,' a original documentary produced by WCCO TV about the 1993 murder of Jeanie Childs in Minneapolis, and the arrest and conviction of her murderer almost three decades later, released Monday, April 28.
Courtesy / WCCO TV

MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis television station has about the Jeanie Childs murder in 1993.

"Footprint to Murder," an hour-long documentary by WCCO, a CBS affiliate, was released Monday, April 27. It includes in-depth interviews, police interrogation footage and evidence photos.

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"Footprint to Murder" is available to view online for free on and on

The documentary is a deep dive into what was a multi-decade-long cold case before dogged police work, with the help of new DNA techniques, solved the crime.

Jeanne Ann Childs, 35, was found dead in her apartment on Pillsbury Avenue South in south Minneapolis on June 13, 1993. She had been stabbed to death. Police never identified a suspect in Childs' murder, and it became a cold case.

"I know that my daughter was crying for me — I know she was," said Betty Eakman, Childs' mother, in the documentary.

Then in February 2019, police announced they had arrested Jerry Westrom, 52, of Isanti, Minnesota. They alleged they had matched DNA collected at the crime scene to Westrom's, as well as some bloody footprints in the apartment.

They had uploaded the then-unknown DNA to in 2018, which had pointed them toward Westrom. In 2019, authorities trailed Westrom for weeks before following him to a hockey game in Wisconsin, where they collected a napkin he discarded after buying a hot dog. The DNA matched.

On Aug. 22, 2022, after a weeklong trial, a jury deliberated for about two hours before convicting Westrom of Childs' murder. He was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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The WCCO documentary was produced by investigative reporter Jennifer Mayerle, with photography and editing by Grand Verdon.

WCCO's includes a detailed timeline and includes links to WCCO news coverage of the case as well as raw footage and full interviews.

Jeremy Fugleberg is editor of The Vault, Forum Communications Co.'s home for Midwest history, mysteries, crime and culture.
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