Jessie Blodgett, the university actress who was found dead in her bed in Hartford, Wisconsin, three years ago, will be the story of focus on Dateline NBC tonight.
On this episode of Dateline titled “Obsession,” Jessie Blodgett’s mother, Joy Blodgett will recount how she found her daughter dead that fateful afternoon, and how their family has coped since her tragic death. Investigators who solved the case will also give some inside details about the investigation. Jessie’s killer, Daniel Bartelt, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder.
Picture of Jessie Blodgett. Police are investigating the 19yo Hartford woman’s death #NBC15 http://t.co/TGH97Y4aEc pic.twitter.com/tPGjkMXXmC
— NBC15 News (@nbc15_madison) July 17, 2013
A Body In The Bed
In July 2013, police responded to a frantic 911 call placed by Joy Blodgett, who told operators that she had found her daughter unresponsive in bed. When police arrived at the home on Wayside Drive, they found the body of 19-year-old, Jessie Blodgett, on the bedroom floor, where her mother had placed her to perform CPR.
Her mother told police that she had returned home during lunch to check on her daughter, when she found her in bed with marks on her neck. Jessie Blodgett was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined that she had died of strangulation.
Retracing Jessie’s Steps
As investigators re-traced her steps, they learned that a neighbor had seen two cars parked at the home while Joy Blodgett was at work.
Jessie Blodgett was last seen alive the night before after attending a party for the show “Fiddler On The Roof.” She returned home very late in the night. At around 8 a.m., the next morning, her mother caught a glimpse of her daughter in bed, but didn’t notice if she was alive or dead at that time. She didn’t discover that Jessie was unresponsive until returning home that afternoon, according to Fox-6 Now ,
Investigators learned that recently a 19-year-old teen named Daniel Joseph Bartelt had pursued Jessie Bartlett romantically, even though Jessie Blodgett did not have the same feelings. The teen’s name was Daniel Joseph Bartelt, a 19-year-old man who had once dated Jessie Blodgett back in high school. They also attended the University of Wisconsin together for a time.
It Was The Ex-Boyfriend
A disturbing narrative began to develop, which indicated that Daniel Bartelt had become a man obsessed with having Jessie Blodgett as a girlfriend again. A search of his computer also showed that he had a keen interest in murder and serial killers. Just days before Jessie Blodgett was found dead in bed, Dateline NBC will detail how Daniel Bartelt attacked another woman in a park, not far from Jessie’s home. In that attack, the victim was thrown to the ground and held at knife point, but managed to get away.
Daniel Bartelt guilty of 1st-degree intentional homicide in strangling of Jessie Blodgett. http://t.co/vJO5UJuCLR pic.twitter.com/TNcrvmff2j
— Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) August 19, 2014
DNA evidence found under Jessie Blodgett’s fingernails matched Daniel Bartelt. The rope used in the killing was found inside of a cereal box in a local park.
No one knows why it happened. For people who knew Daniel Bartelt’s family, it was truly puzzling. By all accounts, he was raised by loving parents in a good environment, and even Jessie Blodgett’s father, Buck, agreed, according to the Daily Mail.
“Dan’s family is a beautiful family that provided a loving environment. They’re great people. I feel horrible for them, today. It’s a huge loss for everybody.”
Daniel Bartelt did often lie to his parents and at times it seemed as though he was depressed since leaving college, according to his mother. But no one could have suspected this.
UPDATE: Performances by Hartford Players to be dedicated to Jessie Blodgett #NBC15 http://t.co/TGH97Y4aEc pic.twitter.com/8RkTeyB7Lk
— NBC15 News (@nbc15_madison) July 17, 2013
As for family and friends of Jessie Blodgett, it’s hard to believe that she is no longer with them. A woman full of life, Jessie was a talented actress and musician who died much too soon. Below you’ll find a haunting song that was recorded by Jessie Blodgett and Daniel Bartelt and placed on YouTube .
After he was found guilty, Daniel Bartelt told Jessie Blodgett’s parents that the shackles he was wearing don’t make him guilty of killing their daughter, Fox6-Now reported.
“Buck, Joy — I can’t give you the reasons you are looking for. There’s no hiding from yourself in a tiny, concrete cell. This jumpsuit that I’m wearing, these shackles don’t make me guilty. I know there’s evidence that I can’t refute that would make you believe that I am guilty.”
To get even more details about this case, watch Dateline NBC tonight at 10/9 p.m. Central. Previously, Dateline NBC covered the case of Charlie Tan .
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