David Zandstra, 83, of Marietta, Georgia, has been charged with criminal homicide, first, second, and third-degree murder, kidnapping, and possession of an instrument of crime, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's office.
"The murder of Gretchen Harrington has haunted members of law enforcement since that terrible day in August 1975. The families of victims often say that their lives are forever altered into the ‘before’ time and the ‘after’ time," said District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer in a statement. "Gretchen’s murder created a ‘before’ time and an ‘after’ time for an entire community – and for an entire county. This heinous act left a family and a community forever changed."
Zandstra, a husband and father of three, admitted to the crime after nearly 50 years. "Justice has been a long time coming, but we are proud and grateful to finally be able to give the community an answer," Stollsteimer added.
On the morning of August 15, 1975, Gretchen was walking to summer Bible camp along Lawrence Road in Marple, Pennsylvania. The camp took place at two neighboring churches — Trinity Church Chapel Christian Reformed Church and The Reformed Presbyterian Church in Marple. Camp attendees began each day of camp at Trinity.
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At the time, Zandstra was a pastor at Trinity and was responsible for transporting campers from Trinity to Reformed in either a blue and white Volkswagen bus or his green Rambler station wagon, according to the DA's office.
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Gretchen's father, who was a pastor at Reformed, became concerned when she did not show up at the church from Trinity. After news of her disappearance spread through the camp, Zandstra called the Marple Police Department to report the 8-year-old missing.
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Two months later, the girl's remains were discovered within Ridley Creek State Park.
One witness reported seeing Zandstra speaking with Gretchen from a green station wagon on August 15. However, when authorities interviewed Zandstra in October after the victim's remains were recovered, he denied seeing her that day.
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Earlier this year, the best friend of Zandstra's daughter came forward and told authorities that when she was 10 years old and sleeping over at the defendant's house, she woke up to Zandstra groping her. According to the DA's office, when the girl told Zandstra's daughter about the incident, she replied that he did that sometimes.
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The informant also recalled that a girl in her class was almost kidnapped twice and showed investigators a journal entry from 1975 expressing her belief that Zandstra was behind the attempted abductions.
Investigators contacted Zandstra in Georgia on July 17. Initially, he denied his involvement in the case but ultimately confessed to the crime after being confronted with evidence, including statements from his daughter's best friend.
According to the DA's office, the 83-year-old retired pastor admitted to seeing Gretchen walking on the morning of her disappearance, offering her a ride in his green station wagon, and taking her to a nearby wooded area. He claimed that he parked the car, asked the girl to remove her clothing, and when she refused, he struck her in the head, believing her to be dead. He then attempted to cover up her body and fled the scene.
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An arrest warrant and complaint were issued on the same day Zandstra was questioned, and a judge in Cobb County, Georgia, denied bail for the suspect.
Investigators have also collected a DNA sample from Zandstra to compare it to evidence in other Pennsylvania cold cases.
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"The Commonwealth can have confidence that law enforcement will not rest until justice is served," said Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Jonathan Sunderlin. "This case has been investigated by generations of detectives, and they all are owed a debt of gratitude for never giving up."
The Marple Police Department, who never gave up hope that Gretchen's killer would be identified, should also be recognized for their tenacious pursuit of justice, Stollsteimer added.
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