Jessica Heeringa 'Likely Knew' Her Abductor, Police Say (VIDEO)
Jessica Heeringa likely knew her abductor, police have speculated. The 25-year-old mother vanished from her job at a Michigan gas station just moments before her shift was over on Friday night.
New witnesses have come forward to offer testimony about what they saw before Heeringa disappeared, which seems to confirm the police's theory that she knew her abductor. Her mother also speculated that Heeringa would not go willingly with a complete stranger.
A stranger "was just like, 'Hey, what are you doing over here? Aren't you supposed to be inside?' Just kind of being real flirty, weird about it. It was just bizarre that he seemed to be actively looking for her, like he knew her and then had this attitude that he wanted to have a conversation with her and then conduct business, and that is what seemed really out of place to me," Christian VanAntwerpen told ABC News.
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He was there the evening Heeringa disappeared and has provided police with valuable information about what may have happened to the young gas station attendant.
"Jessica was always one of those people that even if she was uncomfortable with somebody, she always had a sense of grace. You see all sorts of people in retail, and her being in a different kind of retail, you can always sense when somebody is uncomfortable, or this is inconvenient for me. But she always had a sense about her to always be courteous and kind to that person and take care of things," VanAntwerpen added.
Witnesses have described the man suspected of abducting Heeringa as a white male, 6 feet tall with a medium to heavy build. He was last seen wearing a bright red or orange sweatshirt and driving a gray minivan, which witnesses described as heading north, away from the Norton Shores Exxon station.
"We're thinking whoever took Jessica definitely knew her or she knew them in some way either as acquaintances or a customer that she had a rapport with," Police Chief Daniel Shaw said at a press conference.
"Be a hero and send her back to us," Heeringa's grandmother, Diane Homrich said to the abductor via the Detroit Free Press.
Anyone with information is asked to call Silent Observer at 231-722-7463.
Watch the latest information about Heeringa's case HERE:
