Pastor charged with cold case murder of eight-year-old girl who vanished nearly 50 years ago on walk to church

‘Gretchen’s murder created a “before” time and an “after” time for an entire community’

A former pastor has been charged with the cold-case murder of an eight-year-old girl who disappeared while walking to Bible camp nearly 50 years ago.

David Zandstra was arrested on Monday for the murder of neighbouring pastor’s daughter Gretchen Harrington on 15 August 1975 in Marple Township, Pennsylvania. He has been charged with criminal homicide, murder of the first, second, and third degree, as well as kidnapping of a minor and the possession of an instrument of crime.

According to police, following his arrest, Mr Zandstra had admitted to offering Gretchen a ride and taking her to a wooded area.

“The defendant stated that he had parked the car and asked the victim to remove her clothing. When she refused, he struck her in the head with a fist. The victim was bleeding, and he believed her to be dead. He attempted to cover up her body and left the area,” police said in a statement.

“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.

“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. At long last I can announce today that her killer – David Zandstra – has admitted to his crime. Justice has been a long time coming, but we are proud and grateful to finally be able to give the community an answer.”

David Zandstra is seen in his mugshot (Pennsylvania DA)

Gretchen Harrington was killed at eight years old in Pennsylvania (Delaware County District Attorney’s Office)

On that August morning in 1975, Gretchen left her home on Lawrence Road in Marple at approximately 9.30am to walk to her summer bible camp.

The camp used both the premises of the Trinity Church Chapel Christian Reform Church (“Trinity”) and the premises of The Reformed Presbyterian Church (“Reformed”) next door. The defendant was the pastor of Trinity, and Gretchen’s father was the pastor of Reformed.

Gretchen’s father realised his daughter was missing when she failed to appear at Reformed, and her disappearance was reported to the police shortly afterwards.

Her body was found two months later in Ridley Creek State Park, but despite the defendant being interviewed around the time of her disappearance, no arrest was made.

Police made a breakthrough in the case nearly 50 years later, after an individual who would often attend sleepovers at Mr Zandstra’s house said claimed had been woken one night to find him groping her. She told police that she recalled that a child in her class was nearly kidnapped twice and she believed at the time that Mr Zandstra was the culprit.