BARRON, Wis.—A man accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl, killing her parents and holding her captive in a cabin for three months is expected to enter a formal plea on March 27 when he appears in court for an arraignment.
Jake Patterson, 21, wrote in a letter to Minneapolis’ KARE-TV this month that he intends to plead guilty. His attorneys have not returned repeated messages seeking to confirm that he will do so at the arraignment in western Wisconsin. Prosecutors have said they won’t comment. Such hearings are typically procedural affairs, where charges are read to a defendant who enters a formal plea ahead of trial. Sometimes a judge enters a not-guilty plea on the person’s behalf.
