Former Pastor Acquitted in 1975 Murder Case

David Zandstra, an 84-year-old retired minister, was acquitted of the 1975 kidnapping and murder of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington by a Delaware County jury after a four-day trial. Zandstra had been charged in 2023 following a confession he allegedly made, which his defense argued was coerced and lacked physical evidence linking him to the crime. Harrington disappeared while walking to Bible school, and her body was discovered two months later in Ridley Creek State Park. The jury deliberated for about an hour before reaching the not-guilty verdict on all counts, including murder and kidnapping. The case, which remained unsolved for nearly 50 years, raised questions about the integrity of the confession and the investigation itself. Prosecutors, acknowledging the challenges of cold cases, stated they would continue efforts to resolve other unsolved crimes.