MASON CITY, IA — Authorities on Friday identified a former police chief's wife as the person responsible for sending a copy of a missing television anchor's diary to the Mason City newspaper.
Cheryl Ellingson, wife of former Chief David Ellingson, admitted to investigators on Monday that she sent the journal to the Globe Gazette, according to a news release from the Mason City Police Department. It said no laws were broken and no charges will be filed.
The journal had belonged to 27-year-old Jodi Huisentruit who disappeared on her way to KIMT-TV in June 1995. The original diary taken into evidence from Huisentruit's apartment has remained in the custody of the police department, the release said.
The newspaper received a copy of the 84-page journal in a large envelope with no return address and a June 4 postmark from Waterloo.
Local police, the Cerro Gordo County attorney's office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation looked into to leak.
According to the release, when David Ellingson resigned he inadvertently took a copy of the diary along with other boxed items. His wife found the copy as they were preparing to move and decided to share it with the Globe Gazette, the release said.
"The primary concern over the release of the diary has continued to be the compromising of the investigation into the disappearnce of Jodi Huisentruit," the release said. "Regardless of Cheryl Ellingson's motive or the Globe Gazette's interest in printing the diary, no credible leads have yet resulted."
The release said the Ellingon's home was searched and they have "no other reports or records which could further compromise the Huisentruit investigation or any other police investigation."
