The twelve-year-old that had escaped Monday from 42-year-old Michael Klunder, spoke earlier today about what happened that frightening afternoon.
Dezirea Hughes is a seventh-grader from Dayton, Iowa. Hughes said that Klunder lured them into his truck Monday by telling them they could earn money by mowing some lawns. The girls both said they wanted to, but needed to call their parents first. Klunder said he would give them a ride home and just continued to drive. After a while, he told the girls they could call their parents from his house. The girls were taken to a hog confinement where Klunder zip-tied their hands and took Shepard away. Hughes says that’s when she got away, ran into the woods, and carried the gun with her that Klunder had left on the floor. She ran to a farm and alerted authorities.
Police found Klunder’s body at another location. Authorities believe he committed suicide.
The search for Kathlynn Shepard continues. There should be another update around 4pm this afternoon.
