On the day 19-year-old Jessie Blodgett was found murdered, the first person to console her devastated family was her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Bartelt — someone they trusted completely. But behind the sympathy, he was hiding a horrifying secret, one that was exposed by a single chilling mistake.
Jessie, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, had just performed in Fiddler on the Roof and celebrated at a cast party on July 14, 2013. No one imagined that would be her final night alive.
The next afternoon, Jessie’s mother returned home around 12:30 p.m. and discovered her daughter lifeless in bed, strangled and disturbingly posed to appear as though she were peacefully sleeping. The tragic discovery was captured in a heartbreaking 911 call featured in A Killer Among Friends on Discovery.
The murder stunned the small town of Hartford, Wisconsin. Among those grieving was Daniel Bartelt — Jessie’s former boyfriend and fellow theater enthusiast — who had, just hours earlier, raped and killed her.
That day, Daniel sat with Jessie’s grieving family, mourning with them and recalling memories. But things took a turn when he received a call from police asking him to come in for questioning. Friends, who gave him a ride, were confused when he asked to be picked up in just 30 minutes. Instead, police met them outside the station and informed them that Bartelt was being detained.
At the time, no one suspected him. Even Jessie’s father, Buck Blodgett, found it hard to believe. “He was welcome in our home,” Buck said, remembering how Daniel had been with them the day after the murder, hugging them and crying. “We thought, what happened to Dan?”
However, a recent violent assault in a nearby park had put Bartelt on police radar. Just days before Jessie’s death, he had attacked a woman there — pinning her down and holding a knife to her throat. He later confessed, claiming he only meant to scare her.
When questioned about Jessie’s death, Bartelt denied involvement. But he slipped up during the interrogation, saying someone had “raped and murdered” Jessie — a disturbing detail that hadn’t been made public. That alarming statement tipped off detectives.
The investigation took a decisive turn when police searched a trash can near the park and found a cereal box containing rope, bloodied wipes, and duct tape. Lab analysis revealed DNA from both Bartelt and Jessie, directly linking him to the murder.
Still, Bartelt insisted he was innocent, telling the courtroom, “This jumpsuit and these shackles don’t make me guilty.” The judge responded that it wasn’t his appearance that condemned him — it was the undeniable DNA evidence.
Bartelt was sentenced to five years for the park assault and a life sentence for Jessie’s murder, served consecutively.
In the aftermath, Jessie’s father, Buck, founded The Love < Hate Project — an initiative aimed at promoting forgiveness and healing, even in the face of unimaginable loss. Each year, he honors his daughter on the anniversary of her death with a touching Facebook post. In his most recent tribute, Buck wrote: “You were a Light… You left a peace and a purpose I never knew possible. I can’t wait to see you again, my amazing butterfly angel. But first, there’s more work to do here.” Let us know your thoughts on this powerful and heartbreaking story — and feel free to share it with others.