Martin Reflects on Student Kidnapping

Random is a word used frequently in everyday conversations.  It can mean something is out of place, or different, out of the ordinary.  But on Sunday, April 6, 2001 in Kearney, Nebraska, it meant Anne Sluti.

            It was a truly random occurrence.  Anne was getting into her vehicle in the Hilltop Mall parking lot in Kearney when a man hit her over the head and dragged her to a stolen truck.  The kidnapper then drove the Chevy Suburban hundreds of miles away from Sluti’s hometown, and into Montana. New generations learned of the ordeal Feb. 15 when Lifetime aired a made-for-television movie about the kidnapping, Taken In Broad Daylight.. At Fairbury High School, one person will be forever linked to the kidnapping. 

            Though there were a small number of witnesses, speculation of the man’s identity still surrounded the ordeal.  “He had been involved in a situation at the Mall of America the month before the kidnapping, so the authorities knew they already had someone to look for, and then they tied a stolen vehicle to him,” said English teacher Jed Martin.  Martin taught Anne in journalism at Kearney High School before moving to Fairbury.

 “It was the toughest time I’ve ever gone through as a teacher,” said Martin.  Anne was abducted on a Sunday, and was missing for approximately six days.  “I was out of town that weekend, and when I got back, I had a message from the school counselor telling me what had happened,” said Martin.  “On Monday, the teachers had a meeting with the Superintendent.  We were asked not to talk about it during class; to keep everything normal, but we knew everyone had questions,” said Martin. 

              He described Sluti as a little bit reserved, and with a great personality.  “She was a pretty quiet girl, but had a very dry sense of humor and was friends with everyone,” said Martin.  Students at Kearney High School tried not to discuss the matter in class, but everyone had worried thoughts about what had happened.  “After the kidnapping, we were all looking for some form of comfort, and ways to be strong,” said Martin. 

            “I couldn’t believe there was speculation out there that Anne and her abductor knew each other,” said Martin.  Though the incident was completely random, there didn’t seem to be enough details to warrant a random kidnapping.  “People thought that they knew each other and that they ran away together, but Anne was a smart girl and wouldn’t do that,” said Martin.  “She also negotiated with Zappa for her freedom, which I personally would have found extremely hard to do, given her situation,” said Martin. 

            Sluti was released by Zappa to police in Montana on April 13, 2001 after a grueling six days in her kidnapper’s hands.  In an effort to keep things as normal as possible, her return back to Kearney High School was almost immediate.  “I was in the hall before class that next Tuesday, and I looked over and Anne was walking down the hall toward me.  She acted as though nothing had happened, and carried on with class as usual,” said Martin. 

            Unfortunately, this is not the first case of a kidnapping, and will probably not be the last.  “Because there are always going to be weird people out there, instances like Anne’s will probably continue to happen,” said Martin.  Local and national news covered the story, and kept America abreast to each development in the case.  “The media did a great job informing people of what was going on, but yet keeping them calm,” said Martin.  The AMBER Alert system was put into effect in the United States shortly after Anne’s disappearance, and has been speeding up the recovery process of missing children ever since.

            Anne’s kidnapping was a shocking incident for the people of Kearney, but it also gave Jed Martin a sense of admiration.  “Anne was extremely strong through the thing, and it made me appreciate her strength as a teenager,” said Martin. 

By: Paige Comried

FFA Week Promises Fun for Students

            “FFA week is the most fun week of the school year, second only to Spirit Week!” Ethan Schroeder ’10 said. Schroeder summed up his anticipation for FFA Week Feb. 23-27. FFA Week consists of many events to pump up pride for agriculture. Students, teachers, and any other person can participate in FFA Week.

Ag teacher and FFA sponsor Dennis Kenning summed up the events day by day. Monday is the day for members to dress up in the FFA official dress. Any member who dresses in the official dress receives the reward of having pizza for lunch. Tuesday, the FFA squad will hold a breakfast for all teachers starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday provides the opportunity for people to show off their tractors and other agricultural-related equipment. Any student can drive his/her favorite tractor or grain truck to school that day. Ag Olympics is set for Thursday with new events planned for students and faculty.

“We are still figuring out what to do in the Olympics. It is bound to be a fun time. Hopefully, it will get people riled up to get them to join FFA,” said Calvin Katz ’09.

            “Friday is the day that our FFA squad will go down to the elementary school to teach kids about how agriculture affects their lives,” President Landon Schmidt ’10 said. “The kids will hopefully gain a respect for agriculture. Also, hopefully, when they get to high school they will remember what we taught them, and they will then join FFA.”

By: Shaun Friedrichsen

Fairbury Jr/Sr High School
1501 9th Street
Fairbury, NE 68352
(402)-729-6116 ext 106