Swedesburg, IA Area Cold Cases

Name

Amber Hayes

Age

712

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Amber marie hayes, 7-1/2 months old, was reported missing by her mother, mary hayes, at 1:30 a.M. On thursday, june 9, 1988. Four days later, parts of the infant’s body, her pink diaper bag and a blanket were discovered in a remote area near lake odessa by two boys riding all-terrain vehicles.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Amos Jellison

Age

74

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Amos jellison, a 74-year-old former railroad employee, was bludgeoned to death in his blairstown, iowa, mobile home either late sunday night, aug. 2, 1981 or in the early morning hours of monday, aug. 3, 1981, during an alleged robbery.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Anthony Posley

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Anthony “fat boy” posley, 22, of 333 pioneer ave. Se in cedar rapids, iowa, was shot in the 1600 block of sixth avenue se about 2:27 a.M. On sunday, july 23, 2006. He was taken by ambulance to mercy medical center and pronounced dead a short time later. According to cedar rapids police lt. Kenneth washburn, who investigated the case, those who spoke to the police indicated that posley was shot in self-defense.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Arthur Ransford

Age

36

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Arthur leon ransford, a 36-year-old vietnam veteran, went missing from his keokuk, iowa home in lee county on tuesday, november 22, 1983. His wife reported him missing thanksgiving day. Montrose in lee county montrose in lee county on sunday, may 13, 1984, ransford’s body was found about two miles south of montrose, enclosed in a large yellow bag and buried under cement blocks in a wooded area overlooking the mississippi river. The father of two had been shot in the head before being bagged and buried on the river bluff.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Aubrey Young

Age

35

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Aubrey young, 35, was shot to death near redmond park in cedar rapids at 2 a.M. On sunday, june 15, 2008. Investigators found his body, lying face down on the ground, between two parked cars in the 200 block of 16th street se. Young had been shot once in the head.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Barbara Elms

Age

50

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Barbara lee elms was reported missing to the cedar rapids police department on august 25, 1993. She was last seen heading toward first avenue east, wearing white shorts, a multicolored blouse, black hose, hi-top sneakers, and a walkman with earphones.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Billy Clark

Age

43

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Sometime on friday, august 1, 1975, billy lee clark of ottumwa, iowa, was shot in the back in a rural wapello county pasture. The 43-year-old’s body, found lying next to his pick-up truck, was discovered the following day at approximately 2:23 p.M. On a farm owned by martin bergland, about seven miles west of ottumwa on route 4.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Brandy Shepherd

Age

29

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Brandy mae shepherd-margita, 29, of anamosa, iowa, was found dead in a henry county farm field west of wayland near highway 78 on friday, august 9, 2019. Wayland in henry county (wikipedia) the mother of four young children had been missing since august 2. The henry county sheriff’s office said a farmhand found her body around noon while checking on livestock and the property’s fence line.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Cecil Paris

Age

31

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Police believed cecil was shot when he ordered someone off the premises. His own .32 caliber revolver was missing and believed stolen. Money had also been removed but a cheap watch was untouched. Three charcoal tablets had been wrapped in a paper that they think the murderer mistook for a bill and were found on the ground along with the paper.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Charles Gearhart

Age

89

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

Charles rufus gearhart, an 89-year-old rock island railroad retiree, was stabbed to death in his cedar rapids apartment on wednesday, may 13, 1970, the victim of an apparent robbery. Gearhart, the landlord of an apartment building located at 422 first street sw, was discovered the following day by tenants charles frondle and willie harvey, who’d come to gearhart’s apartment to complain they had no water or heat; the apartment building’s basement had flooded, extinguishing the furnace’s pilot light. According to a cedar rapids gazette article dated may 15, 1970, frondle and harvey said they’d gone to gearhart’s apartment at approximately 6:35 p.M. Gearhart was found between the kitchen and bedroom lying in a hallway. Cedar rapids police told the gazette the suspect had broken the apartment’s rear door in order to gain entrance. A search of gearhart’s apartment failed to turn up the murder weapon. Tenants told police the elderly gearhart often flashed large sums of cash, though police were unable to locate any money in gearhart’s apartment or in his clothing.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Charles Netherland

Age

25

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Charles william “binx” netherland, 25, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head at 801 mulberry ave. In muscatine, iowa, on saturday, august 18, 2012.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Danny Baker

Age

28

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Danny baker, a 28-year-old father of four, was shot in the back monday night, nov. 28, 1983, in the driveway of his brother-in-law’s southwest cedar rapids home after an argument with another guest over a boxing match they’d been watching on television. Police said baker and willie b. Barney, 40, were inside paul galbreath’s 617 18th ave. Sw residence with several others — including baker’s 9-year-old son donyeal — prior to the shooting. The men had been drinking while watching the boxing match, and when baker and barney began arguing, baker went out the front door sometime before 8 p.M. And barney followed.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Denease Latham

Age

24

Cause of Death

Suspicious

Info

On sunday, oct. 5, 1986 — just 15 days before her 25th birthday — denease (monson) latham of what cheer, iowa, suffered blunt force trauma injuries to her head before coming to rest face-down in two feet of water beneath a bridge about a half mile north of rose hill in mahaska county. One of latham’s young sons remembers the fight between his mother and father the last night he ever saw his mom alive. She’d taken off on her bicycle, he said, and his father, robin latham, later went after her.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Denise Fraley

Age

30

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Denise fraley was last seen alive in cedar rapids, iowa, in the early morning hours on sunday, september 12, 1982. Denise and her husband, david fraley, had played in a band saturday night at a private cedar rapids party. Once the couple left the event, denise was never seen alive again and foul play is suspected in her disappearance. David fraley never reported his wife as missing. And, for more than a month, he deterred his wife’s family from filing any missing persons report.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Chaffee

Age

33

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Dennis chaffee of cedar rapids, iowa, spent the weekend of july 16 – 17, 1983, at home with his 1-1/2-year-old twins — son adam and daughter maria — and on monday, july 18, was to return them to their mother, mary hernandez, who resided in marion, iowa. When monday arrived, chaffee didn’t answer his phone when hernandez called, nor did he show up for work at wilson foods in cedar rapids where he’d been employed for the past 15 years. Concerned, hernandez called chaffee’s parents, harlon and betty chaffee, also of cedar rapids.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Stastny

Age

30

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On tuesday, august 9, 1977, mary white of cedar rapids, iowa, filed a missing persons report with the cedar rapids police department regarding the disappearance of her son, dennis stastny, 30. Two days later, stastny’s body was pulled from the cedar river near downtown cedar rapids after two young fishermen, steve halsor, 16, and john braumann, 15, discovered the body in the west spillway near the f avenue bridge about 11 a.M. According to an autopsy report by linn county medical examiner dr. Percy harris, stastny — a navy veteran who worked part-time as a shoe salesman — died from a “stab wound to the heart.”

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dolores Hornung

Age

48

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Dolores a. “toni” (martinez) hornung, 48, was shot to death in her keokuk, iowa home with a 30-30 rifle early sunday morning on valentine’s day, 1999. Lee county in iowa lee county in iowa keokuk in lee countykeokuk in lee county hornung’s daughter called emergency officials about 5:25 p.M. Saying she could not wake her mother, police said in a statement released monday, february 15, 1999. Investigators determined hornung hadn’t died of natural causes and scheduled an autopsy for the following day.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dominique Mosby

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Twenty-two-year-old dominique mosby was shot in the head on friday, june 26, 2009 as he sat outside on an apartment deck playing dice for money with a group of men. According to witnesses, mosby and several other men were playing dice on the patio of cedarwood hills apartment number 105 in cedar rapids at 2030 glass rd. Ne when an unknown assailant walked up to mosby and shot him several times. The shooter then walked away. Police responded to shots fired at the complex at approximately 6:35 p.M., where they found mosby lying on the ground outside the ground floor apartment. Emergency medical technicians performed cpr on mosby before taking him to st. Luke’s hospital, where the victim died.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dorothy Miller

Age

48

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Dorothy h. Miller, a 48-year-old bolick realty saleswoman and grandmother of two, was killed on monday evening, august 18, 1969, in an unoccupied, two-story frame house at 118 grand street in burlington, iowa. Des moines county in iowa des moines county in iowa burlington in des moines countyburlington in des moines county dorothy reportedly had an appointment to show a house in burlington that day to a man who identified himself as robert clark. When she didn’t return home that evening, her husband reported her missing the following morning

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dorothy Rose

Age

43

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Dorothy j. Rose, 43, was found dead in her 206 12th st. Se cedar rapids, iowa apartment on tuesday night, november 28, 2006. The building’s landlord — who’d gone to check on rose — discovered her body and called police.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Douglas Shondel II

Age

21

Cause of Death

Undetermined

Info

Many things don’t add up in 21-year-old douglas james shondel ii’s mysterious march 2001 death. Jefferson county in iowa jefferson county in iowa fairfield in jefferson countyfairfield in jefferson county shondel’s pregnant girlfriend, crystal knight, told officials on sunday, march 11, 2001, that she’d found him unresponsive in the bathtub of the couple’s 100 n. 16th st. Apartment in fairfield, iowa, the water still running from the shower. Rather than ask to use the next-door neighbor’s telephone to call 911, knight walked one and one-half blocks to gather some of the couple’s friends, who returned to the 16th street apartment with her to allegedly clean everything before anyone called emts.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Eric Redinbo

Age

18

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Eric scott redinbo, 18, died friday night, february 12, 1999, from a single blast to the head from a 12-gauge shotgun at a keokuk, iowa home. Officers said they were called to susan anderson’s house on keokuk’s west side around 8:40 p.M. Friday, where they found redinbo’s body. Police said the 12 gauge had accidentally gone off inside the home, hitting redinbo once in the head.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Erin Pospisil

Age

15

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Erin pospisil was reported missing to the cedar rapids police department on june 3, 2001. The [then] 15-year-old was last seen leaving her home with curtis padgett and hasn’t been seen since. According to padgett — a friend of erin’s older brother — he was leaving the pospisil home at the same time as erin and agreed to give her a ride to her friend brit’s home, where erin and brit planned to watch movies or go to the movie theater. Padgett later told officials that when they arrived at brit’s home in the 1500 block of second avenue se late sunday, june 3, 2001, that erin went up to the door and knocked but no one answered.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Eugenio Garcia

Age

36

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

The body of eugenio garcia, 36, was found near the dougherty bridge on county road f-70 about seven miles northwest of muscatine, iowa at 7 a.M. On father’s day, june 21, 1992. Sgt. Greg orr of the muscatine county sheriff’s department reported garcia had been strangled.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Felicitas Terrill

Age

73

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Seventy-three-year-old felicitas terrill was found dead in her muscatine, iowa home monday morning, april 14, 1986, with four gunshot wounds to the head. Felicitas terrill article courtesy the cedar rapids gazette, tuesday, april 15, 1986 sharon renfro — the victim’s daughter — said when she tried to contact her mother and couldn’t reach her, she called police and asked them to do a welfare check.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Francis Jordon Sr

Age

42

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

In the early morning hours on wednesday, july 12, 1978, francis frederick jordon sr. Was killed after two men knocked on his door saying they had car trouble and asking him for help.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Frank Searway

Age

43

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Frank searway, a 43-year-old single farmer, had just sold a horse for $850 when he was murdered and buried in his barn about six miles northwest of millersburg, iowa, on or around may 8, 1911.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Frederick Coste

Age

47

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

Frederick “fred” leonard coste, the 47-year-old manager of the family finance corporation in cedar rapids, iowa, was stabbed to death inside his loan interview cubicle on thursday morning, oct. 15, 1959. Two customers found coste — lying on his back in a pool of blood — shortly before noon at the 312-1/2 second ave. Se cedar rapids business.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Helen Morrow

Age

55

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Mrs. Helen morrow was found lying on a bed in a first floor room of her fire-ravaged two-story home in eldon, ia, on august 12, 1980. An autopsy report showed she died of smoke inhalation. Herman pierce, 48, also of eldon, was charged tuesday, aug. 26, 1980, with first-degree murder in morrow’s death, but a grand jury refused to return any indictments against him.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Isidro Gomez Jr

Age

27

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Isidro gomez, jr., of muscatine, iowa, was reported missing to the muscatine police department on december 17, 2007, by jessica ridinger of muscatine, gomez’s girlfriend of eight years. Muscatine county in iowa muscatine county in iowa muscatine in muscatine countymuscatine in muscatine county ridinger said gomez left their muscatine home early that morning and promised to be back before breakfast. When he didn’t come home, ridinger said she knew something was wrong and alerted authorities.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jackie Douthart

Age

24

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Jackie leigh douthart, the mother of a small child, was reported missing to the mount pleasant police department on may 22, 2011, when she didn’t return home after a night out with friends. When last seen, jackie was wearing a zebra-striped shirt, a black vest, blue jeans and flip flops. Douthart’s disappearance, along with that of elizabeth syperda — a 22-year-old mount pleasant woman who went missing july 17, 2000 — frustrated both investigators and residents of mount pleasant, a city of about 8,700 people in southeastern iowa

Agency

Iowa

Name

James Poggemiller

Age

62

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

James keith poggemiller, 62, was found dead friday, may 24, 2019, inside his 1127 s. 13th street home in burlington, and officials are treating his death as suspicious

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jacob Neibert

Age

53

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Muscatine police officer jacob neibert was shot on saturday, june 13, 1896, after arresting two hobos for vagrancy. The two men overpowered and shot him. Neibert was able to give other officers a description of the two men before succumbing to his wounds. Jacob neupert gravestone courtesy photo marcia fiedler, findagrave.Com jacob neupert is buried at the greenwood cemetery in muscatine two suspects were arrested but later released when officials determined they had nothing to do with the murder.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jamar Magett

Age

19

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Jamar magett, 19, of chicago, ill., was shot in the forehead and chest while standing in the 1400 block of fifth avenue se in cedar rapids, iowa, on may 10, 1999. Paul gilbert, 18, of cedar rapids — the younger brother of cold case victim tyrone gilbert — was arrested and charged in magett’s murder. Des moines defense attorneys matthew boles and robert montgomery said no physical evidence linked gilbert to the crime. Cedar rapids pathologist dr. Peter stephens testified wednesday, sept. 22, 1999, that magett suffered two bullet wounds, each of which could have been fatal.

Agency

Iowa

Name

James Chamberlain

Age

41

Cause of Death

Blunt Force Trauma

Info

James chamberlain, a carpenter who lived on ottumwa’s south side, was found lying in mud and water in the des moines river beneath the wabash railroad trestle in the city’s old richmond section on thursday, may 25, 1893. Chamberlain, 41, suffered blunt force trauma injuries to his head after having been hit with a heavy object. Though still conscious when discovered by authorities, chamberlain died from the skull fracture four days later on may 29, 1893

Agency

Iowa

Name

James Harsch

Age

31

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On saturday afternoon, may 13, 1978, the burlington police department received a call about a dead body in a trailer home on mill dam road north of burlington on the city-county line. The anonymous caller phoned the burlington police dispatch center at 11:42 a.M. Saturday, saying that a body would be found in the trailer

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jay Grahlman

Age

38

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Jay grahlman, 38, and his 6-year-old daughter, jaymie, died from injuries suffered in a late-night fire set at their cedar rapids home on saturday, april 5, 2003. Jaymie — whose autopsy report included a number of pathologic diagnoses — died sunday, april 6, after being removed from life support. Jay died the following wednesday, april 9, from complications due to burns he sustained in the fire.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jaymie Grahlman

Age

6

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Jay grahlman, 38, and his 6-year-old daughter, jaymie, died from injuries suffered in a late-night fire set at their cedar rapids home on saturday, april 5, 2003. Jaymie — whose autopsy report included a number of pathologic diagnoses — died sunday, april 6, after being removed from life support. Jay died the following wednesday, april 9, from complications due to burns he sustained in the fire.

Agency

Iowa

Name

John Hill

Age

51

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

On monday, november 22, 1976, at approximately 5:06 a.M., two young men found john robert hill, 51, lying face down in a small room at the ottumwa launderette that hill owned and operated on east main street in ottumwa

Agency

Iowa

Name

Joshua Wellman

Age

35

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Joshua r. Wellman, a 35-year-old vinton native, was reported missing to the cedar rapids police department on monday, november 16, 2015. His mother, teresa walton, and sister, shawna hunziker, last saw him around 11 a.M. Thursday, november 12, 2015, when they dropped him off at the cedar rapids area substance abuse center

Agency

Iowa

Name

Near Reservoir

Age

27

Cause of Death

Fire

Info

On labor day, september 1, 1975, two young motorcyclists discovered the charred bodies of two persons inside a scorched pickup truck near the coralville reservoir in johnson county, iowa. The victims were later identified as karen ann christensen, 27, of cedar rapids, ia, and her cousin, larry gordon wells, 25, of marathon, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Kimberly Loose

Age

16

Cause of Death

Injury

Info

Kimberly r. “kim” loose, 16, died friday, september 26, 1986, in rural walcott, iowa, in scott county after leaving her best friend’s 16th birthday party in blue grass, iowa, with 20-year-old jeffery curtis daily, also of blue grass.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lisa Miller

Age

15

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On sunday, oct. 9, 1977, six days after her parents reported her as a runaway, lisa elaine miller, 15, was found dead in a wooded area off lower sullivan slough road near the iowa southern utilities generating station 3-1/2 miles southeast of burlington, iowa. The area, about 1-1/4 miles east of summer street road, is a popular recreation spot. The teen had been reported missing oct. 3, 1977.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Louis Chambers Jr

Age

32

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Louis h. Chambers jr., a 32-year-old waterloo man, was shot in the stomach in the 1400 block of 5th ave se in cedar rapids in the pre-dawn hours on monday, feb. 7, 1994. He died that afternoon at a local hospital of the single shot to his belly.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lynn Schuller

Age

25

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

When keith schuller reported his wife lynn schuller missing in august 1972, police suspected murder from the very beginning. Linn county in iowa linn county in iowa cedar rapids in linn countycedar rapids in linn county more than four decades later, they still believe schuller is responsible for her death, but don’t ever expect to find her body. Why? The suspicions surrounding her disappearance sounded so much like that of local folklore that even police were reluctant to acknowledge keith schuller could have committed such an abhorrent act.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Marlene Padfield

Age

17

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On wednesday evening, february 18, 1959, marlene padfield, 17, went to the kozy inn restaurant in cedar rapids with arthur scott jr., an 18-year-old part-time coe college student involved in community theater.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Matthew Pusateri

Age

26

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Cab driver matt pusateri, 26, was shot in the head about 3 a.M. Saturday, nov. 12, 1988, while sitting in a cedar rapids parking lot. Pusateri, who worked for the “yellow cab” company, sat parked in the 800 block of sixth street sw when two men approached the cab. Linn county in iowa linn county in iowa cedar rapids in linn countycedar rapids in linn county police speculate the two assailants tried to rob pusateri, and then shot him after he refused to hand over any money.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Matthew Owen

Age

90

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Matthew john owen, who went by the name m. John owen, was found dead on the kitchen floor of his 107 gas light ct. Sw home in cedar rapids on friday morning, january 18, 2013. Linn county in iowa linn county in iowa cedar rapids in linn countycedar rapids in linn county police discovered the 90-year-old’s body after a neighbor called to report owen’s front door open. According to chief state medical examiner dr. Julia goodin, owen died of multiple blunt-force injuries. Police chief wayne jerman said authorities believe owen knew the person who killed him. “our investigators firmly believe that this was not a random act,” jerman said in news release issued the wednesday after owen’s death.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Melvin Adams

Age

55

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Melvin royale adams, a 55-year-old royal canadian air force veteran, was found dead in a small cabin south of agency, iowa, just off cemetery road near the cliffland bridge on february 13, 1983. The cabin was located on property owned by the coghlan family. Adams, who had celebrated his 55th birthday just five days earlier, had been partially decapitated.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Michael Reed

Age

19

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Michael william reed, 19, of 43 20th ave. Sw in cedar rapids, iowa, died at st. Luke’s hospital in cedar rapids on friday, april 17, 1998. Reed’s mother, deb (peal) evans, told iowa cold cases that police believed her son’s death was a suicide, but that it is well known around [cedar rapids] What really happened to her son. Those involved, evans said, never have been brought to justice.

Agency

Iowa