Lovilia, IA Area Cold Cases

Name

Chuck Deatsch Jr

Age

52

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On april 28, 2008 at approximately 9:50 p.M., chuck deatsch, 52, was shot and killed at his residence in rural mystic, iowa. Authorities said the bullet that hit and killed deatsch came from a single shot outside his home that came in through the home’s front window.

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

Dennison Stookesberry

Age

56

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Dennison stookesberry, a 56-year-old disabled man from rural blakesburg, iowa, in wapello county, was last seen alive on monday evening, feb. 8, 1999, when a fishing buddy said he’d dropped his friend off at home after a night at a bar. Stookesberry was reported missing to the wapello county sheriff’s office in ottumwa, iowa, one week later on monday, feb 15, 1999, after officials discovered the diabetic appeared to have left his home in the middle of cooking dinner and hadn’t taken any of his diabetes or heart medication with him. Butter had been left on the kitchen table and a deer steak left in the microwave oven.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Donald Murphy

Age

39

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On friday, july 20, 1984, donald murphy was reported missing from a knoxville hospital. In november 1984 hunters found his skeletal remains in northern polk county just a few days prior to what would have been murphy’s 40th birthday. Donald john murphy was born november 9, 1944, at knoxville, the son of james francis and catherine bingaman murphy. He spent most of his life in the knoxville area. He graduated from knoxville high school in the class of 1963 and later entered the coast guard.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dorothy Coon

Age

38

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On monday evening, august 29, 1960, dorothy coon was found dead in a ditch alongside a county road in lucas county, iowa, about 12 miles north of chariton. Her body — clad in a dark green dress and white shoes — was discovered by a farmer mowing weeds. Her purse was found one mile away. The gravel road was a shortcut to coon’s parents’ farm east of chariton, and in the vicinity of albia, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Edward Schmidt

Age

85

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Edward arthur schmidt, an 85-year-old oskaloosa attorney, was beaten about the head and face and then stabbed to death in his spartan-like basement law office on thursday, january 13, 1972.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Fred Sanders

Age

43

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On november 11, 1966, hunter richard thorne found a man’s skeletal remains in a brushy area under the rock island railroad viaduct across the chariton river one and three quarters of a mile south of chariton, iowa, in lucas county. Papers and a wallet adjacent to the remains identified him as fred sanders, a u.S. Army veteran who served during world war ii with the 745th american anti-aircraft artillery gun battalion.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Harry Milligan

Age

21

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Light the night charity event and fun ride” is set for saturday, july 9 on the albia square. The day will begin with the harry milligan charity bike ride organized by alex weldon. A car show organized by john carter begins at 2 p.M. With live music from nashville artist jake mcvey to follow. There will also be a live auction and vendors will be set up on the square’s west side.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Joseph Payne

Age

72

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

During the great depression, joseph payne happened to be in a chariton, iowa, grocery store where a woman and child stood ahead of him in line. The woman had lost her husband, had no job, and needed food to feed her child. She tried to purchase a few basic grocery items. She didn’t have enough money, the store clerk told her, and would have to put some of the items back. Payne did not hesitate to act; he not only paid for all the woman’s groceries, but handed her some additional cash — “to be used for her and the child,” he said. Payne was not a wealthy man, but had never married, had no children of his own, and didn’t drink; he owned his own home at 15th and armory, where he’d lived alone 40 years, and used what extra money he had to help others.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lloyd Patrick

Age

85

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

On wednesday, oct. 27, 1982, retired oskaloosa farmer lloyd john patrick, 85, was murdered in his rural mahaska county home before someone set the house ablaze. Patrick was shot to death early on wednesday before his house was set on fire, presumably by his assailant, said iowa division of criminal investigation (dci) chief gerald shanahan in an announcement on friday, oct. 29, 1982.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mary Green

Age

59

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

On september 27, 1987, mary ann green was found stabbed to death in her oskaloosa, iowa, mobile home, located in the spring creek mobile park on highway 23 south in mahaska county. Mary ann’s murder fell under the jurisdiction of the mahaska county sheriff’s office, whose solid investigative skills quickly led to the arrest of green’s stepson, richard lee green, and his acquaintance, david kelly yant.

Agency

Iowa

Name

John Franklin Sr

Age

35

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

John franklin, sr., 35, a central iowa factory worker, and his 22-year-old wife michelle were shot to death in their eddyville, iowa, home some time between 10 p.M. And midnight on tuesday, january 3, 1978, in what officials called a double homicide.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Michelle Franklin

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

John franklin, sr., 35, a central iowa factory worker, and his 22-year-old wife michelle were shot to death in their eddyville, iowa, home some time between 10 p.M. And midnight on tuesday, january 3, 1978, in what officials called a double homicide.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rick Davis

Age

36

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Rick lynne davis, 36, died july 20, 1986, at his oskaloosa residence from a gunshot wound to the head. Police ruled the death a suicide, but while reviewing police and autopsy records, his daughter, monica speaks, began to ask questions.The following information about davis’ case and the new law denying his daughter access to the records is reported below by des moines register reporter jason clayworth.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Robert Ruby

Age

54

Cause of Death

Undetermined

Info

Robert ruby, a 54-year-old blakesburg miner, fell 87 feet to his death on saturday, january 11, 1936, down the shaft of the bidwell fuel co. Mine on the henry oswalt farm, one mile south of christiansburg.An ottumwa courier article dated july 13, 1936, said most of the bones in ruby’s body were broken in the mishap, which occurred, coroner john drake said, when ruby wheeled an empty coal car into the open shaft. Both ruby and the coal car fell to the bottom of the mine shaft.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Timothy Earney

Age

29

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Timothy c. Earney, 29, was found dead in his 322 n. Eighth st. Albia home on thursday, feb. 2, 1984, by his live-in girlfriend, dorothy lee kempf, 45. According to kempf, earney drove her to work at kendall school at 7 a.M. And was supposed to pick her up at 1 p.M. When he didn’t show up, kempf said she walked home and found earney lying on the living room floor

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dr William Hamilton

Age

33

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Dr. William orson hamilton, 33, was shot to death in marysville, iowa, on november 26, 1900.According to a knoxville journal article by l.A. Gee published september 25, 1930, a knoxville contractor building marysville’s new school was the first to know the tragedy occurred.K.L. Bush saw dr. Hamilton stagger and fall at the door of the vanskiver home, and was dead before dr. Hughes could arrive.Domestic trouble, the journal reported, was said to have been brewing for some time in the fred ahn family and rumor had it that dr. Hamilton was involved.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Timothy Earney

Age

29

Cause of Death

Gun/Firearm

Info

Agency

Monroe County Sheriff's Office