Okaloosa, IA Area Cold Cases
Name
Billy ClarkAge
43Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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
Denease LathamAge
24Cause of Death
SuspiciousInfo
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 StookesberryAge
56Cause of Death
MissingInfo
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 MurphyAge
39Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
Edward SchmidtAge
85Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
Francis Jordon SrAge
42Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
Harry MilliganAge
21Cause of Death
MissingInfo
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
James ChamberlainAge
41Cause of Death
Blunt Force TraumaInfo
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, 1893Agency
Iowa
Name
John HillAge
51Cause of Death
StabbingInfo
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 ottumwaAgency
Iowa
Name
Lloyd PatrickAge
85Cause of Death
MurderInfo
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 GreenAge
59Cause of Death
StabbingInfo
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
Melvin AdamsAge
55Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
John Franklin SrAge
35Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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 FranklinAge
22Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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 DavisAge
36Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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 RubyAge
54Cause of Death
UndeterminedInfo
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 EarneyAge
29Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 floorAgency
Iowa
Name
Dr William HamiltonAge
33Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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 EarneyAge
29Cause of Death
Gun/FirearmInfo
Agency
Monroe County Sheriff's Office