Red Line, IA Area Cold Cases

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Cold Cases Missing Persons Daily Archive

Name

Chad White

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Late friday night, may 21, 1993, chad william white, 21, was shot to death in the corning, iowa home he shared with his fiancée, dixie kinser.

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Name

Allen Shoemaker

Age

Cause of Death

Hit And Run

Info

Allen f. Shoemaker — a police officer with the chicago and northwestern railroad police — was shot and killed on sunday, may 17, 1925, while conducting a railroad check in missouri valley, iowa.

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Iowa

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Name

Alonzo Beghtel

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Alonzo “lon” beghtel, an 81-year-old retired farmer, was found beaten to death near his guthrie center, iowa, home on wednesday, january 18, 1950.

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Name

Bernadene Sealine

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Bernadene sealine, 67, of dexter, iowa, was reported missing to the pottawattamie county sheriff’s office in council bluffs, iowa, on july 10, 1993 after flood waters swept away the family’s vehicle in carson, iowa.

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Name

Brianne Smith

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Brianne smith, a 25-year-old mother of three, disappeared from omaha, neb., in april 2006. Her body was discovered in a mills county, iowa, roadside ditch west of glenwood on june 10, 2006. Mills county in iowa mills county in iowa glenwood in mills countyglenwood in mills county the mills county sheriff’s office and the iowa division of criminal investigation (dci) reported on july 18, 2006 that the human remains found were smith’s.

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Name

Brenda Dailey

Age

Cause of Death

Beaten

Info

Brenda dailey, 53, was badly beaten in her mapleton, iowa, home on monday, aug. 24, 2015, before being pushed down her basement stairs. According to a press release issued tuesday by the iowa department of public safety, the mapleton police department received a 911 call for an unresponsive female at 702 monona street in mapleton on monday, aug. 24, at approximately 10:30 a.M.

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Iowa

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Name

Connie Ruddy

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Connie ruddy, a 21-year-old mother of two, was reported missing from her ida grove, iowa home on monday, february 10, 1997. Her 2-year-old daughter and 3-month-old son were found alone inside the residence, unharmed. Ruddy had last been seen by her sister around 11 p.M. Saturday, february 8, in ruddy’s home. About 10:30 a.M. Monday, a friend stopped by and discovered ruddy gone and her children alone. Ruddy’s car was still at the house and she hadn’t taken her purse.

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Name

Daniel Hieber

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Aniel “dan” hieber, 58, of castana, iowa, was found unresponsive and near death at the bottom of a staircase in a mapleton residence early on sunday, sept. 20, 2015. An ambulance transported hieber to mercy medical center in sioux city, where he was pronounced dead. Mapleton police were summoned to the 823 main street home around 1:25 a.M. By the woman who owned the home, who told officers hieber had “fallen down the stairs.”

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Iowa

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Name

Dawn Allen

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Dawn marlene allen, 50, was reported missing to the carroll police department in carroll, iowa, on may 4, 2011, after she failed to show up for work as a manager for a local subway. Carroll county in iowa carroll county in iowa carroll in carroll countycarroll in carroll county allen’s boss said she had worked at the carroll subway for 21 years and had never been late or missed work.

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Name

Debra Barajas

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Debra (debbie) ann barajas was last seen on thursday afternoon, may 25, 2006, heading to the omaha vicinity of park avenue and leavenworth in omaha, neb. When she didn’t arrive, she was reported missing to the nebraska missing persons information clearinghouse. Mills county in iowa mills county in iowa glenwood in mills countyglenwood in mills county nearly six months later on tuesday, november 14, 2006, barajas’ remains were discovered in a pacific junction ravine northwest of glenwood, iowa, near the 54300 block of 195th street in mills county, iowa. The rural community’s population barely topped 500 people.

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Name

Dennis Addlesberger

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Dennis ray addlesberger, 46, was reported missing to the pottawattamie county sheriff’s office in council bluffs, iowa, on march 16, 1999. At the time of his disappearance, dennis was described as a 5-foot-7 white male weighing 165 pounds. His eyes are hazel, and he may have been completely bald. Officials have classified his case as “endangered / physical,” which refers to a person of any age who is missing under circumstances indicating his/her physical safety is in danger.

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Name

Dung Truong

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On monday, sept. 22, 1997, dung kim truong, a 37-year-old female vietnamese legal alien authorized to work in the united states, left the omaha home she shared with her boyfriend and went to the recently opened ameristar riverboat casino across the missouri river in council bluffs, iowa.

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Name

Earl Thelander

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

The thieves had stripped propane gas lines from a country home — a house formerly owned by my grandparents — where earl and my mother, hope thelander, had been working and readying for a renter. Earl was life-flighted to the clarkson burn center at the university of nebraska hospital in omaha, where he died four days later on september 1. He and my mother would have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary four months later on december 30. Also left behind were earl’s six children and five stepchildren, 22 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, four sisters and three brothers, and countless in-laws, loved ones and friends.

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Name

Edward Hickson

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On february 15, 1978 at 4:14 a.M., council bluffs police department officers responded to a fire call in the 1500 block of south 6th street, where the fire department advised them there was an unresponsive person inside the rock island bunkhouse #27. The unresponsive male was taken by ambulance to mercy hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival and identified as edward leroy hickson. A witness to the incident advised police that on the same night as the fire at 4:05 a.M., he had observed a white male, 6’3 to 6’4 and wearing a brown stocking hat and black jacket, enter the rock island bunkhouse #27. The witness said the individual immediately came back out and went to a 1975 or 1976 buick or monte carlo, burgundy over white in color, removed something from inside the vehicle and then re-entered the building. The witness said he saw a green shirt hanging inside the car, and that a few minutes later the man exited the building and left in the same vehicle.

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Name

Evelyn Resh

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Evelyn resh, 87, died tuesday, sept. 16, 1997 after someone deliberately set fire to the red oak apartment house where she lived alone. Her death is one from a group of “cold case” fire investigations resurrected in iowa in spring 2016. The cold cases became the focus in “arson awareness week,” as proclaimed by iowa gov. Terry branstad.

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Name

Floyd Alborn

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Floyd william alborn, a 76-year-old bachelor, was found shot to death in his rural panora, iowa, home on friday evening, november 8, 1974. Alborn lived alone at his farm on the guthrie and dallas county line one-fourth mile north of highway 44. His sister and brother-in-law, freda and lawrence mills, discovered his body, the guthrian reported on monday, november 25, 1974.

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Name

Frank Eckels

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Frank johnston eckels, 73, was shot and wounded during a holdup at his motel and café in oakland, iowa, on wednesday, december 3, 1958. Eckels died three days later on saturday, december 6, at a council bluffs hospital

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Name

George Dean Jr

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On wednesday evening, june 29, 1966, george earl dean, jr. Was found deceased in the street in front of his mapleton, iowa home. Dean had suffered fractured facial bones and fractured ribs on the left side, leading officials to believe he had been struck by a car. According to a 2009 report by the iowa division of criminal investigation cold case unit, the investigation into dean’s death revealed he likely had been having an affair with a woman known as “mrs. Carley,” who also resided in mapleton.

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Name

George Massouris

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

George james massouris, a 30-year-old union pacific railroad carman who worked part-time as a taxicab driver, was found dead in a ditch on the old orchard road two miles east of council bluffs, iowa, on sunday morning, nov. 19, 1950. He’d been shot three times at the base of his skull with a .22 caliber automatic pistol.

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Name

Gloria Slump

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On monday, march 6, 1967, burlington railroad employees found the frozen body of 24-year-old gloria fay slump under a trestle over pony creek three miles south of council bluffs, iowa. Pottawattamie county in iowa pottawattamie county in iowa council bluffs in pottawattamie countycouncil bluffs in pottawattamie county a trail of blood showed she was dragged to the site from a county road 150 yards away.

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Name

Gregg Nimmo

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Gregg andrew nimmo, 44, of adel, iowa, was found with severe head injuries on a gravel road in dexter, iowa, on sunday, aug. 28, 2011. Nimmo lay bleeding from head wounds on a gravel road just outside beaver lake campground in dallas county. Several individuals allegedly witnessed the manner in which a known female killed nimmo. Tire tracks ran up and down both ditch sides as the driver attempted to throw nimmo from the truck and then deliberately ran him over.

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Name

Humberto Cortez

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On june 21, 1996, a partially decomposed male body was discovered in a rail car by a paxton & vierling steel co. Employee. The body was identified in december 2009 as that of humberto cortez.

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Name

James Nicoll

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

James clark nicoll, a 52-year-old baker from perth, scotland, who emigrated to council bluffs, iowa with his wife and five children in 1871, was found dead tuesday morning, march 17, 1885, lying frozen in about 15 inches of water in a tenth avenue council bluffs ditch that led into indian creek. A successful businessman, nicoll was known as a well respected community member.

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Name

Jesse Nimajapol

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

The denison police department is asking for the public’s help in finding 18-year-old jesse govani nimajapol, of denison, who was last seen on july 14, 2017, and reported missing to the denison police department

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Name

Joseph Floyd

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

World war ii veteran joseph j. Floyd jr., 42, was shot in the head in the early morning hours on saturday, july 1, 1967, in council bluffs, iowa. Union pacific railroad switchman edward l. Stephen, 1000 cathy lane, contacted authorities around 10:30 a.M. Saturday after finding the body

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Name

John Adams Jr

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

John p. Adams, jr., 23, of omaha died from a single gunshot to the head on july 11, 1982, after an altercation in council bluffs, iowa, with two men riding motorcycles. A witness told police the fight started in omaha after a traffic confrontation. Witnesses said the two motorcyclists had been arguing in the street by 25th and west broadway and that when the victim approached one of the two men, the offender shot the victim in the face. Adams fell to the ground in the 2400 block of west broadway street

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Name

John Conaway

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

John steven “steve” conaway, 36, of council bluffs, iowa, went missing sometime on monday night, february 9, 1998. He was reported missing to the council bluffs police department on february 11, 1998. Conaway was last seen between 10 and 10:30 p.M. On feb. 9 at buffalo joe’s food & spirits, located near rosenblatt stadium in downtown omaha, nebraska. Conaway had gone there with a friend and had a few beers, and seemed to be in good spirits at the time

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Name

John Erickson

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On wednesday, april 30, 1997, vietnam veteran john lee erickson, 48, of council bluffs was shot in the head near mondamin, iowa, in harrison county. His killer or killers then dumped his body in a ditch off I-29 south of onawa in monona county

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Name

Johnny Shields

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Johnny joe shields, who lived with his mother in carter lake, iowa, was heard leaving the residence at 2 a.M. On thursday, december 15, 1988, and has never returned to his residence nor contacted his family. The 32-year-old left personal belongings and his pickup truck behind, and was reported missing to the carter lake police department on friday, december 16, 1988

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Name

Joseph Riche

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

The missing person, joseph edward riche, 40, allegedly left his residence in neola, iowa on the morning of october 12, 2012. There has been no social media presence and none of his relatives or close friends have heard from him since that date

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Name

Judith Pleas

Age

Cause of Death

Strangulation

Info

Judith kaylene pleas, 17, was reported missing to the council bluffs police department in council bluffs, iowa, on august 10, 1973. On october 14, 1973, a farmer located the remains of a female in a cornfield outside council bluffs’ city limits and contacted the pottawattamie county sheriff’s office, who in turn notified the council bluffs police department

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Name

Keara Coshow

Age

Cause of Death

Fire

Info

Keara lee coshow, a blind 3-year-old native american child living with her family in red oak, iowa, died thursday, july 12, 1979, in the hill top motel’s laundry room after her stepmother allegedly set the room afire. Keara, unconscious from an acute spinal cord injury sustained the previous evening (also allegedly at the hands of the stepmother), was carried into the laundry room shortly before the fire erupted.

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Name

Kimberly Ratliff

Age

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Council bluffs, iowa (wowt) – a pottawattamie county jury has found matt kennedy not guilty of the 1999 murder of kim ratliff. The week-long trial has been plagued by time. Ratliff was 22 years old when she was found murdered and put into her car 22 years ago. The 52-year-old broke down in tears after hearing he had been cleared of first-degree murder. Kennedy was accused of killing his step-sister kimberly ratliff. She was killed in 1999, her throat had been slashed. The prosecution tried to link small samples of kennedy’s dna, which was found on kimberly’s clothing, and said he was the last known person to see her alive.

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Name

Leo Smith

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Early thursday, april 10, 1969, iowa highway patrol officers discovered the body of 56-year-old leo joseph smith — a veteran who served with the 749th military police battalion during world war ii — at the highway 20 rest area about 30 miles east of sioux city in woodbury county, iowa. Smith’s throat had been cut. Later that same day, two girls found an unidentified man under a truck in northeast sioux city’s industrial area. That man’s throat also had been slashed, leading authorities to first believe the two murders may be connected. The following day, however, a 35-year-old pittsburgh steel worker was arrested and charged in the unidentified man’s homicide.

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Name

Linda Mayfield

Age

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

On april 9, 1982 at 2:18 a.M., officers were called to the starlite motel at 3320 west broadway in council bluffs, iowa, regarding a disturbance involving a man with a knife. When officers arrived at the scene, linda mayfield, 21, was found lying face down by the north office door. The responding officer said the victim had several stab wounds to her face, chest, stomach, hand and foot.

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Name

Linn Snyder

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Linn allen snyder, 44, was reported missing to the pottawattamie county sheriff’s office in council bluffs, iowa, on september 9, 2006. He is described as a 6’0″ white male weighing approximately 280 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes, and may have a beard or mustache. He has an unknown tattoo on his shoulder.

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Name

Mohama Baba

Age

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Mohama samsoudina baba, 22, was reported missing to the council bluffs police department on december 3, 2005. Mohama was last seen wearing a gray sweater and pants at approximately 3:00 a.M. At his residence in the vicinity of the 800 block of n. 35th st. In council bluffs, iowa. All personal belongings were left behind.

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Name

Myrtle Cumpston

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Myrtle zelda cumpston, 60, was shot and killed in the display area of her rural dallas county business — c & k aqualand, incorporated — on tuesday, march 9, 1965. Cumpston co-owned the tropical fish aquarium near adel, iowa, with business partner and neighbor, mrs. Robert king.

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Name

Lena Stillinger

Age

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Sometime around midnight between sunday, june 9, and monday, june 10, 1912, a person or persons entered a modest house in villisca, iowa, and bludgeoned to death eight people sleeping there, including two adults and six children aged 5 through 12. The killings became known as the “villisca axe murders,” and are easily the most notorious murders in iowa history.

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Name

Paul Brule

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Paul michael brule, a 30-year-old council bluffs, iowa man who received $10,000 weekly payouts from lottery winnings, was slain in his sixth avenue home in the early morning hours on saturday, july 25, 1998, and his death poorly staged to mimic a suicide. Brule’s father, michael brule, and sisters michelle (brule) stephens and jamie brule discovered his lifeless body behind the 2118 sixth avenue home after finding his motorcycle out front on its side.The three found brule’s body slumped against a tree — his knees touching the ground — with a nylon clothesline rope tied around his neck.Brule wasn’t breathing when council bluffs police arrived, and officials determined time of death as sometime between 1:45 and 7 a.M.

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Name

John Stephens

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Council bluffs police officer john l. Stephens, 32, and paul j. Rayer, 51, were shot and killed on tuesday, december 5, 1967, during a robbery of “club 64,” an upscale steakhouse about a half-mile east of council bluffs’ city limits where stephens moonlighted as a plain-clothes security guard. Robbery appeared to be the motive. Officer stephens was to accompany rayer, the restaurant’s manager, to the council bluffs savings bank at about 2 a.M. After the business closed and daily receipts counted. Both men’s bodies were found dead in the restaurant’s office about five hours later when a club employee arrived for regular clean up work. Wichael also said there may have been more bullets fired.“we think they were fired from two different guns — one probably a .25-caliber and the other a .38 — indicating we think that there were two men doing the shooting,” wichael is quoted as saying in the article.

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Name

Paul Rayer

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

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Name

Robert Bates III

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Robert bruce “kip” bates — a 39-year-old marine who fought in operation desert storm — was shot twice around 10 p.M. Thursday, sept. 27, 2007, at the carter lake “jump start” convenience store after stepping outside to take a break.He never should have been there.Bates’ girlfriend, tracy kaiser, expected to deliver the couple’s child within the month, and bates hadn’t been scheduled to work that night but switched schedules with another employee.Bates worked alone at the store that night, and when he went out the front door to take a break, was shot twice in about two seconds.“the shooter did walk up to the store entrance where he was met by the victim,” said pottawattamie county deputy sgt. Dwayne riche.

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Name

Robert Hatcher

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On march 8, 2007, robert scott hatcher, 38, was shot seven times near playland park in council bluffs, iowa, as he stood on the iowa riverfront trail beneath the interstate 480 bridge on the city’s western edge.

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Name

Roscoe Harris

Age

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On july 6, 1963, 46-year-old roscoe donnel harris was shot in the left chest with a single shot .22 caliber rifle.When the iowa division of criminal investigation (dci) established a cold case unit in 2009, harris’ murder was one of approximately 150 cases listed on the cold case unit’s new website as those the dci hoped to solve using latest advancements in dna technology.Although federal grant funding for the dci cold case unit was exhausted in december 2011, the dci continues to assign agents to investigate cold cases as new leads develop or as technological advances allow for additional forensic testing of original evidence.The dci remains committed to resolving iowa’s cold cases and will continue to work diligently with local law enforcement partners to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice for the victims and their families.

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