Sigourney, IA Area Cold Cases

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rose Burkert

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On friday evening, september 12, 1980, rose burkert, 22, and roger atkison, 32, arrived at the amana holiday inn along I-80 near williamsburg, iowa, hoping for a romantic weekend getaway. The on-duty attendant told them the hotel was booked solid due to an area morticians’ conference, but double-checked the register. They were in luck; there’d been a cancellation.The couple received a key to room 260 at 7:40 p.M.Shortly after noon the next day, a housekeeper arrived at room 260 — a room only accessible from inside the building — and knocked several times. She got no answer. She tried the door, but found it locked.What the housekeeper saw — blood splattered all across the bed’s headboard, the walls and the carpet — caused her to “slam the door shut and run for the manager,” wrote gazette staff writer gary peterson.The married atkison worked as a telephone installer-repairman for general telephone co. In savannah, mo., and burkert was a nurse trainee at st. Joseph hospital.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Roger Atkison

Age

32

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On friday evening, september 12, 1980, rose burkert, 22, and roger atkison, 32, arrived at the amana holiday inn along I-80 near williamsburg, iowa, hoping for a romantic weekend getaway. The on-duty attendant told them the hotel was booked solid due to an area morticians’ conference, but double-checked the register. They were in luck; there’d been a cancellation.The couple received a key to room 260 at 7:40 p.M.Shortly after noon the next day, a housekeeper arrived at room 260 — a room only accessible from inside the building — and knocked several times. She got no answer. She tried the door, but found it locked.What the housekeeper saw — blood splattered all across the bed’s headboard, the walls and the carpet — caused her to “slam the door shut and run for the manager,” wrote gazette staff writer gary peterson.The married atkison worked as a telephone installer-repairman for general telephone co. In savannah, mo., and burkert was a nurse trainee at st. Joseph hospital.

Agency

Iowa

Name

William Rogers

Age

46

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

William francis rogers, 46, was last seen at his north english, iowa, residence, the same night his house burned down on sunday, february 25, 2001.Authorities were unable to locate any trace of him in the ruins, and he was listed as missing with the keokuk county sheriff’s office.At the time of his disappearance, rogers was described as a 5-foot-8 white male weighing 160 pounds. His eyes, reported as hazel, are brown but the left one has a green hue to it and it often appears as two different colors.Rogers was last seen wearing a tan jacket, a “comfort-inn” t-shirt, blue jeans and black tennis shoes.Rogers is balding, though he may have a moustache, beard or goatee. His nickname is bill.Mr. Rogers is also listed as missing on the texas department of public safety’s missing persons clearinghouse.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Steven Babka

Age

58

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Steven babka, a 58-year-old homeless man who lived in a tent near the iowa river on the outskirts of marengo, iowa, has not been seen since may 25, 2012. He was reported missing to the iowa county sheriff’s office in marengo on june 6, 2012.He is described as a 5-foot-9 white male with brown hair turning gray, and his hair has varied between shorter to almost shoulder length with some typical male pattern baldness. He has blue eyes and weighs about 240 pounds, and has unknown tattoos on his head, right arm, and upper right arm. He also has a scar near his right eye and a scar on his right forearm, and has a crippled right hand.He typically wears a mustache and is usually not clean shaven. He seldom wore anything other than short pants and tie dye t-shirts.Though babka wears prescription glasses, they were found left behind along with his medications and all his worldly possessions. Babka had no car and usually traveled with a bicycle.

Agency

Iowa