Bertha, MN Area Cold Cases

Name

Angela Altman

Age

22

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

Four-year-old jessica marie altman found her mother’s dead body saturday afternoon, jan. 24, 1981, in the fort dodge apartment where the two lived together. Angela marie altman, 22, lay partially nude on the kitchen floor — stabbed and strangled.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Barbara Brim

Age

53

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On wednesday afternoon, april 25, 2001, barbara kay brim, 53, was shot in her rural hamilton county, iowa home. Brim’s husband, robert “larry” brim, told officials he found his wife at the bottom of the basement stairs in their home near webster city after spending the afternoon moving farm equipment. He said his wife was fine when the two had shared lunch just hours earlier.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Bertha Foy

Age

18

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Bertha mae foy was killed in fort dodge, iowa, on august 9, 1987. The young mother left behind three small children, ages 3, 2, and a 9-month-old baby. Two men were questioned in foy’s murder but no one was ever charged.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Douglas Nielsen

Age

17

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

In the early morning hours on friday, october 18, 1974, douglas a. Nielsen was shot and killed during a house party at the home of mr. And mrs. Earl garrison in humboldt, iowa. Nielsen, 17, was shot in the kidney area of the lower back with a .22-caliber firearm. Nielsen’s body was found at approximately 1 a.M. In the garrison’s basement game room, where investigators said they also seized several other weapons.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Ethan Kazmerzak

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Ethan kazmerzak, 22, was reported missing to the hampton police department in hampton, iowa, on sept. 15, 2013. Hampton in franklin county hampton in franklin county franklin county in iowa franklin county in iowa he was last seen in rural hampton around 12 a.M. Sunday, sept. 15, 2013, and wore a teal/white printed shirt and peach/orange shorts. According to findethan.Com, kazmerzak was seen in several area pubs on sept. 14, including pit row and the red moose in hampton as well as duck’s in aredale. He reportedly was last seen at a party at a gravel pit pond located behind a house in the 1400 block of 190th street. Police say kazmerzak’s cell phone was last used around 12:30 a.M. On sept. 15 at the intersection of 190th street and olive avenue, and that his atm card has reportedly not been used since sept. 14.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Gregory Howell

Age

44

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

But his family says he never deserved what he got. “we used to snowmobile race. We used to go to minnesota every sunday. Race drag sleds. I mean we just had a blast,” says greg’s brother frank. Frank howell remembers the good times. But he knows his brother had a dark side, the drugs that played jekyll and hyde with his personality, and probably led to his death. “I told him, I said you need to slow down,” frank says. “you got a family. You got a good family. You need to grow up. He wanted to be a kid. He lived a fast life.”

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lisa McCuddin

Age

23

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On october 2, 2004 — just four days before her 24th birthday — lisa ann mccuddin was shot while riding with a friend on the way to breakfast at the holiday inn in fort dodge, iowa. Webster county in iowa webster county in iowa fort dodge in webster countyfort dodge in webster county officers initially responded to a call from trinity regional medical center, also in fort dodge, where a man had gone after suffering a gunshot wound at the holiday inn. When police went to the hotel to investigate the shooting, another car pulled into the parking lot, driven by a man who said he and a female passenger had just been shot while driving to the hotel.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lorri Alexander

Age

50

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Lorri lynn alexander, 50, of fort dodge, iowa, was found deceased in the early morning hours on thursday, dec. 29, 2016, inside an empty apartment at the cadwell building in fort dodge. Fort dodge police and medical personnel found alexander’s remains after a report of an unresponsive woman was called in to the webster county law enforcement center. Webster county in iowa webster county in iowa fort dodge in webster countyfort dodge in webster county officials determined alexander had died before their arrival.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mamie Sime

Age

74

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Shortly after 4 a.M. On tuesday, march 31, 1981, a fire broke out in the home of mamie sime on the outskirts of rolfe, iowa. Firemen answered the alarm at 4:30 a.M., and arrived to find the house fully engulfed in flames.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Marvin Brandland

Age

69

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Marvin brandland, 69, and his wife, ethel, had spent saturday evening, oct. 30, 1982, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters when another person knocked on their fort dodge home’s door. Someone wearing a pillowcase with holes cut out for eyes stood outside.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Pamela Shadle

Age

48

Cause of Death

Suicide/Murder

Info

For two years prior to her death, pamela shadle insisted someone was trying to kill her. She told her family she “knew too much” about local political corruption, and said if she ended up dead or shot, it wouldn’t be because she’d taken her own life. Under normal circumstances, it may have seemed odd talk for the dakota city, iowa, wife and mother of two who enjoyed caring for her pets, attending garage sales and auctions, or visiting with friends and enjoying music. But in the seven years before her death – particularly the last two – pamela shadle’s life had become anything but normal.Shortly after graduating from ft. Dodge high school in 1978, pam married her “best friend,” dorman “dean” shadle, and the couple had made their home in the thor and bode areas before moving to dakota city. For many years pam was employed in the chantland’s south plant, and later worked for casey’s general store in dakota city.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Roberta Crawford

Age

53

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Roberta “bobbi” crawford was a fireball. She worked as the registrar at ellsworth community college and raised her son as a single mom. The 53-year-old also loved racquetball, skydiving, and being a grandmother. To her son, lee, she was more than a mother — she was a friend.All that disappeared in an instant when, sometime between late tuesday night, november 16, 1999, and early wednesday morning, november 17, bobbi crawford was murdered inside the small hampton, iowa home where she lived alone. Police found crawford’s body wednesday after co-workers contacted authorities when she failed to show up for work. Crawford had worked as an administrative assistant at the college for nearly 25 years.Someone had cut what they thought were the phone lines and then broke in, killing her in her bedroom. Burglary didn’t seem to be the motive. Nor had crawford been sexually assaulted.On nov. 30, franklin county medical examiner keith hansen said crawford died from blunt trauma to the head. Roberta “bobbi” crawford’s trauma to the head led to hemorrhaging and death, he said.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Sandra Vanderhoef

Age

42

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Sandra vanderhoef was reported missing to the webster county sheriff’s office in fort dodge, iowa, on september 22, 1986.She wears glasses, has a scar on her abdomen, scars on both knees and a mole on her back.She is described as an american indian or alaskan native, 5’07” and weighing approximately 210 pounds.The iowa department of public safety classifies vanderhoef’s disappearance as “endangered / physical,” which includes a person of any age who is missing under circumstances indicating his/her physical safety is in danger.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Elna Peterson

Age

8

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On thursday, may 6, 1971, 8-year-old valerie peterson was killed by a hit-and-run driver around 4 p.M. While riding her bicycle off the side of the road in front of the manson augustana lutheran church. One other girl — the friend with whom valerie was riding bikes — was riding up ahead of valerie and said she saw a blue-green pickup truck with two or three men inside traveling north at a high rate of speed. They appeared to have long hair, and the girl believed the truck had some sort of equipment in the flatbed.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Wendel Clark

Age

30

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Wendel clark, 30, of fort dodge, iowa, died wednesday, oct. 7, 2015, of two gunshot wounds after being shot in the driver’s seat of his car about a block from his home.The state medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide.The following stories and reports detail the information about this unsolved murder.

Agency

Iowa

Name

William Freimuth

Age

71

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

William h. Freimuth, a 71-year-old fort dodge service station attendant, was shot in the back of the head around 9 p.M. On thursday, february 16, 1961, by a gunman who took $140 from the cash register.The elderly freimuth had been working alone in the fawkes standard service station — located on highway 20 about six blocks east of the fort dodge business district — while another employee was away from the station for between 10 and 15 minutes.After the second employee returned to the gas station around 9:10 p.M., he found freimuth on the floor in the station’s grease rack and notified police.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Yerlanin Garcia

Age

12

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Yerlanin garcia was reported missing to the eagle grove police department in eagle grove, iowa, on january 15, 2010.At the time of her disappearance, yerlanin was described as a 12-year-old white female, 4-foot-3 and weighing approximately 100 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Adrian Reuwsaat

Age

69

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Adrian charles reuwsaat, 69, was reported missing to the sioux city police department in sioux city, iowa, on november 3, 2002, and foul play has long been suspected in his disappearance.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Alicia Hummel

Age

29

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Alicia marie hummel, a 29-year-old preschool teacher from sioux city, iowa, was found dead in the missouri river monday afternoon, june 1, 2015, near the shore at a boat dock in myron grove, south dakota. The area — also known as the highline area — is about seven miles west of vermillion.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Alta Braun

Age

12

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Twelve-year-old alta marie braun of le mars, iowa, was raped and strangled sometime monday evening, august 20, 1917, after going to the yankee robinson circus.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Anthony Evans

Age

5

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Five-year-old anthony evans was struck by a hit-and-run driver in the 1000 block of 21st street in sioux city, iowa, on june 20, 2000.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Elizabeth Swetnam

Age

73

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

Betty swetnam, a 73-year-old grandmother who operated a massage business out of her 1610 west 19th st. Sioux city home’s basement, was brutally stabbed to death on friday december 31, 1993.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Connie Ruddy

Age

21

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.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dale Robinson

Age

84

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

The moville police department is asking the public for help in locating dale robinson, who was reported missing on saturday, august 3, 2013. He was 84 years old at the time he disappeared. He was last seen aug. 3 while getting gas in moville at the 4-way stop shop. He left the service station driving his maroon and gray 2000 ford f-150 single cab pickup — iowa license plate number 870zcf, expiry date may 2014 — heading westbound on u.S. Highway 20 toward sioux city, and may have been en route to santa ana or paramount, california, or st. Joseph, missouri, according to initial reports. Robinson, described as 5-foot-6 and weighing between 90 and 116 pounds, suffered from early onset alzheimer’s. Dozens of people searched for the well-known robinson, a retired welder and fabricator who’d operated r&r sheet metal in moville for about 30 years. After retiring from the sheet metal business, robinson did voluntarily jobs all over the siouxland area, including mowing the grass at the woodbury county fairgrounds in moville and giving others rides to doctor appointments. Moville in woodbury county, ia moville in woodbury county, ia

Agency

Iowa

Name

Daniel Harden

Age

61

Cause of Death

Trauma

Info

The sioux city police department is seeking information on the murder of pastor daniel harden — sometimes referred to as “preacher” by friends — whose body was discovered around 4 a.M. Dec. 1, 2020, in a park place apartment at 2601 douglas street on the city’s north side. Harden had been dead for about a week and his body showed signs of blunt force trauma.

Agency

Iowa

Name

David Redowl Sr

Age

27

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

At approximately 2:00 a.M. On april 26, 1997, 27-year-old david redowl and his 24-year-old sister, sonja, had a physical altercation in the back yard of their mother’s residence at 610 west 3rd street in sioux city, iowa. Both redowl and his sister listed

Agency

Iowa

Name

Donna Davis

Age

21

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Donna sue davis hadn’t yet reached her second birthday. The 21-month-old 21-pound blue-eyed girl with the mass of dark blond curly hair was the youngest of james (“don”) and mary davis’s three children, and her three prized possessions included her teddy bear, a rubber doll and a red purse. Eleven-year-old mary claire, the eldest of the siblings, had friends who resided in the same west side neighborhood in sioux city, ia, and they often could be seen pushing strollers and buggies around the block with donna sue and the other girls’ young siblings in tow. Timothy, 7, also had ample playmates within safe walking distance from the family’s 715 isabella street home. Everyone knew and loved donna sue, though seldom used her name. To them, she was simply “the darling of the neighborhood.”

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jimmy Bremmers

Age

8

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

After dinner on tuesday, august 31, 1954, 8-year-old jimmy bremmers went to his friend joey hamel’s house two doors down from the bremmers home on sioux city’s west side. Jimmy’s parents had gone to lay brick for the basement of their new home, and though jimmy usually helped, this night he’d stayed behind to go visit his friend.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Town Joseph Kaschmitter

Age

53

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On saturday, march 25, 1911, town marshal joseph kaschmitter (last name sometimes spelled kashmetter or kashmitter) was shot at approximately 1 a.M. As he walked near the alton, iowa depot

Agency

Iowa

Name

Kenneth Harker

Age

34

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Jim hathaway, jr. Vividly remembers his going away party the fall of ’96. The 34-year-old sioux cityan was heading out to phoenix, ariz., for classes to become a motorcycle mechanic. He’d invited his closest friends, all of whom shared his passion for harley-davidson bikes

Agency

Iowa

Name

Kevin Clark

Age

26

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Kevin earl clark, 26, formerly of riverside, calif., was shot just after 5 a.M. Sunday, december 8, 1991, after leaving a party in sioux city, iowa. According to the sioux city police department, clark and a group of friends had just left a party at 1514 villa avenue, and clark climbed into the back right passenger seat of a friend’s 1981 tan and brown chevy citation, which had been parked outside the villa avenue home

Agency

Iowa

Name

Leo Smith

Age

56

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.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lisa Vander Esch

Age

19

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Darwin vander esch, an expert marksman who said he “accidentally” shot his wife in the head in september 1982, was arrested by the idaho county sheriff’s office on sunday, dec. 1, 2024, and charged with several domestic violence-related charges, including felony attempted strangulation and domestic battery, according to a lewiston tribune article dated dec. 2, 2024.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Manuel Ramirez

Age

6

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On monday night, march 7, 2011, sioux city police responded to a 911 call from 1417 virginia street, where they found 6-year-old manuel ramirez dead in the bathtub. Officers administered cpr but were unable to revive the irving elementary school first-grader. Manuel’s stepmother, maria miranda, told investigators she was watching television with other children downstairs while manuel was bathing alone upstairs.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Maurice Kneifl

Age

58

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On february 16, 1983, 58-year-old maurice kneifl was reported missing to the sioux city police department by kneifl’s girlfriend, joyce fish — whom he’d been dating for many years — and her daughter, lori. 1981-dark-brown-fleetwood-cadillac-maurice-kneiflcourtesy pinterest maurice kneifl was last seen driving a 1981 dark brown or black fleetwood cadillac similar to the one shown above. The vehicle also remains missing. Maurice reportedly was last seen on february 14, 1983, driving his 1981 dark brown fleetwood cadillac, iowa license plate, hiz379.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mervin Walvatne

Age

53

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Mervin leo walvatne, 53, went missing from spencer, iowa, on july 18, 1990. Walvatne’s sister, who lives in spencer and had regular contact with her brother, became concerned after not seeing her brother since july 18 and reported him missing to the spencer police department.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Patricia Jauron

Age

45

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On tuesday morning, may 26, 1998, sometime between 9 and 9:45 a.M., patricia anne “pat” jauron, 45, was viciously stabbed several times in the rural sioux city home she and her husband, eugene “gene” jauron, had vacated six months earlier. The couple had just moved out of one home at 1516 old highway 141 and into another across the road at 1541 old highway 141, and had been selling off the last few items from the former home.According to gene jauron — who spent more than 40 years as a meter reader for midamerican energy — the couple had held an earlier yard sale and a person who’d attended the yard sale allegedly called several times afterward inquiring about purchasing the waterbed and setting up a time to meet.Patricia, who’d just retired from the sergeant bluff middle school, went across the road at the scheduled appointment time, and, according to her husband, was “supposed to be gone only for a few moments.”

Agency

Iowa

Name

Ronald Zellmer

Age

31

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

At approximately 5:50 a.M. On april 6, 1985, south sioux city, neb., police located a 1984 chevy cavalier, registered to a ronald zellmer, age 31, parked on the south end of the veterans memorial bridge. The vehicle was left unattended with the motor running.Sioux city police were called to check zellmer’s residence at 1003 pierce street, apt. B-3, and found it empty with nothing unusual within the apartment.Later the following day, ronald’s mother lucille was asked to come to the sioux city police station where she filed a missing persons report.Ronald was described as a 5-foot-10 white male weighing 170 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. He may have a mustache.According to family members, ronald zellmer was very depressed and had suffered from depression for years. A search of the missouri river proved unsuccessful in retrieving zellmer’s body.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Thecla Gerken

Age

23

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On wednesday night, june 27, 1917, thecla m. Gerken of woonsocket, south dakota, was shot and killed while out for a walk with a friend in sioux city, iowa. Gerken, 23, was accompanying miss mabel houlihan, 922 ninth street, on a walk, and the girls walked arm in arm up jones street. Gerken was staying at the home of dr. H.H. Hagedorn at 1017 jones street. As they neared eighth street, the two girls said goodbye, and then parted for night.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Wilbur Brown

Age

47

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On september 14, 1997, around 5:30 a.M., a sioux city resident returning home noticed 47-year-old wilbur brown lying on the ground between the curb and the sidewalk in front of 603 west 5th street.Brown appeared unconscious but was moaning, and the neighbor was unable to rouse him.Sioux city police were called at approximately 5:34 a.M., and brown was transported to an area hospital where he died shortly thereafter.An autopsy revealed brown had been beaten about the head and body and died as a result of those injuries.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Wilma Nissen

Age

23

Cause of Death

Robbery/Murder

Info

Lyon county chief deputy jerry birkey announced may 2, 2016, a major development in the 38-year-old cold case of wilma june nissen, the woman found in a country road ditch in october 1978.Investigators released a photo of one of the women they believe is responsible for wilma nissen’s death.“our suspect was an escort, a prostitute, a dancer, who liked to rob other escorts, prostitutes and dancers,” birkey said in a ksfy story that aired may 2, describing the motive for wilma nissen’s murder as robbery.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Patricia Jauron

Age

45

Cause of Death

Knife/Stabbing

Info

Agency

Woodbury County Sheriff's Office

Name

Maurice Kneifl

Age

58

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Was last seen on february 14, 1983 driving his 1981 dark brown fleetwood cadillac. He never arrived to pick up his girlfriend and didn't show for work the following day. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the sioux city police department at 712-279-6440.

Agency

Sioux City Police Department

Name

Wilma Nissen

Age

23

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Agency

Lyon County Sheriff's Department

Name

William Wolf Jr

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On august 20, 1978, the body of william wolf jr. Was discovered in the red river approximately three miles north of kragnes, minnesota. Wolf’s body had been cut in half and placed in garbage bags. Wolf had been reported missing during the week of august 13, 1978.

Agency

North Dakota AG

Name

Andrew Hatges

Age

75

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Andrew “andy” hatges, 75, owner of the former west vu market located at 2601 fourth st. S.W. In mason city, was found dead in his home on friday, march 8, 1968, after he didn’t open the store that morning.

Agency

Iowa

Name

William Pruin

Age

43

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

William thomas “billy” pruin, 43, was shot at his rural mason city, iowa, home on tuesday, april 4, 1995. Cerro gordo county in iowa cerro gordo county in iowa mason city in cerro gordo countymason city in cerro gordo county two days before his death, he’d proposed to his girlfriend, gretchen tusler. Officials initially ruled his death a suicide, but later changed the status to undetermined.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Brian Blachut

Age

30

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Brian richard blachut, 30, of lake mills, iowa, disappeared after leaving the blue moon saloon in scarville, iowa, about 2 a.M. On sunday, november 21, 1993. At approximately 10 a.M., blachut’s four-wheel drive datsun 1981 pickup truck was found partially submerged in a drainage ditch on the west side of winnebago county road a-16, about two miles east of scarville. Tracks indicated the vehicle had gone down into the ditch on the road’s east side, circled in the field, crossed back over the blacktop road and then gone back into the ditch on the road’s west side.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Gary Lack

Age

58

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Cause of death: drowning (in own blood) after a hospice nurse illegally administered a fatal dosage of an unprescribed drug she’d stolen from another client original investigating agency: medicare, iowa board of nursing, and iowa department of inspection and appea

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jodi Huisentruit

Age

27

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Today marks the 25th anniversary of jodi huisentruit’s disappearance in mason city. We pause today to stand with jodi’s family as they remember her and remain hopeful for answers about her disappearance. The investigation into her disappearance continues and is an active case being worked by the mason city police department and the iowa division of criminal investigation. We appreciate the work the media has done to keep jodi’s story in the public eye in support of our investigative efforts

Agency

Iowa