Dakota, MN Area Cold Cases

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

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

Harold Doerring

Age

66

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Sixty-six-year-old harold doerring was reported missing to the winneshiek county sheriff’s office in decorah, iowa, on february 16, 1997. Authorities found harold doerring’s truck abandoned on highway 218 south of mount pleasant in henry county on february 23, 1997. When they tried to contact him about the vehicle but could not find him, they discovered no one had seen doerring since february 16 in cedar falls, iowa.

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

Name

Lowell Stumo

Age

48

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Lowell stumo, 48, a former u.S. Army sgt. Who served in vietnam, was shot to death sometime on sunday, december 7, 1997, near his farmhouse southwest of northwood, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lucille DeVries

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Lucille elaine devries, a 22-year-old insurance firm secretary and restaurant waitress, was found dead early wednesday, oct. 10, 1962, in the back seat of her fire-gutted auto outside her mason city, iowa home.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mildred Clemenson

Age

81

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Mildred adaline “millie” clemenson, 81, was brutally slain on monday, nov. 9, 1998, inside her rural kensett, iowa, mobile home — a home about seven miles west of kensett and directly attached to the family farmhouse clemenson owned at 3926 ironwood avenue.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Norma Horgen

Age

18

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Around 8:15 p.M. On saturday, september 10, 1966, a fisherman found 18-year-old norma jean horgen’s body near clear lake’s northwest shore. The st. Ansgar teen — a student at the mason city school of cosmetology — was discovered in about four feet of water. Officials determined cause of death as drowning, though did not rule out foul play.Dr. A.J. Kerlitzka, the county medical examiner, said alcohol was found in the teen’s blood, but said the alcoholic content did not indicate intoxication and that horgen had not consumed an excessive amount.In an austin (mn) daily herald news article dated saturday, sept. 17, 1966, cerro gordo county attorney b. Michael dunn said 75 to 80 people had been questioned in the case and would be reinterviewed in efforts to clarify some discrepancies — particularly the time element in horgen’s death.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rhonda Knutson

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Early on monday, september 7, 1992, rhonda anette knutson was murdered while working the 9 p.M. To 5 a.M. Shift at the phillips 66 convenience store in williamstown, iowa, in chickasaw county.The store manager found knutson’s body monday morning around 4:45 a.M. In a room near the back of the store.The williamstown store was open 24 hours a day and located six miles south of new hampton on u.S. Highway 63 and one-quarter mile north of highway junctions 63, 18, and 346.An autopsy concluded knutson died after being bludgeoned to death, and there were no signs of sexual assault.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rodney Olsen

Age

32

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Rodney olsen, a 32-year-old rural mason city farmer, left his farm around 1 a.M. Saturday, oct. 18, 1986, with intentions of visiting someone and was never seen alive again. Olsen had a young son and farmed northeast of mason city. He had moved from his native britt area not too long before he disappeared.He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a brown shirt, and is described as a 6-foot white male with brown hair, brown eyes, and weighing about 210 pounds. He has dark shoulder-length curly hair and usually is clean shaven.Several months later, olsen’s car, a black 1978 pontiac sunbird, was found in a forest city trailer park. No clues were found to indicate what happened to olsen, according to reports at that time.Myrlen olsen said he keeps in contact with the cerro gordo county sheriff’s department, in hopes new information about the case can be developed.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Roger Joynt

Age

26

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On friday, september 29, 1978, the body of roger joynt, 26, was found in a ditch 2.5 miles east of interstate-35 on county road b-20 around the mason city area in cerro gordo county, iowa.Joynt, who resided at 509 n. Jefferson avenue in mason city, had been shot eight times with a small-caliber weapon.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.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Linda Wegner

Age

31

Cause of Death

Knife/stabbing

Info

Agency

La Crosse Police Department

Name

Yvonne Menke

Age

45

Cause of Death

Gun/firearm

Info

Agency

Polk County Sheriff's Office

Name

Angelina Wall

Age

22

Cause of Death

Undisclosed

Info

Agency

Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office

Name

Alex Bullerman

Age

18

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Waterloo, iowa, was shot in the college hill commercial district adjacent to the university of northern iowa campus in cedar falls early on saturday, november 11, 2017.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Alonzo Quinn

Age

27

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On friday, january 3, 2003, waterloo police discovered the bodies of alonzo nakia quinn, 27, and rhiannon marie olsen, 22, inside quinn’s home at 1001 hartman avenue in waterloo. Olsen was nine months pregnant with quinn’s child

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rhiannon Olsen

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On friday, january 3, 2003, waterloo police discovered the bodies of alonzo nakia quinn, 27, and rhiannon marie olsen, 22, inside quinn’s home at 1001 hartman avenue in waterloo. Olsen was nine months pregnant with quinn’s child

Agency

Iowa

Name

Anthony Posley

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Anthony “fat boy” posley, 22, of 333 pioneer ave. Se in cedar rapids, iowa, was shot in the 1600 block of sixth avenue se about 2:27 a.M. On sunday, july 23, 2006. He was taken by ambulance to mercy medical center and pronounced dead a short time later. According to cedar rapids police lt. Kenneth washburn, who investigated the case, those who spoke to the police indicated that posley was shot in self-defense.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Ashley Downing

Age

77

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Barely a year after his wife’s death, ashley downing, a 77-year-old chicken farmer, was shot and killed wednesday, jan. 4, 1933, inside his rural westgate home. Downing lived alone on a 240-acre farm about eight miles northwest of oelwein. He owned a total of about 800 acres in fayette county, and also owned around 800 acres in minnesota.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Aubrey Young

Age

35

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Aubrey young, 35, was shot to death near redmond park in cedar rapids at 2 a.M. On sunday, june 15, 2008. Investigators found his body, lying face down on the ground, between two parked cars in the 200 block of 16th street se. Young had been shot once in the head.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Barbara Elms

Age

50

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Barbara lee elms was reported missing to the cedar rapids police department on august 25, 1993. She was last seen heading toward first avenue east, wearing white shorts, a multicolored blouse, black hose, hi-top sneakers, and a walkman with earphones.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Becky Lawless

Age

59

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Becky simpson lawless, 59, of waterloo, was apparently walking home from a tavern in the early morning hours on monday, april 9, 2012, when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver in the area of washington street and west mullan avenue.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Brian Burns

Age

55

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On november 5th, 2023, the delaware county sheriff’s office responded one mile south of the 1300 block of 180th street for a report that human remains had been located in a field just west of manchester by some pheasant hunters.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Brian Dietrich

Age

30

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

He’d planned to take his new baby daughter out trick-or-treating that october night in 1993. Brian dietrich — the son of [then] Clayton county sheriff verdean dietrich — was known for his biker lifestyle and “living off the land” in rural garnavillo, iowa, but made regular trips across the mississippi river to prairie du chien, wis., to sell ginseng.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Martavious Robinson

Age

20

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Rash died that same evening. Robinson died the following tuesday, september 24, at allen hospital. By march, waterloo police announced they were mounting simultaneous, coordinated investigations to crack two unsolved murder cases in the previous six months that left four people and a near-term unborn child dead, in addition to a march 6, 2003 shooting that left two men critically injured.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Calvin Rash

Age

29

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Rash died that same evening. Robinson died the following tuesday, september 24, at allen hospital. By march, waterloo police announced they were mounting simultaneous, coordinated investigations to crack two unsolved murder cases in the previous six months that left four people and a near-term unborn child dead, in addition to a march 6, 2003 shooting that left two men critically injured.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Cartha Pearson

Age

26

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Cartha “jack” pearson, 26, of 714 south view drive in waterloo, iowa, was found dead in his car thursday, july 29, 1993, from bullet wounds to his stomach and chest, and cedar valley crime stoppers is asking witnesses in the decades-old unsolved murder to come forward with any known information about the case. A waterloo cedar falls courier article dated august 16, 1993, said pearson was shot to death in an alley between the 100 block of sumner and cottage streets after he allegedly cheated some drug dealers by not paying them or only partially paying them for drugs.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Charles Gearhart

Age

89

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

Charles rufus gearhart, an 89-year-old rock island railroad retiree, was stabbed to death in his cedar rapids apartment on wednesday, may 13, 1970, the victim of an apparent robbery. Gearhart, the landlord of an apartment building located at 422 first street sw, was discovered the following day by tenants charles frondle and willie harvey, who’d come to gearhart’s apartment to complain they had no water or heat; the apartment building’s basement had flooded, extinguishing the furnace’s pilot light. According to a cedar rapids gazette article dated may 15, 1970, frondle and harvey said they’d gone to gearhart’s apartment at approximately 6:35 p.M. Gearhart was found between the kitchen and bedroom lying in a hallway. Cedar rapids police told the gazette the suspect had broken the apartment’s rear door in order to gain entrance. A search of gearhart’s apartment failed to turn up the murder weapon. Tenants told police the elderly gearhart often flashed large sums of cash, though police were unable to locate any money in gearhart’s apartment or in his clothing.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Charles Jaeger

Age

37

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On august 29, 1984, charles jaeger, 37, was found in a pool of blood in his bed at his dyersville, iowa home, a bullet lodged in his brain. He was transported to the university of iowa hospitals and clinics in iowa city, where he was pronounced dead. The following article, which details jaeger’s case, was written by m.D. Kittle and published in the dubuque telegraph herald on april 20, 2008.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Crystal Arensdorf

Age

20

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Crystal ann arensdorf, 20, of dubuque, iowa, was last seen at approximately 2 a.M. On july 4, 2001, at knicker’s saloon in dubuque, iowa. Arensdorf had gone to the 2186 central avenue bar with friends and tried to find a ride to east dubuque, ill. No one saw her leave the bar, and she left her car, her keys, and her money behind. She did not show up for work thursday morning. Steven and david peacock — two former dubuque brothers who resided in mount horeb, wisconsin — were at the bar on july 4 and questioned several times in arensdorf’s disappearance. The brothers agreed to polygraph exams in april 2002, and authorities also seized and searched david peacock’s vehicle. The brothers were never charged in connection with arensdorf’s case.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Daniel Andersen

Age

4

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Four-year-old daniel j. Andersen was reported missing to the black hawk county sheriff’s office in waterloo, iowa, on january 25, 1992. The toddler was last seen wearing blue snow-pants and a blue jacket near finchford, iowa, about five miles north of cedar falls. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a 3-foot tall white male with brown hair, brown eyes, and weighing about 50 pounds. According to a cedar rapids gazette article published january 27, 1992, the black hawk county sheriff’s department said the boy was visiting at a house on newell road with his father, david andersen.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Danny Baker

Age

28

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Danny baker, a 28-year-old father of four, was shot in the back monday night, nov. 28, 1983, in the driveway of his brother-in-law’s southwest cedar rapids home after an argument with another guest over a boxing match they’d been watching on television. Police said baker and willie b. Barney, 40, were inside paul galbreath’s 617 18th ave. Sw residence with several others — including baker’s 9-year-old son donyeal — prior to the shooting. The men had been drinking while watching the boxing match, and when baker and barney began arguing, baker went out the front door sometime before 8 p.M. And barney followed.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dariusz Szczeponek

Age

25

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Dariusz “darek” szczeponek, a 25-year-old university of northern iowa student, was shot to death wednesday night, september 29, 1993, at annie’s launderette on 819 sycamore st. In waterloo, iowa, during an apparent robbery attempt. Szczeponek, a young polish immigrant who worked at the launderette to earn money for college, was shot about 7:47 p.M. By a gunman wearing a ski mask and pronounced dead a half-hour later at allen memorial hospital. Officials believe keith trenell taylor is likely responsible for szczeponek’s homicide; taylor currently is incarcerated at the michigan reformatory in ionia, mich.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Darrell Lanier

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

The 22-year-old lifelong waterloo resident was about three blocks from home when he was shot and collapsed. He lingered unconscious at unitypoint health-allen hospital for three days and underwent two surgeries before dying early friday from internal injuries associated with the bullet wounds, police said.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Denelius Nesby

Age

55

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Denelius nesby, 55, was shot multiple times in a waterloo, iowa, parking lot on sunday, january 22, 2017. Officers were called to the 700 block of logan avenue for a report of gunfire around 5:05 a.M. Sunday, and found nesby on the ground near a car parked in the lot to the south of greer funeral home.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Denise Fraley

Age

30

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Denise fraley was last seen alive in cedar rapids, iowa, in the early morning hours on sunday, september 12, 1982. Denise and her husband, david fraley, had played in a band saturday night at a private cedar rapids party. Once the couple left the event, denise was never seen alive again and foul play is suspected in her disappearance. David fraley never reported his wife as missing. And, for more than a month, he deterred his wife’s family from filing any missing persons report.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Chaffee

Age

33

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Dennis chaffee of cedar rapids, iowa, spent the weekend of july 16 – 17, 1983, at home with his 1-1/2-year-old twins — son adam and daughter maria — and on monday, july 18, was to return them to their mother, mary hernandez, who resided in marion, iowa. When monday arrived, chaffee didn’t answer his phone when hernandez called, nor did he show up for work at wilson foods in cedar rapids where he’d been employed for the past 15 years. Concerned, hernandez called chaffee’s parents, harlon and betty chaffee, also of cedar rapids.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Clougherty

Age

23

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On monday, august 12, 1974, sometime between the hours of 10:30 p.M. And midnight, someone shot 23-year-old dennis clougherty five times in the chest and left his body along union road, south of first street in cedar falls, iowa. A passing motorist discovered the body early the following morning about 100 yards off u.S. Route 20 in black hawk county.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Stastny

Age

30

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On tuesday, august 9, 1977, mary white of cedar rapids, iowa, filed a missing persons report with the cedar rapids police department regarding the disappearance of her son, dennis stastny, 30. Two days later, stastny’s body was pulled from the cedar river near downtown cedar rapids after two young fishermen, steve halsor, 16, and john braumann, 15, discovered the body in the west spillway near the f avenue bridge about 11 a.M. According to an autopsy report by linn county medical examiner dr. Percy harris, stastny — a navy veteran who worked part-time as a shoe salesman — died from a “stab wound to the heart.”

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Washburn

Age

69

Cause of Death

Trauma

Info

Dennis dwaine washburn — a 69-year-old united states navy and vietnam war veteran who didn’t have a vehicle and walked with the assistance of a walker — was found unconscious with head injuries near longfellow elementary school in waterloo, iowa, on memorial day, may 26, 2014. Washburn sustained blunt force trauma injuries and a broken neck, and died from his injuries early thursday, june 5, 2014.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Diane Courbat

Age

34

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Diane courbat, 34, was shot in the head in the early morning hours on tuesday, august 3, 1993. Two waterloo police officers on routine patrol found courbat lying in the northwest parking lot of the cedar river exchange park about 2:30 a.M. Courbat, who resided at 538 montero drive, was described as a 5-foot-5 black female weighing about 130 pounds and dressed in a red tank top, cutoff blue jean shorts, red socks and black shoes. She died three days later at university of iowa hospitals in iowa city. Black hawk county in iowa black hawk county in iowa waterloo in black hawk countywaterloo in black hawk county courbat reportedly was breathing when officers found her, and underwent brain surgery that same day. She remained in critical condition at university hospitals until her death at 9:08 p.M. Friday.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Diane Martin

Age

48

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Diane martin, 48, was shot in her waterloo home around 9:45 p.M. On monday, sept. 10, 2018. She was later pronounced dead at unitypoint health-allen hospital. Police investigators returned to 84 ricker st. On tuesday, sept. 11, 2018, after a woman had been shot and killed at the home the night before. Jeff reinitz | jeff.Reinitz@wcfcourier.Com on september 12th, 2018 an autopsy was conducted by the iowa state medical examiner’s office and determined diane martin died as the result of a single gunshot wound, police announced in a press release. Police records show martin had reported gunfire at her home multiple times in the past few years, but no injuries were reported.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dominique Mosby

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Twenty-two-year-old dominique mosby was shot in the head on friday, june 26, 2009 as he sat outside on an apartment deck playing dice for money with a group of men. According to witnesses, mosby and several other men were playing dice on the patio of cedarwood hills apartment number 105 in cedar rapids at 2030 glass rd. Ne when an unknown assailant walked up to mosby and shot him several times. The shooter then walked away. Police responded to shots fired at the complex at approximately 6:35 p.M., where they found mosby lying on the ground outside the ground floor apartment. Emergency medical technicians performed cpr on mosby before taking him to st. Luke’s hospital, where the victim died.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dorothy Rose

Age

43

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Dorothy j. Rose, 43, was found dead in her 206 12th st. Se cedar rapids, iowa apartment on tuesday night, november 28, 2006. The building’s landlord — who’d gone to check on rose — discovered her body and called police.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Erin Pospisil

Age

15

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Erin pospisil was reported missing to the cedar rapids police department on june 3, 2001. The [then] 15-year-old was last seen leaving her home with curtis padgett and hasn’t been seen since. According to padgett — a friend of erin’s older brother — he was leaving the pospisil home at the same time as erin and agreed to give her a ride to her friend brit’s home, where erin and brit planned to watch movies or go to the movie theater. Padgett later told officials that when they arrived at brit’s home in the 1500 block of second avenue se late sunday, june 3, 2001, that erin went up to the door and knocked but no one answered.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Francis Rafferty

Age

58

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Francis john rafferty — a 58-year-old millworker — died of asphyxiation after burglars entered his dubuque, iowa home saturday night, feb. 8, 1964, and taped his mouth shut with electrician’s tape. Dubuque police chief robert o’brien said rafferty was tied up with telephone wire and, because his mouth was covered with tape, apparently choked on food he’d eaten earlier.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Frederick Coste

Age

47

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

Frederick “fred” leonard coste, the 47-year-old manager of the family finance corporation in cedar rapids, iowa, was stabbed to death inside his loan interview cubicle on thursday morning, oct. 15, 1959. Two customers found coste — lying on his back in a pool of blood — shortly before noon at the 312-1/2 second ave. Se cedar rapids business.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Friedrich Widmann

Age

30

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Patrolman fred p. Widmann was shot and killed by burglars on wednesday, october 11, 1908, while walking his beat. Widmann was the first waterloo officer to die in the line of duty. Widman was 30 years old and had served with the waterloo police department for two years. No suspect was ever apprehended and his murder remains unsolved.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Fredrick Webber

Age

33

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Fredrick “dewayne” webber, a 33-year-old passenger in a sport utility vehicle, died after being struck by gunfire around 3:55 p.M. Friday, july 14, 2017, in waterloo, iowa. An autopsy was scheduled for july 17, 2017.

Agency

Iowa