Deer Creek, MN Area Cold Cases
Name
Douglas NielsenAge
17Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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
Mamie SimeAge
74Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
Pamela ShadleAge
48Cause of Death
Suicide/MurderInfo
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
Elna PetersonAge
8Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
Yerlanin GarciaAge
12Cause of Death
MissingInfo
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
Alta BraunAge
12Cause of Death
MurderInfo
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
Dale RobinsonAge
84Cause of Death
MissingInfo
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, iaAgency
Iowa
Name
Town Joseph KaschmitterAge
53Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 depotAgency
Iowa
Name
Leo SmithAge
56Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 EschAge
19Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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
Mervin WalvatneAge
53Cause of Death
MissingInfo
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
Wilma NissenAge
23Cause of Death
Robbery/MurderInfo
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
Wilma NissenAge
23Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Lyon County Sheriff's Department
Name
William Wolf JrAge
Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 HatgesAge
75Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 PruinAge
43Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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 BlachutAge
30Cause of Death
MissingInfo
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 LackAge
58Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 appeaAgency
Iowa
Name
Jodi HuisentruitAge
27Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 effortsAgency
Iowa
Name
Lowell StumoAge
48Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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 DeVriesAge
22Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
Michael CarrAge
19Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
At approximately 10 p.M. Friday, the day after christmas 1975, michael edward carr was struck by a vehicle on the west edge of estherville, iowa, while walking home. The hit-and-run happened near the intersection of iowa highway 9 and emmet county blacktop a-22.Agency
Iowa
Name
Mildred ClemensonAge
81Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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 HorgenAge
18Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
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
Rodney OlsenAge
32Cause of Death
MissingInfo
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 JoyntAge
26Cause of Death
ShootingInfo
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
Glennis SorensonAge
41Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
St. Paul Police Department
Name
George JensenAge
61Cause of Death
Knife/StabbingInfo
Agency
Bloomington Police Department
Name
Candice HackettAge
45Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Kamani DavisAge
24Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
William IrvinAge
35Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Walter HaynesAge
30Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Anthony Stubbs JrAge
23Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Michael WhitelawAge
50Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Gavin SpiekerAge
21Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Jaquan OatisAge
28Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Crystal CollinsAge
36Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Andre Riley JrAge
24Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Coshaye BrownAge
19Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Birdell BeeksAge
58Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Derrick RodgersAge
25Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Jimmy StanbackAge
25Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Victoria DayAge
23Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Darnell WilkesAge
25Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Ricardo Orozco-NegreteAge
49Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Paul FallingAge
19Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department
Name
Rastem AbubakarAge
24Cause of Death
MurderInfo
Agency
Minneapolis Police Department