Stearns County, 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

Arnold Sansgaard

Age

58

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

On saturday, july 21, 1984, authorities found 58-year-old arnold sansgaard’s unclothed body on the living room floor of his rural story city home in northeast boone county. Sansgaard had been stabbed multiple times and had been dead for about a week. His mother, delia, who lived with sansgaard, was away visiting her daughter in nashua at the time of the murder.

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

Dawn Allen

Age

50

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.

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

Edward Uhlenhopp

Age

85

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Edward r. “ed” uhlenhopp, 85, was killed on friday, june 29, 2001, when the honda moped he was driving in ackley, iowa, was struck by an unidentified truck that did not stop. The iowa state patrol and hardin county sheriff’s office reported that uhlenhopp died at the scene. Uhlenhopp, a wwii us army veteran, was driving southbound on butler street and attempting to make a left turn into a private driveway on fourth avenue when the truck, following closely behind the moped, made an attempt to pass on the left. The vehicles collided and the truck kept on going.

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

Julie Benning

Age

18

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

She had a quick smile and a zany laugh. She was bright, beautiful, spunky, and ambitious. She loved getting out to meet people and making things happen. She loved live music and the weekly top 100 countdown. Her creativity spilled over into every aspect of her life; she not only designed and sewed her own dresses, but painted landscapes and portraits of all things closest to her heart.

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

Roger Brown

Age

55

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Roger alan brown, 55, was found dead inside his trailer in the 200 block of eighth street sw in dayton, iowa, on wednesday morning, september 30, 2015. A news release from the iowa department of public safety said the man appeared to have died from a gunshot wound, but did not initially classify his death as a homicide.The body was sent to the iowa office of the state medical examiner in ankeny that same day, and the iowa division of criminal investigation (dci) called in to assist in the investigation.

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

William Meadows

Age

36

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Town marshal william lawrence meadows, 36, was shot and killed on monday, january 23, 1961, while investigating a burglary in progress at the hartmann packing plant in plainfield, iowa.Meadows, who’d worked his family’s farm for years and also volunteered as a scoutmaster, had barely stepped through the packing plant’s front entrance just after 2:15 a.M. Before being shot through the heart by what authorities believed to be a high-powered 30-30-caliber deer rifle. Meadows died instantly.

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

Brenda Dailey

Age

53

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.

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

Daniel Hieber

Age

58

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.”

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

Earl Thelander

Age

25

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.

Agency

Iowa

Name

George Dean Jr

Age

55

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.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jesse Nimajapol

Age

18

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

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

Matthew Rice

Age

17

Cause of Death

Injury

Info

Matthew joel rice, a 17-year-old senior at westwood high school in sloan, iowa, died from injuries sustained after being struck by a vehicle during a hit-and-run on saturday, sept. 21, 2002.

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