Malcom, IA Area Cold Cases

Name

Denease Latham

Age

24

Cause of Death

Suspicious

Info

On sunday, oct. 5, 1986 — just 15 days before her 25th birthday — denease (monson) latham of what cheer, iowa, suffered blunt force trauma injuries to her head before coming to rest face-down in two feet of water beneath a bridge about a half mile north of rose hill in mahaska county. One of latham’s young sons remembers the fight between his mother and father the last night he ever saw his mom alive. She’d taken off on her bicycle, he said, and his father, robin latham, later went after her.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Edward Schmidt

Age

85

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Edward arthur schmidt, an 85-year-old oskaloosa attorney, was beaten about the head and face and then stabbed to death in his spartan-like basement law office on thursday, january 13, 1972.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Frank Searway

Age

43

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Frank searway, a 43-year-old single farmer, had just sold a horse for $850 when he was murdered and buried in his barn about six miles northwest of millersburg, iowa, on or around may 8, 1911.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lloyd Patrick

Age

85

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

On wednesday, oct. 27, 1982, retired oskaloosa farmer lloyd john patrick, 85, was murdered in his rural mahaska county home before someone set the house ablaze. Patrick was shot to death early on wednesday before his house was set on fire, presumably by his assailant, said iowa division of criminal investigation (dci) chief gerald shanahan in an announcement on friday, oct. 29, 1982.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mary Green

Age

59

Cause of Death

Stabbing

Info

On september 27, 1987, mary ann green was found stabbed to death in her oskaloosa, iowa, mobile home, located in the spring creek mobile park on highway 23 south in mahaska county. Mary ann’s murder fell under the jurisdiction of the mahaska county sheriff’s office, whose solid investigative skills quickly led to the arrest of green’s stepson, richard lee green, and his acquaintance, david kelly yant.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rick Davis

Age

36

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Rick lynne davis, 36, died july 20, 1986, at his oskaloosa residence from a gunshot wound to the head. Police ruled the death a suicide, but while reviewing police and autopsy records, his daughter, monica speaks, began to ask questions.The following information about davis’ case and the new law denying his daughter access to the records is reported below by des moines register reporter jason clayworth.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Charles Plucar

Age

74

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Plucar’s estimated date of death was sometime either late june 21 or early june 22, 1977. According to interviews with neighbors, plucar was a good man who didn’t bother anybody. Benton county sheriff kenneth popenhagen and an iowa bureau of criminal investigation agent worked the case.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Helen Bown

Age

61

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Mrs. Helen mae bown, a 61-year-old widow, was last seen alive in her marshalltown, iowa, home on monday, oct. 2, 1973, and reported missing on sunday, oct. 7. Marshall county, iowa marshall county in iowa three weeks later on halloween day, state agents discovered her body on the bank of the iowa river northwest of montour in tama county, about seven miles east of marshalltown and two miles northeast of le grand. Investigators on scene included tama and marshall county sheriff’s officers, marshalltown police, dci agents, tama county medical examiner dr. C.W. Maplethorpe, and tama county attorney jared bauch.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Ila Clark

Age

73

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Ila mae clark was found beaten to death in her marshalltown, iowa home on august 29, 2001. An autopsy showed the 73-year-old died from multiple head injuries.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Peggy Cottrell

Age

66

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Peggy ann cottrell resided at the southridge nursing home in marshalltown, iowa. A relative dropped her off at the facility at approximately 6:30 p.M. On may 26, 2001, and cottrell was last seen running away from the home only minutes later. Authorities believe she left of her own accord, and said she had no history of dementia.Cottrell was last seen wearing a white sweater with a pink and blue design and dark-colored slacks. She is described as a white female, 66 years of age at the time of disappearance, 5’07”, and weighing 167 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes.“we talked with the family members at the time and they said she was in a good mood,” police chief jack mcallister said in a 2008 story about the case.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rita Papakee

Age

41

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Rita papakee, a 41-year-old mother of four, vanished january 16, 2015, after leaving the meskwaki bingo casino hotel near tama, iowa. Family members reported her missing to the meskwaki nation police in tama on february 18, 2015.The police are asking for assistance to help locate her.After she first went missing, police said they believed she may be in the des moines or cedar rapids area.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Steven Babka

Age

58

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

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

Agency

Iowa