Byron, NE Area Cold Cases

cold-case-record__Reuwsaat

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

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cold-case-record__White

Name

Chad White

Age

21

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Late friday night, may 21, 1993, chad william white, 21, was shot to death in the corning, iowa home he shared with his fiancée, dixie kinser.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Hummel

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

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cold-case-record__Shoemaker

Name

Allen Shoemaker

Age

36

Cause of Death

Hit And Run

Info

Allen f. Shoemaker — a police officer with the chicago and northwestern railroad police — was shot and killed on sunday, may 17, 1925, while conducting a railroad check in missouri valley, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Beghtel

Name

Alonzo Beghtel

Age

81

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Alonzo “lon” beghtel, an 81-year-old retired farmer, was found beaten to death near his guthrie center, iowa, home on wednesday, january 18, 1950.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Braun

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

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cold-case-record__Evans

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

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cold-case-record__Sealine

Name

Bernadene Sealine

Age

67

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Bernadene sealine, 67, of dexter, iowa, was reported missing to the pottawattamie county sheriff’s office in council bluffs, iowa, on july 10, 1993 after flood waters swept away the family’s vehicle in carson, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Swetnam

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

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cold-case-record__Novinger

Name

Boyd Novinger

Age

77

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Boyd george novinger, 77, was killed in his bedford, iowa home on saturday, december 27, 1997. Novinger’s son-in-law and business partner, h. Keith taylor, was first on scene and told officials he found his father-in-law’s body the following sunday afternoon. An autopsy concluded novinger died from gunshot wounds to the chest.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Smith

Name

Brianne Smith

Age

25

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Brianne smith, a 25-year-old mother of three, disappeared from omaha, neb., in april 2006. Her body was discovered in a mills county, iowa, roadside ditch west of glenwood on june 10, 2006. Mills county in iowa mills county in iowa glenwood in mills countyglenwood in mills county the mills county sheriff’s office and the iowa division of criminal investigation (dci) reported on july 18, 2006 that the human remains found were smith’s.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Dailey

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

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cold-case-record__Simpson

Name

Colleen Simpson

Age

14

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Colleen simpson, 14, of clearfield, iowa, was reported missing to the taylor county sheriff’s office in bedford, iowa, on october 5, 1975. She was last seen at her clearfield home where she disappeared sometime during the night. Colleen was born december 5, 1960, and has a scar on her right forearm.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Ruddy

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

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cold-case-record__Perry

Name

Corinne Perry

Age

17

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

The creston high school senior had just earned a scholarship to college and planned to double major in psychology and acting. She belonged to the school’s mime troop, acted in several school plays, and also participated in speech contests. She was last seen sunday, april 17, 1983 at a coin-operated laundromat in creston, iowa. According to authorities, a man walked out of the laundromat right behind the teen sometime between 8:30 and 9 p.M. The night she disappeared. The following day, her car — with the clothes neatly folded and lying on the seat — was found parked at the laundromat. Her purse turned up on a highway bridge seven miles away between kent and lenox, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Robinson

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

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cold-case-record__Harden

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

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cold-case-record__Hieber

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

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cold-case-record__Eberly

Name

Denise Eberly

Age

3

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On thursday morning, october 15, 1964, dixie lynne eberly, 13 months old, and her 3-year-old sister, denise diane eberly, died after an arson fire in the family’s rural new market, iowa home in taylor county. Taylor county in iowa taylor county in iowa officials said 13-month-old dixie burned alive in her crib. Denise died of smoke inhalation a short time later at the municipal hospital.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Redowl Sr

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

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cold-case-record__Allen

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

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cold-case-record__Barajas

Name

Debra Barajas

Age

44

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Debra (debbie) ann barajas was last seen on thursday afternoon, may 25, 2006, heading to the omaha vicinity of park avenue and leavenworth in omaha, neb. When she didn’t arrive, she was reported missing to the nebraska missing persons information clearinghouse. Mills county in iowa mills county in iowa glenwood in mills countyglenwood in mills county nearly six months later on tuesday, november 14, 2006, barajas’ remains were discovered in a pacific junction ravine northwest of glenwood, iowa, near the 54300 block of 195th street in mills county, iowa. The rural community’s population barely topped 500 people.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Eberly

Name

Dixie Eberly

Age

13

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On thursday morning, october 15, 1964, dixie lynne eberly, 13 months old, and her 3-year-old sister, denise diane eberly, died after an arson fire in the family’s rural new market, iowa home in taylor county. Taylor county in iowa taylor county in iowa officials said 13-month-old dixie burned alive in her crib. Denise died of smoke inhalation a short time later at the municipal hospital.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Addlesberger

Name

Dennis Addlesberger

Age

46

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Dennis ray addlesberger, 46, was reported missing to the pottawattamie county sheriff’s office in council bluffs, iowa, on march 16, 1999. At the time of his disappearance, dennis was described as a 5-foot-7 white male weighing 165 pounds. His eyes are hazel, and he may have been completely bald. Officials have classified his case as “endangered / physical,” which refers to a person of any age who is missing under circumstances indicating his/her physical safety is in danger.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Davis

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

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cold-case-record__Truong

Name

Dung Truong

Age

37

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On monday, sept. 22, 1997, dung kim truong, a 37-year-old female vietnamese legal alien authorized to work in the united states, left the omaha home she shared with her boyfriend and went to the recently opened ameristar riverboat casino across the missouri river in council bluffs, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Thelander

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

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cold-case-record__Hickson

Name

Edward Hickson

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On february 15, 1978 at 4:14 a.M., council bluffs police department officers responded to a fire call in the 1500 block of south 6th street, where the fire department advised them there was an unresponsive person inside the rock island bunkhouse #27. The unresponsive male was taken by ambulance to mercy hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival and identified as edward leroy hickson. A witness to the incident advised police that on the same night as the fire at 4:05 a.M., he had observed a white male, 6’3 to 6’4 and wearing a brown stocking hat and black jacket, enter the rock island bunkhouse #27. The witness said the individual immediately came back out and went to a 1975 or 1976 buick or monte carlo, burgundy over white in color, removed something from inside the vehicle and then re-entered the building. The witness said he saw a green shirt hanging inside the car, and that a few minutes later the man exited the building and left in the same vehicle.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Konecne

Name

Doris Konecne

Age

38

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Doris “elaine” konecne, 38, the legal secretary for union county attorney robert rolfe, was found deceased on the kitchen floor of her apartment at the ken-lee apartments on north cherry street in creston, iowa, early sunday morning, october 28, 1973. Ms. Konecne’s brother, who discovered his sister’s body, immediately contacted authorities.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Resh

Name

Evelyn Resh

Age

87

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Evelyn resh, 87, died tuesday, sept. 16, 1997 after someone deliberately set fire to the red oak apartment house where she lived alone. Her death is one from a group of “cold case” fire investigations resurrected in iowa in spring 2016. The cold cases became the focus in “arson awareness week,” as proclaimed by iowa gov. Terry branstad.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Alborn

Name

Floyd Alborn

Age

76

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Floyd william alborn, a 76-year-old bachelor, was found shot to death in his rural panora, iowa, home on friday evening, november 8, 1974. Alborn lived alone at his farm on the guthrie and dallas county line one-fourth mile north of highway 44. His sister and brother-in-law, freda and lawrence mills, discovered his body, the guthrian reported on monday, november 25, 1974.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Eckels

Name

Frank Eckels

Age

73

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Frank johnston eckels, 73, was shot and wounded during a holdup at his motel and café in oakland, iowa, on wednesday, december 3, 1958. Eckels died three days later on saturday, december 6, at a council bluffs hospital

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Sebek

Name

Gary Sebek

Age

20

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Gary eugene sebek, 20, spent the last day of his life going to work in the morning, being called away to witness the birth of his second child – a son – and leaving the hospital late that evening to return to his hamburg, iowa home, where he’d be slain that same night and his body removed from the premises.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Dean Jr

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

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cold-case-record__Massouris

Name

George Massouris

Age

30

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

George james massouris, a 30-year-old union pacific railroad carman who worked part-time as a taxicab driver, was found dead in a ditch on the old orchard road two miles east of council bluffs, iowa, on sunday morning, nov. 19, 1950. He’d been shot three times at the base of his skull with a .22 caliber automatic pistol.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Slump

Name

Gloria Slump

Age

24

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On monday, march 6, 1967, burlington railroad employees found the frozen body of 24-year-old gloria fay slump under a trestle over pony creek three miles south of council bluffs, iowa. Pottawattamie county in iowa pottawattamie county in iowa council bluffs in pottawattamie countycouncil bluffs in pottawattamie county a trail of blood showed she was dragged to the site from a county road 150 yards away.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Nimmo

Name

Gregg Nimmo

Age

44

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Gregg andrew nimmo, 44, of adel, iowa, was found with severe head injuries on a gravel road in dexter, iowa, on sunday, aug. 28, 2011. Nimmo lay bleeding from head wounds on a gravel road just outside beaver lake campground in dallas county. Several individuals allegedly witnessed the manner in which a known female killed nimmo. Tire tracks ran up and down both ditch sides as the driver attempted to throw nimmo from the truck and then deliberately ran him over.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Cortez

Name

Humberto Cortez

Age

31

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On june 21, 1996, a partially decomposed male body was discovered in a rail car by a paxton & vierling steel co. Employee. The body was identified in december 2009 as that of humberto cortez.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Nicoll

Name

James Nicoll

Age

52

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

James clark nicoll, a 52-year-old baker from perth, scotland, who emigrated to council bluffs, iowa with his wife and five children in 1871, was found dead tuesday morning, march 17, 1885, lying frozen in about 15 inches of water in a tenth avenue council bluffs ditch that led into indian creek. A successful businessman, nicoll was known as a well respected community member.

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Nimajapol

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

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cold-case-record__Bremmers

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

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cold-case-record__Floyd

Name

Joseph Floyd

Age

42

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

World war ii veteran joseph j. Floyd jr., 42, was shot in the head in the early morning hours on saturday, july 1, 1967, in council bluffs, iowa. Union pacific railroad switchman edward l. Stephen, 1000 cathy lane, contacted authorities around 10:30 a.M. Saturday after finding the body

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Adams Jr

Name

John Adams Jr

Age

23

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

John p. Adams, jr., 23, of omaha died from a single gunshot to the head on july 11, 1982, after an altercation in council bluffs, iowa, with two men riding motorcycles. A witness told police the fight started in omaha after a traffic confrontation. Witnesses said the two motorcyclists had been arguing in the street by 25th and west broadway and that when the victim approached one of the two men, the offender shot the victim in the face. Adams fell to the ground in the 2400 block of west broadway street

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Conaway

Name

John Conaway

Age

36

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

John steven “steve” conaway, 36, of council bluffs, iowa, went missing sometime on monday night, february 9, 1998. He was reported missing to the council bluffs police department on february 11, 1998. Conaway was last seen between 10 and 10:30 p.M. On feb. 9 at buffalo joe’s food & spirits, located near rosenblatt stadium in downtown omaha, nebraska. Conaway had gone there with a friend and had a few beers, and seemed to be in good spirits at the time

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Erickson

Name

John Erickson

Age

48

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On wednesday, april 30, 1997, vietnam veteran john lee erickson, 48, of council bluffs was shot in the head near mondamin, iowa, in harrison county. His killer or killers then dumped his body in a ditch off I-29 south of onawa in monona county

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Shields

Name

Johnny Shields

Age

32

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Johnny joe shields, who lived with his mother in carter lake, iowa, was heard leaving the residence at 2 a.M. On thursday, december 15, 1988, and has never returned to his residence nor contacted his family. The 32-year-old left personal belongings and his pickup truck behind, and was reported missing to the carter lake police department on friday, december 16, 1988

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Joseph Kaschmitter

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

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cold-case-record__Riche

Name

Joseph Riche

Age

40

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

The missing person, joseph edward riche, 40, allegedly left his residence in neola, iowa on the morning of october 12, 2012. There has been no social media presence and none of his relatives or close friends have heard from him since that date

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Pleas

Name

Judith Pleas

Age

17

Cause of Death

Strangulation

Info

Judith kaylene pleas, 17, was reported missing to the council bluffs police department in council bluffs, iowa, on august 10, 1973. On october 14, 1973, a farmer located the remains of a female in a cornfield outside council bluffs’ city limits and contacted the pottawattamie county sheriff’s office, who in turn notified the council bluffs police department

Agency

Iowa

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cold-case-record__Harker

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

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