Mervin Leo Walvatne, missing since 1990

Mervin Leo Walvatne was literally battered by life. A 1970s Madison, Wisconsin, car accident left him with severe facial injuries; and, as a victim of alcoholism and disabilities, he lived a transient existence, favoring Arizona cities.

However, Mervin always maintained phone contact with his sister in Spencer, Iowa. She last heard from him on July 18, 1990 — ten days after his 50th birthday. At first, she believed his absence was due to his lifestyle. But as time passed, she feared for his safety and reported him missing to the Spencer Police on December 16, 1990.

When last seen, Mervin was 5-foot-6 and weighed 150 pounds. He is Caucasian and has brown hair and green eyes. Facial fractures from the car accident required surgical implants of wire and plastic to his nose, cheek, and eyes. He also wears an upper denture. There are tattoos on his arm that may include his first name. He would now be 70.

Mervin’s family needs to know where he is. If you have any information concerning Mervin Leo Walvatne, contact the Spencer Police Department at 712-262-2151 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-346-5507.

Elizabeth Syperda vanished from Mount Pleasant on July 17, 2000.

On July 17, 2000 — 10 years ago today — 22-year-old Mount Pleasant resident Elizabeth “Liz” Nicole Forshee-Syperda disappeared from her East Madison Street apartment sometime between 10:30 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. She left behind all her belongings and never claimed her last paycheck or accessed her bank account again.

Her roommate — who was at work when Liz disappeared — said the apartment door was locked from the outside and that Liz had no access to a vehicle.

One month before, Liz’s estranged husband Michael Syperda (whom she met when she babysat his children) had a violent confrontation with Liz and her roommate. After she vanished, he pled guilty to assault in that case and received a suspended sentence and parole.

Although law enforcement cannot link Michael Syperda to the disappearance (he refused to take a polygraph), Liz’s family believes he was involved. He now lives in Colorado.

Liz’s mother Donna Forshee travels from Sacramento, California, to Mount Pleasant every year on the anniversary of Liz’s disappearance. She hopes that her public presence at remembrance ceremonies will remind the public and law enforcement about the need to find Liz.

For the 10th anniversary of Liz’s vanishing, Donna Forshee paid for a billboard near New London, Iowa, that informs drivers of the disappearance and offers a $20,000 reward for information.

When she disappeared, Elizabeth was 5-feet-4 and weighed 150 pounds. Her long brown hair is naturally curly and her eyes are hazel. She has piercings in her ears, tongue, and left nipple; and a heart tattoo surrounds her navel. She was last seen wearing a t-shirt, black jeans, white Nike athletic shoes, a diamond and emerald ring, a wedding ring, and a diamond “Year 2000″ necklace.

Elizabeth Syperda, missing since 2000

Liz’s disappearance was highly publicized and the area was saturated with missing person posters, but law enforcement received no information to indicate foul play or to reveal the location of the missing young woman.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the Mount Pleasant Police Department at 319-385-1450 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

To make an anonymous report, call the Greater Burlington Area Crime Stoppers at 319-753-6835.

More rain is forecast and our state is saturated, just as it was 17 years ago in early July.

We’re wary because we vividly remember the devastating Flood of 1993 — the costliest, most devastating flood in U.S. history, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Heavy snow pack, rapid thawing, a stalled-out Jet Stream, and months of unrelenting rains brought destructive floods to Iowa and the Upper Midwest.

The Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries surged with dangerous and swift water that overflowed their banks.

Twenty-three million acres of agricultural and urban lands were inundated for weeks; 50,000 homes were destroyed; and 70,000 people were displaced. The damage estimate was 15-20 billion dollars.

Fifty-two flood-related deaths occurred in the Upper Midwest.

Seven victims were Iowans, including 30-year-old National Guardsman and Ogden resident Spec. Steven M. West, who was electrocuted on July 16 in Des Moines while erecting an antenna to facilitate communication with water trucks in a city that was without water for most of July.

Because the tremendous, destroying power of water is unpredictable and often underestimated, many Iowa motorists were caught unaware by it. Some tried to drive through inundated spots where the water was faster and deeper than it looked.

Six Iowans were killed in flood-related traffic accidents, including Donald and Bernadene Sealine of Dexter, whose car was swept away by flood waters on July 10.

Donald’s body was recovered, but Bernadene is still missing.

Bernadene Ann Sealine was born in Dallas County April 24, 1926 to Bertrice L. and Gilbert F. Kirk. In Stanhope, on March 6, 1955 she married Donald L. Sealine. They were long-time residents of rural Dexter and had three children – Loree J., Bradley Kirk, and Steven Sealine. Bernadene was 67-years-old when the flood waters carried her away.

The stone for Donald and Bernadene Sealine, who were carried away by flood waters in 1993.

Donald is buried in Roberts Cemetery in Adair County. His stone also records Bernadene’s dates of birth and death, even though her body has not been found. Close by is the grave of their son, Bradley Kirk Sealine, who passed away 16 days after his parents.

Iowa’s Lost Summer: The Flood of 1993, published by Iowa State University Press and the Des Register and Tribune, is dedicated to the memory of the seven Iowa victims of the flood, including Donald and Bernadene Sealine.

Not all Iowa Cold Cases missing persons are victims of foul play. A force of nature can be as violent as an abduction, and its power and fury can thwart efforts to find its victims.

The holiday creates conditions and opportunities just right for crime.

Nearly every Iowa city or hamlet hosts a 4th of July parade or picnic with a carnival and fireworks. Add to that class and family reunions, and even the smallest towns see inflated populations. Drifters and transients come in with traveling midways and food booths; but in the crush of crowds, strangers don’t arouse suspicion.

The festive atmosphere pushes regular schedules aside, alters behavior patterns, and lowers caution.

Hot, muggy weather provokes physical and emotional stress, anxiety, and aggression.

Many activities are scheduled long after night falls, and folks drift off afterwards into the potentially dangerous darkness towards their homes or cars.

Alcohol, consumed all day and long after the fireworks end, lowers inhibitions — of both victims and predators — and emboldens risk-taking and aggressive behavior.

Although many unsolved homicides cluster around this time, this weekend we remember Iowans who have gone missing during the 4th of July holiday.

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Thousands gather each year to watch giant explosions of color coordinated to music at the Dubuque Jaycees and Radio Dubuque Fireworks Display along the Mississippi River. Afterwards, the restaurants and bars of downtown Dubuque fill with celebrants.

Crystal Arensdorf, 20, disappeared from Dubuque July 4, 2001.

That’s where 20-year-old Crystal Ann Arensdorf and her friends were on the hot, humid night of Tuesday, July 3, 2001 — in Knicker’s Saloon at 2186 Central Avenue. Even though she was a minor, Crystal drank alcohol there.

Knicker's Saloon, where Crystal Arensdorf was last seen on July 4, 2001

The 5-feet-6, 115-pound blonde wore blue-tinted soft contacts over her brown eyes that night. She was dressed in a white polo shirt, tan shorts, and sandals and wore an opal pendant on a gold chain, an opal ring, and a toe ring.

Crystal chatted with brothers Steven and David Peacock; and, after her friends left, she tried to find a ride to East Dubuque, Illinois, on the other side of the Mississippi. She discussed sharing a cab with bartender Robert R. Mootz after the bar closed, but that never materialized.

Crystal vanished after last being seen at Knicker’s Saloon around 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 4.

She has been declared an involuntarily missing and “endangered” person.

The Peacock brothers were polygraphed and their car seized and searched, but charges against them were not filed. Bartender Robert Mootz was also questioned. He was convicted of serving alcohol to a minor but not charged with Crystal’s disappearance. In October of 2001, Crystal’s boyfriend, Tim Gerlieb, was cleared of suspicion.

After following up on more than 550 leads, Dubuque Police are stymied. The Arensdorf family is offering a $2,500 reward for details leading to Crystal’s whereabouts.

If you have any information concerning the disappearance of Crystal Ann Arensdorf, contact the Dubuque Police Department at 319-589-4410 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

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Waterloo Jaycees Fireworks Festival on the Cedar River

The free Independence Day Jaycees Fireworks Festival annually draws nearly 30,000 people into downtown Waterloo for an air show, music, and beer gardens. The view along the Cedar River is spectacular as fireworks explode from the 6th Street Bridge.

The celebration is held the first Saturday in July, which in 2004 was July 3. Temperatures hit 85, the sun went in and out of the clouds, and humidity was high. A little rain fell in the evening but had dissipated by fireworks time. The festivities continued into Sunday, July 4 and the early hours of Monday.

L.C. Matlock was last seen July 5, 2004 in Waterloo.

That’s the day 37-year-old Waterloo resident L.C. Matlock disappeared. He was last seen near the Mullen Avenue Bridge wearing a white Denver Broncos Terrell Owens jersey with blue jeans and black Nike tennis shoes.

When Matlock failed to show up at his Tyson meat plant job, his employers contacted his family, who did not know where he was. He was reported missing to Waterloo Police on Monday, July 19, two full weeks after he disappeared.

Matlock, who lived alone, has not contacted family members; and his bank account has been inactive.

Police have no evidence of foul play in Matlock’s disappearance but consider him physically endangered because he needs medication for a health problem.

Matlock is African-American, stands 6-feet-2, and weighs 210. He has black hair and brown eyes.

If you have information on the whereabouts of L.C. Matlock, contact the Waterloo Police at 319-291-4339 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

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Michael James Delaney, 49, disappeared from Davenport on July 3, 2008.

Forty-nine-year-old Davenport resident Michael James Delaney was reported missing on Thursday, July 3, 2008 after he lost contact with his teenage daughter Jennifer, with whom he lived.

On that day, the annual “Red, White, and Boom” celebration took place along the Davenport and Rock Island riverfronts. Clowns, obstacle courses, art work, and music provided family entertainment; and the day ended with fireworks on the Mississippi synchronized to patriotic music.

Shorty before he disappeared, Michael Delaney purchased a recent-model, white, extended-cab Chevrolet Silverado Z71 4-wheel drive pick-up, which also has not been seen since July 3, 2008. There is no VIN information available for the truck because the seller is unknown.

Michael Delaney bought a truck similar to this one shortly before he disappeared. (photo courtesy of the Quad-City Times)

Mark Edward Handlon, a person of interest in Michael Delaney's disappearance

Authorities named 53-year-old Mark Edward Handlon as a “person of interest” in the disappearance. Handlon had arrest warrants at the time in the Quad City area, one for stealing money from a Moline restaurant. He also failed to return a white 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup to a Bettendorf car dealership in June 2008. Police also are looking for him.

Michael James Delaney is a white male who stands 5-foot-10, weighs 190 pounds, and has brown hair and blue eyes. A woman who dated him shortly before he disappeared described Delaney as a “wonderful, caring, and charming person” who was devoted to his daughter and still grieving the death of his wife.

Michael James Delaney

Delaney’s photo and information are posted on several missing person websites where readers are encouraged to provide feedback. This post — signed by “Michael James” — was left on helpfindthemissing.org at 3:35 p.m. on November 12th, 2009:

“i am dead. please do not worry about me. i am in a better place. i was killed by someone i did not know and i do not want anyone looking for me any longer. my body is by the susquehanna river where i often used to fish. please stop worrying, i am fine.”

If you have information on the whereabouts of Michael Delaney or his vehicle or about Mark Edward Handlon, contact the Davenport Police Department at 563-326-7979, Davenport Police Detective Shannon Hughes at 563-326-6147, Quad City Crime Stoppers at 309-762-9500, or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

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Temperatures and humidity were both in the low 80s on Friday, July 3, 2009. This was the last time the Maquoketa Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored its annual Independence Day fireworks following dirt track races at the Jackson County Fairgrounds. Racing fans had long enjoyed the combination of the spectacles.

It was also the day that 40-year-old Noel E. Brown was reported missing to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

A photo of Noel Brown is not available, but he stands six-feet tall, weighs 155 pounds, and has brown hair and hazel eyes.

If you have any information about Noel Brown’s disappearance, contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 563-652-0662 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

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There will always be a carefree and jubilant celebration of our nation’s independence and people will continue to mix alcohol with the fun of large crowds. July heat and humidity are a constant in Iowa.

But limiting alcohol intake, not becoming separated from companions, and being aware of surroundings and unusual behavior will help guard against foul play on the 4th of July.

Jodi Huisentruit disappeared on June 27, 1995 from Mason City

Jodi Huisentruit is one of Iowa’s most well-known missing persons. The 27-year-old was abducted an hour before dawn on Tuesday, June 27, 1995 from the parking lot of her apartment at 600 North Kentucky Avenue in Mason City. She was leaving for work at a local television station.

Her disappearance was featured on “Unsolved Mysteries” and “America’s Most Wanted” and was the subject of the pilot episode of “Psychic Detectives.” An entire website — www.findjody.com — is devoted to her case. Queries, tips, and comments about her come in regularly to the Mason City Police.

The apartment complex where Jodi was abducted.

What is it about Jodi and her disappearance that still fascinates Iowans after 15 years, that makes us pause when we see her photograph and wonder?

The answer lies with Jodi herself. A pretty, petite blonde with brown eyes, Jodi was appealing and memorable.

She was the morning and noon anchorwoman at CBS affiliate KIMT-TV, which reaches a wide area of northeast Iowa and southern Minnesota.

Viewers woke up every morning to her pleasant smile and friendly manner. She was there while they had coffee in their kitchens. She sat across from them in their living rooms like a friend who came each day for a visit.

Locals often saw her — single and carefree — cruising around Mason City in her 1995 red Mazda Miata sports car.

Women envied Jodi’s slender figure and beautiful hair. Men found her attractive. Older viewers wished she were their daughter or granddaughter. She was the woman everyone wanted to be or to know.

But her high profile may also have attracted someone with less wholesome motives. Jody may have been taken by a stalker lurking at the edge of her celebrity, driven by obsessive thoughts and fantasies about a relationship with her.

Jodi was declared dead in 2001; but her friends, fans, and family push on for answers and never give up hope of finding her.

Jody Huisentruit

Grace Esquivel

On the evening of Friday, June 10, 1983, Grace dropped Angie with the little girl’s grandparents — Manuela and Armando Esquivel — and went out for the evening with friends.

The next morning, the Esquivels took Angie home. Grace’s wallet and driver’s license were in the house. But Grace was not there and had not slept in her bed, which was turned down in preparation for sleep.

Lt. Ron Vande Weerd of the Mason City Police Department believes Grace Esquivel was taken against her will.

Grace was born to Manuela and Armando Esquivel on December 21, 1957 in Calhoun, Texas. She would now be 54-years-old.

If you have any information concerning Grace Esquivel’s case, please contact the Mason City Police Department at 641-421-3636 or the Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-346-5507.

Clarence Cecil

His car and his fishing gear were later found beside a cabin he owned, but Clarence was never seen again.

When he disappeared, he wore a blue short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans and a silver watch. Clarence had white hair, stood 5-feet-10, weighed 170 pounds, and wore eyeglasses.

Clarence Leroy Cecil was born July 23, 1922 to Nellie E. Marshall and Charles L. Cecil. On November 25, 1961, he married Neva Jean Hannon in Kirksville, Missouri, and she preceded him in death in 1995. Cecil was a Navy Veteran of WWII.

If you have any information on Clarence Cecil, please contact the Davis County Sheriff’s Office at 641-664-2385.

Erin, 15 and a freshman at Metro High School, was last seen getting into a dark-colored Chevrolet Cavalier with tinted rear windows in the 100 block of 12th Street SE on late Sunday, June 3, 2001. Although friends did not recognize the car, Erin seemed to know its occupants.

She was clad in a light-colored tank top and beige overall shorts. At the time, she was 5-feet-3, weighed 130 pounds, and had red highlights in her brown hair. She has a small scar over one of her brown eyes.

Below are a photo of how Erin looked when she disappeared and a depiction of how she might look today.

Erin Pospisil in 2001

Erin Pospisil as she might look today

If you have any information about Erin Pospisil, please contact the Cedar Rapids Police Department at 319-286-5400 or 319-286-5491 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Clearinghouse.

Peggy Cottrell

Peggy, who wore dark slacks and a white sweater with pink and blue decorations, did not go inside the facility where she lived. Instead, she turned and walked west across Center Street and was never seen again.

Her purse with ID and money was found by a fisherman along the Iowa River several weeks later. Marshalltown Police speculate that she was trying to find family members who were camping at Riverview Park a little over three miles north of the nursing home and that she fell into the Iowa River, which was bank-full and running fast at the time.

Peggy has salt and pepper hair and brown eyes, is 5-feet-7, and weighs about 167 pounds. Her ears are pierced ears and she wears glasses. She sometimes uses the surnames Dickenson or Rowan.

Peggy Cottrell

At the time of her disappearance, Peggy was taking medication to prevent depression and confusion.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Peggy Ann Cottrell, please contact the Marshalltown Police Department at 641-754-5725 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

• Guy Heckle, 11, February 3, 1972, Cedar Rapids, Linn County

Guy Heckle

• Colleen Simpson, 14, October 4, 1974, Bedford, Taylor County

Colleen Simpson

• Kimberly Sue Doss, 16, September 1, 1982, Davenport, Scott County

Kimberly Doss

• Johnny David Gosch, 12, September 5, 1982, West Des Moines, Polk County

Johnny Gosch

• Eugene Wade Martin, 13, August 12, 1984, Des Moines, Polk County

Eugene Martin

• Marc James Allen, 13, March 29, 1986, Des Moines, Polk County

Marc Allen

• Erin Kay Pospisil, 15, April 14, 1986, Cedar Rapids, Linn County

Erin Pospisil

• Daniel J. Anderson, 4, January 25, 1992, Waterloo, Black Hawk County

• Breiton Ackerman, 4, May 22, 2005, Orange City, Sioux County

Breiton Ackerman

• Satanya Y. Wilson, 1, August 12, 2007, Davenport, Scott County

• Dakota Kempton, 15, May 11, 2009, Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County

Dakota Kempton

• Devonta Love, 2, March 31, 2009, Des Moines, Polk County

• Jeffrey Garnett, 16, December 15, 2009, Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County

Please take a moment today to remember these children and their families. If you have any information, contact the appropriate jurisdiction.

Naomi Wilson, who disappeared April 12, 1981 from Cedar Rapids, Iowa

He saw similarities to a woman listed in the Texas Missing and Unidentified Persons Clearinghouse Online Bulletin—a female homicide victim found on Peach Street in Houston, Texas, on August 7, 1981.

A likeness of the unidentified Houston, Texas victim

Her height, weight, age, and other physical characteristics matched those of Naomi Wilson, who disappeared from Cedar Rapids on Sunday, April 12, 1981 and whose car was found in that city two days later.

The Doe Network volunteer submitted the possible match to the Texas Department of Public Safety, which contacted the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse and the Cedar Rapids Police.

Cedar Rapids has no dental records or fingerprints nor DNA for Naomi Wilson, who was childless, to compare to the Texas body.

Iowa Cold Cases provided the Doe Network volunteer with family information that put him in touch with Naomi Pollard Wilson’s two surviving brothers, who will provide their DNA.

The Pollard family is encouraged. Even if the DNA fails to match the Texas victim, it will now be in the system for future comparisons to other unidentified bodies that might be their loved one.

If you have any information about the unidentified woman found in Houston on August 7, 1981, please contact the Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin, Texas at (512) 424-5074 or (800) 346-3243. You may also contact The Doe Network at 931-397-3893.

If your information is about Naomi Pollard Wilson, contact the Cedar Rapids Police at (319) 286-5375 or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

But it does happen, as it did with Norma M. Maynard, a 61-year-old Boone, Iowa, woman who disappeared on February 3, 1979. And it occurred in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 18, 2005, when 83-year-old Helen Jean Kelly drove away from her home at 3646 Court Street in Sioux City, Iowa, without her purse, and disappeared.

Helen Kelly

Descriptions of Helen—a Caucasian female with grey hair and brown eyes who was 5-feet-5 and weighed 115 pounds—and her car—a gold 2000 Honda Accord with Iowa license plate 953EDK—were released to the media.

Tips of sightings came in but did not lead to Helen’s recovery. In July of 2005, a boat ramp on the Sioux City side of the Missouri River was checked by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, but there were no signs of Helen or her Honda.

Helen was born August 26, 1921 in Sioux City, Iowa, the last child of 10 in the Josephine “Jessie” Marie Hensler and Anton “Anthony” Braunger family. He father was a German butcher who came to the United States and built a large and lucrative meat market in Sioux City.

In 1947, she married Arthur Lennon Kelly, the former publisher of the Sioux City Tribune and later the General Manager of KTRI radio station. They had two children—Anne Kelly Krause and Anthony “Tone” Kelly—and four grandchildren.

If you have any information about this case, please contact the Sioux City Police Department at 712-279-6440 or Crimestoppers at 279-258-8477 (258-TIPS).

Below are side, front, and rear views of a gold 2000 Honda like the one Helen Kelly was driving.

Dakota Kempton

Two million juveniles aged 13 to 17 run away from home or other residences every year.

Their reasons are as complex and complicated as a typical teenager’s psyche.

They may disagree with authority figures about friends, curfews, attire, school attendance, or grades.

They may not want to go to school because of bullying or other social issues—or there may be abuse where they live.

Drugs or alcohol may guide their choices.

Or the teens want freedom and believe they can handle being on their own.

Often, these teens come home quickly when they see that running away does not solve their problems. Or they are brought back by law enforcement.

Sometimes, as in the case of Dakota Kempton, they are never seen again.

Dakota Kempton was 15-years-old when he vanished between 6:00 and 6:45 a.m. on May 11, 2009 from a shelter care juvenile facility, Children’s Square USA in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Dakota was born August 8, 1993 and stood 5-feet-8 and weighed 166 pounds when he disappeared. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.

Did Dakota disappear into the life of the street or was he a victim of foul play?

If you have any information concerning this case, contact Det. Brandon Danielson at the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-326-2508. Or click here to visit the DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

Barbara Lenz

When she disappeared, Barbara was 5-7, weighed 130 pounds, and had long, dark hair and blue eyes. Two inches below her left elbow was a unique purple scar. She left behind a 3-year-old daughter.

Can a person literally disappear “without a trace”? Or does someone, somewhere always know what happened?

Perhaps you know where Barbara Lealyn Lenz is. If so, report your information to the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse, the Iowa DCI Cold Case Unit, or the Harrison County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Department at 712-644-2244.

Seventeen-year-old Corrine Elaine Perry left home that evening to go to a Creston laudromat. She was never seen again, although her car was discovered in the parking lot of the business on April 18.

Today, Corrine would be 44-years-old.

If you have information concerning the disappearance of Corrine Perry, click here to contact the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse or contact the Union County Sheriff’s Office or call 641-782-7717.

Naomi Wilson

Naomi Wilson was in the prime of her life. The Birmingham, Alabama, native moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1978 from Chicago after a divorce and was building a new life. She purchased a car and a home, worked a good job at Harnischfeger Corporation, and was dating Colbert “Billy” Beets. She was attractive, reliable, dependable, and level-headed.

Then on Palm Sunday, April 12, 1981, she disappeared. She was last seen about 4 p.m. that day by her boyfriend as they both left her house at 1618 13th Avenue SE.

On April 14, her white 1978 Ford Fairmont (with Iowa license DOY622) was discovered in a K-Mart parking lot at 2727 16th Avenue S in Cedar Rapids. Friends and family searched the area near the car with the help of the Cedar Rapids Police, but no sign of Naomi was found.

Naomi Wilson was African-American, stood 5-foot-3, and weighed 112 pounds. She had black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black pants-suit. Foul play is suspected.

Perhaps you can bring Naomi Wilson home. If you have information regarding her disappearance, click here to contact the Cedar Rapids Police Department or call 319-286-5374 or notify the Iowa DCI Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

Ronald Zellmer

Ronald Zellmer has been missing for nearly a quarter of a century. He was 31-years-old when his abandoned car—still running—was found at the south end of the Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge connecting South Sioux City, Nebraska, and Sioux City, Iowa, early in the morning of April 6, 1985.

Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge, where Ronald Zellmer's car was found

Zellmer, the son of Lucille Krueger and Donald Norman Zellmer, suffered from depression for years and was in a particularly down period. There was no sign of foul play in the apartment where he lived alone. The Missouri River was searched without finding his body.

When he disappeared, Donald Zellmer was 5-feet-10, weighed 170 pounds, and had blond hair and blue eyes. His case was listed by authorities as an “involuntary disappearance.”

If you have information concerning Ronald Zellmer, contact the Sioux City Police Department or the Iowa DPS Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.

At 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday March 31, 1981, firefighters responded to a house fire on the outskirts of Rolfe, Iowa. When they found the body of 75-year-old Mamie Sime, they first believed she died in the blaze. An autopsy, however, showed she was stabbed. The fire was likely set to destroy evidence.

Mamie Sime was born June 9, 1906 in Story County, Iowa, to Norwegian immigrants Annie M. Marlens and Paul F. Pederson. Her siblings were Obid M. Pederson and Pearl I. Pederson Bielefeldt. She married Telmer Sime, who preceded her in death in 1973, and they raised a daughter, Judith.

Mamie’s sister and brother-in-law, Pearl and Cecil Bielefeldt, worked tirelessly to keep Mamie’s memory alive and pressed law enforcement for answers until their deaths. Acquaintances of Mamie and citizens of Rolfe, Iowa, have since taken up the cause to help solve this brutal murder.

If you have any information regarding this homicide, contact the Iowa State Fire Marshall Office or the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cold Case Unit.

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On March 31, 1986, the skeletal remains of a white male were found between hay bales at a Winneshiek County, Iowa, farm. The man had brown hair and blue eyes, was in his mid-30s, weighed between 145 and 160 pounds, and was between 5-feet 6 and 5-feet 9. His date of death was estimated as April of 1985, nearly a year before. The cause was unknown.

He wore a white-tan-black plaid pile-lined jacket, a medium white-tan short-sleeved terry cloth shirt, blue cords with a 33″ waist, black socks, an extra-large blue windbreaker and brown shoes. In his possession was a dollar bill, a pink blanket, and a match book. Authorities believe he may have been traveling from Ohio to California.

Forensics reconstruction was used to create an image of what this man might have looked like. The clothes shown are his own (these are NOT photographs of the actual victim).

Unknown man, front view

Unknown man, side view

Thousands of people like this go missing each year in the United States and their families are left to wonder and worry. Perhaps someone out there will know him and he can be brought home.

If you think you have information concerning this unknown man, please contact the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office at 319-382-4268, the Iowa DCI Missing Person Information Clearing House, or the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

Marc Allen, 1986

Marc James-Warren Allen (sometimes referred to as Mark James Allen) was 13 when he was last seen on March 29, 1986 in Des Moines, Iowa. The teenager told his mother he was walking to a friend’s house in the neighborhood. He wore a light blue t-shirt, blue jean shorts, white socks, and gray tennis shoes with Velcro tabs. His family never saw him again and he did not make it to the friend’s home. When efforts to locate him failed, Marc was declared a missing and endangered person.

He was brown-haired and blue-eyed and had a small scar on top of his head.

Marc’s disappearance was eerily similar to that of Johnny Gosch, who vanished from the same area in 1982, and of Eugene Wade Martin, who went missing in 1984. The three young men were similar in age and physical description and all disappeared literally without a trace.

Marc Allen as he may look today.

May 13, 2010 will be Marc’s 38th birthday, the 24th year his family has been left to wonder where he is.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4811, the Iowa DCI Missing Person Information Clearing House, or the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).