Hard-working Rhonda Knutson, 22, was murdered on Labor Day 1992.

Sadly and ironically, Labor Day of 1992 proved deadly for a hard-working young Iowa woman, the very type the holiday was created to honor.

When she was murdered early Monday, September 7, 1992, Rhonda Knutson was at the center of a perfect combination of danger factors.

The 22-year-old woman worked alone overnight in a Phillips 66 Convenience Store on Highway 63 six miles south of New Hampton in Chickasaw County.

That Labor Day weekend, thousands of vehicles passed by on the major north-south artery during one of the busiest travel times in the year.

Convenience stores like the one where Rhonda worked provide a welcoming oasis for leg-stretching, calls of nature, jolts of caffeine, beer, cigarettes, gas, and snacks.

Customers come in. Customers leave. It’s a never-ending parade of travelers of all ages and personalities and destinations.

At night, the convenience store can be Ernest Hemingway’s “clean well-lighted place,” offering the lonely a round-the-clock haven where a pot of coffee is always brewing and someone is behind the counter to listen.

In fact, an insomniac area farmer regularly came in the middle of the night to chat with Rhonda.

But a convenience store, with a nearby highway providing quick escape, can also be the ideal target for robbery committed quickly and efficiently. Or the assault or murder of the clerk, who is usually alone.

What sort of person stopped early in the morning at the New Hampton Phillips 66 Convenience Store on Labor Day 1992?

Whatever the original motive, the result was that Rhonda was taken to a back room and bludgeoned to death. There was no sexual assault or robbery.

Customers saw a man who looked like this sketch on the night Rhonda was murdered.

Customers said two truck drivers caught their attention. Both were heavy-set, dark-haired, white males between 35 and 45. One was clean-shaven and drove an unknown vehicle. The other had a beard and moustache and was thought to be driving a conventional tractor pulling a white/silver trailer.

Sketch of second man seen the night of Rhonda's murder

Rhonda was not wary of truckers. Her dad was one, so she enjoyed hearing about their rigs, destinations, and cargoes. That lack of caution might have proved deadly if one of these men was involved in her death.

Intense investigation, searches of regional truck stops, posters, rewards, plans to air the case on “America’s Most Wanted,” and use of psychics have not resulted in answers for Rhonda’s death.

Her long-time, live-in boyfriend Al Wolf was not a suspect; and the Chickasaw County Sheriff investigated and quelled rumors that county deputies were involved.

Any suspect authorities are left with was probably a stranger who came into the store during the night.

Rhonda’s large and caring family and her friends need answers for this brutal crime.

If you have information that you believe would help bring Rhonda Knutson’s killer to justice, contact the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office at 641-394-3121 or
the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Cold Case Unit.

Julie Bell Davis

As part of the ongoing “Cold Case Thursdays” series, WHO-TV Channel 13′s Aaron Brilbeck will report tonight on the unsolved August 1997 Julie Bell Davis slaying.

Davis, a 33-year-old Marion, Iowa, mother of two, was found August 28, 1997, in the Skyline Display’s satellite office in east downtown Des Moines where she worked. Her throat had been slashed and she had been stabbed multiple times in the chest.

Brilbeck’s story includes an interview with former Des Moines Police Department detective Craig Hamilton, one of the lead detectives who worked Davis’ case. Hamilton retired from the DMPD in 2007.

At the time of her death, Davis had just posted one of her best months ever in selling trade-show displays through her company’s Cedar Rapids and Des Moines offices. The office where she was slain was in a new business park between the state Department of Economic Development and the Botanical Center.

Police believe the last contact Davis had with anyone was an afternoon telephone conversation with an employee of Skyline Display’s Cedar Rapids office, 419 First St. SE. Davis routinely traveled to Des Moines once or twice a week to conduct business at the showroom, though the office was open only a couple days a week and by appointment only.

A Prairie High School graduate, Julie Bell Davis was married to Frank Davis, a Cedar Rapids firefighter. The couple had two sons, ages 3 and 5. Davis’ husband was ruled out as a suspect early in the investigation.

The case remains open today.

If you have any information regarding this case please call the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4800.

Dorothy Miller, the only female relator in Burlington, was killed at a vacant property August 18, 1969

As the only female realtor in Burlington in 1969, 48-year-old Dorothy Miller was a ground-breaking professional. However, the very thing that made her so singular probably allowed a predator to locate her, get her alone in a vacant house, and brutally rape and kill her.

Burlington Police believe they know who killed the attractive and petite grandmother: a well-spoken, ordinary young man of average height and weight with brown hair who called himself “Robert Clark.”

A composite sketch of Dorothy Miller's killer,
based on descriptions by her husband and other witnesses

But Clark concealed his true identity and residence through an elaborate ruse using public telephones and pick-up and drop-off locations for meetings with Dorothy.

Dorothy was not cavalier about her safety nor did she take risks. She ordinarily didn’t make appointments at night and, as a precaution, took along her husband Fred for a first evening meeting with Robert Clark.

Clark disarmed both Dorothy and Fred with his ordinary appearance, pleasant manner, and believable story about moving his wife and child from Des Moines to Burlington.

So, when he phoned Dorothy saying he needing to take photos of their potential home, she agreed to meet him alone a few nights later.

Dorothy Miller's body was found in the closet of the upstairs room on the right

About 8:00 p.m. on August 18, 1969, Robert Clark accompanied Dorothy to a house at 118 Grand Street, followed her inside, knocked her unconscious, raped and stabbed her, and left her body in a second-floor bedroom closet.

Dorothy’s murderer — according to both 1969 and current Burlington Police officers — is likely a serial killer skilled at creating a narrative of deception leading to murder.

In these days of cell phones, GPS, and video surveillance, the scenario leading to Dorothy Miller’s murder would be much more difficult for the killer to construct and execute.

Sadly, however, woman working alone must always be on guard and aware of their surroundings and the people they encounter.

If you have any information concerning the murder of Dorothy Miller, contact the Burlington Police Department at 319-753-8355 or submit it directly to the Iowa DCI Cold Case Unit.

Robbery is a primary motive, as is rape. But other causes can be occupational jealousy or domestic problems which spill over into the work environment.

Forty-three-year-old Lana Jane Anderson became part of those sad statistics on May 10, 1991 when she was murdered and robbed in the office of the Landmark Apartments which she managed on Dickman Road on the south side of Des Moines, Iowa.

The senseless act left a devastated family, including Tom Anderson—her husband of 25 years—three children, her mother, and five siblings.

If you have information about the unsolved murder of Lana Jane Anderson, contact the Crimes Against Persons Section of the Detective Bureau at the Des Moines Police Department.

The brutal and senseless murder of any individual is always horrific, but each time these all too frequent anniversary dates come and go for so many of these young women’s unsolved crimes, I begin thinking about their fathers, their mothers; I have a twenty-something daughter myself and simply cannot imagine the sheer true grit they’ve been forced to summon and maintain.

Today I’m thinking about the families of Pamela Hinrichs of Clinton, Iowa, and Kimberly Ratliff of Council Bluffs.

Pam Hinrichs, 19, was shot 29 years ago during an apparent robbery of the AMVETS Post No. 28 at 1317 S. 17th Street in Clinton either late evening on January 12, 1981, or early morning Jan. 13. The cash register and a nearby safe were cleaned out, and there were no substantial leads, suspects or witnesses. Her case remains unsolved.

Eleven years ago today, Kimberly Ratliff, 22, was found in a car left in the People’s Natural Gas parking lot at 1414 West Broadway in Council Bluffs. Her throat had been slashed.

Ratliff worked at Airlite Plastics Co. in Omaha, Neb., and was last seen alive when she got off work about 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 8, 1999. She lived in Council Bluffs with her mother and stepfather, Joyce and Leslie Kennedy.

To this day, no witnesses have come forward and police have not charged anyone with the crime.

Not yet, anyway. But the times — they are a’changin’. And the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s new Cold Case Unit has a powerful ally in DNA’s growing technology and database .

Those responsible for the deaths of Pam and Kimberly and many others like them may run, but soon there will be nowhere to hide.

Lisa McCuddin

A day seldom goes by that I don’t receive e-mail asking about an Iowa cold case, but occasionally one arrives that — before I’ve even clicked to open and read it — makes my heart skip a beat or two. They are the ones where I recognize the sender’s last name because it matches a victim’s last name. The message will be highlighted in blue, indicating it’s addressed to my cold cases e-mail address, and when the subject line says something like “My Daughter,” all doubt is indeed removed; a victim’s parent has taken time to write me about his or her daughter — a daughter whose death I’ve most likely written about on the cold cases website.

Due to the vast number of cases listed there, most victim pages include “case summaries” I’ve compiled from collective news media articles, police reports and/or other documentation, rather than a by-lined article. (Links to any referenced articles follow the summary.) But even when I set about putting together each case summary, I give myself mental reminders: This person was somebody’s mother, someone’s daughter and sister; this could have been my brother, my uncle, my grandfather; and How would I feel were I to read this about my daughter or brother or son or sister?

Unsolved murders (and longtime missing persons cases where the victim is assumed deceased) are hard enough on families, and in writing about either, one often walks a fine line between disclosing delicate or unpleasant details about the victim’s life (especially if it played a role in the crime) while still respecting family members’ feelings.

So when a family member writes me for the first time, and particularly if it’s one of the victim’s parents, yes, I do worry if I’ve somehow offended them even though I’ve never gotten any negative calls or mail that would rationalize my fears.

On Friday, I received three e-mails, and by the time I finished reading the third, I suddenly recognized the three true things I consistently see in “cold case families,” and the attributes had been there all along.

Families of cold case victims are kind.

They tend to appreciate and be thankful for any efforts — regardless of how small — others extend on behalf of their loved one. They seem to have an innate sense that people are good, have the best of intentions, and are trying to help. They are long on praise and short on criticism.

Families of cold case victims are patient.

They understand that media will have other stories to cover, police and sheriff’s departments other cases to investigate, and friends and even other family members lives to still lead and move forward.

Families of cold case victims never lose hope. Ever.

Despite dead-end leads and witnesses who refuse to get involved, they never lose hope that those responsible for their loved one’s death will be brought to justice. Whether five years or 40, hope is always viable in a world where advancing DNA technology rivals any aging conscience.

While passing years spent waiting for justice could reasonably make one bitter, the e-mails I’ve received are a testament to the strength, the compassion, and the courage cold case families find within themselves under circumstances many cannot imagine.

Clips from Yesterday’s Letters
(reprinted here with permission)

From Becky McCuddin, mother of Lisa Ann McCuddin, who was shot and killed while riding as a passenger in a vehicle on its way to a Fort Dodge, Iowa, motel on October 2, 2004:

I am so glad you have this website. People don’t believe me when I tell them Iowa has a huge amount of unsolved murders. It is going on 5 years and still no arrest in my daughter’s case. This is not because of lack of trying on the investigator’s part. A lot of it has to do with people not wanting to get involved and coming forward.

Robert Bates

From Tracy Kaiser, girlfriend of Robert Bruce “Kip” Bates III, who was shot around 10 p.m. on September 27, 2007, while working at the Carter Lake, Iowa, ‘Jump Start Conoco’ convenience store:

Robert was my boyfriend. I gave birth to his daughter a few weeks after he was murdered. This Sept. 27th will mark 2 years since he left us. He was working when someone shot him. He was not supposed to work that night. He was scheduled to work in the morning but switched shifts with someone else. The investigators have confirmed that it was not meant for my boyfriend. They have an idea on who did it but do not have enough evidence to prosecute.

And from Jennifer McCuddin, sister of Lisa Ann McCuddin

I just wanted to send a big thank you for setting up this web site. We are coming up on 5 years and nothing new on her case yet. I have sent this web site to many friends and if it doesn’t help my sister’s case I hope it will help someone’s family.
____________________________

My sincere thanks to Becky, Tracy and Jennifer for writing. Keep the faith.

Yours in hope,

Jody