Barbara Brim
Hamilton County in Iowa
Barbara Kay “Barb” Brim
53 YOA
Rural farm home
Hamilton County, IA
April 26, 2001
On the afternoon of Wednesday, April 25, 2001, 53-year-old Barbara “Barb” Brim was alone in her Hamilton County farm home 15 miles northeast of Webster City.
Barb’s oldest son Mark lived in Indiana and his brother Peter was married and lived in Ankeny. Her three youngest sons — Andy, Kevin, and Nick — were at school.
Barb and her husband Larry had shared lunch before he went out to a field to move farm equipment.
When Larry came back to the house, he found Barb badly injured at the bottom of the inside stairs.
He called for help and Barb was alive when law enforcement arrived, although her breathing was shallow. It appeared she fell down the steps.
Barb was taken to a Webster City hospital, where it was discovered that she was shot in the head and neck.
She was then airlifted to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, where she died on Thursday, April 26.
At first, Larry Brim did not realize anything was missing from the house, but he discovered that his wallet and some other items were stolen.
The Brims’ home was somewhat remote, so some in the community wondered if the shooter was familiar with the area.
Others thought it seemed a random act of robbery in a region where no one locked their doors and at a house where no one seemed to be home. And that when Barb saw the burglars, they shot her.
Larry Brim was eliminated as a suspect, and he declined interviews with the media. His neighbors pitched in and helped him with spring planting that year.
On July 6, 2001, two former Illinois convicts — Billy Jack Reed, 20, and Steven J. Justice, 22, both of Mattoon — were arrested near Decatur, Illinois.
They were accused of robbing and shooting Harold and Bernice Steiner — both in their 80s — and setting their house on fire in Fowler, Illinois, on July 2, 2001. They were believed also to have robbed and shot 67-year-old Joyce Boyer near Sutherland, Nebraska, the next day.
Reed and Justice were said to be bragging about the crimes and claiming they had committed others.
Jeff Marlow, an investigating Agent with the Illinois State Police told reporters:
“I would imagine the people from [Iowa] are jumping on this case. This is not the first time the boys went on a trip. These boys used firearms.”
And all their victims lived in rural areas.
Hamilton County Sheriff Scott Anderson and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Agent who investigated the crime closely examined the robbery-murders in Illinois and Nebraska to learn if they were related to Barb Brim’s in Iowa.
However, Reed and Justice were not charged with Barb Brim’s murder.
Despite a $30,000 reward, there was never enough evidence to arrest and convict anyone else in the death of Barb Brim.
Barbara Kay Pantekoek, was born February 14, 1948 in Pipestone, Minnesota, to Donna Moore and Edward Pantekoek. She graduated from Pipestone High School in 1966 and attended South Dakota State University.
From 1970 to 1976, she taught physical education classes at Webster City High School. After that and until 1982, she was Director of Physical Development and Recreation at Handicap Village, a private, nonprofit facility for adults with disabilities.
On January 2, 1982 Barb married Robert Larry Brim in Pipestone, Minnesota, and the couple farmed northeast of Webster City. They had five sons: Kevin, Mark, Peter, Andrew, and Nicholas Brim.
Barb was a member of the Congregational-United Church of Christ, Haystack Circle, and Hamilton County Hospice/Respite. She volunteered with Compeer and Pleasant View School and was active in many church organizations.
Her funeral was held on April 30 at the Congregational-United Church of Christ in Webster City with Pastor Jim Buffington officiating.
She was survived by her mother; her husband, Larry; her sons; her brothers Dick and Allen Pantekoek; and many other relatives.
Questions and information about the unsolved 2001 murder of Barbara Brim should be directed to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office at 515-832-9500 or hamcosheriff@wmtel.net or to Iowa Cold Cases through the Contact form.
Copyright 2012 Iowa Cold Cases, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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