Connie Lee Kerkman
19 YOA
408 6th Street
Belle Plaine, IA
Benton County
August 20, 1975
At 3:45 a.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 1975, Belle Plaine resident Ronald Kerkman telephoned police to report his 19-year-old wife of seven months, Connie Lee, had been shot by an intruder.
Kerkman said he fired several times at the shooter, but the man escaped.
Connie died in an ambulance on the way to St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids.
Initially, it appeared Connie was hit by two gunshots from a small caliber revolver.
However, an autopsy revealed she was shot four times with a .410/.22 over-under shotgun/rifle.
The wounds were judged to be inflicted about 3:00 a.m., 45 minutes before an ambulance was called.
Belle Plaine Police Chief Harold Burch began an immediate investigation.
He was assisted by Iowa State Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents and Benton County Sheriff Ken Popenhagen and his deputies — including Randy Forsyth, who was elected Benton County Sheriff in 2004.
During interrogation, Kerkman claimed his home was the scene of a recent break-in.
Suspicion fell on Ronald Kerkman himself after he was polygraphed in Des Moines by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
During further questioning that day, Kerkman confessed he shot his wife Connie and then showed investigators where he hid the gun so they could recover it.
Late Wednesday night, the 27-year-old Kerkman was arrested on an open charge of murder.
On Thursday morning, August 21, he was arraigned in Benton County District Court. Bond was set at $50,000, and Kerkman was held in the county jail.
The preliminary hearing was set for September 5.
Police escorted Ronald to Connie’s funeral on Friday, August 22. At that time, he again told investigators — in the presence of a BCI agent — that he killed his wife.
Kerkman’s preliminary hearing was delayed while he underwent evaluation at the Mental Health Institute in Independence.
His defense attorney then requested a dismissal based on the delayed preliminary hearing, which he requested. The motion to dismiss was denied.
In March 1976, a hearing was held. The following April, a judge ruled that Kerkman’s Miranda rights had been violated and his confession was thrown out.
The murder case against Ronald Kerkman was dismissed in May of 1976.
Because no one has been convicted in the Connie Lee Kerkman homicide, Iowa Cold Cases classifies the case as unsolved and cold.
Connie Lee Siggelkov was born September 19, 1955 in Waterloo to Gloria F. Albrecht and Warren D. Siggelkov. She had a sister, Susan.
Connie grew up on a farm near Tripoli and graduated from Tripoli High School in 1973. After graduation, she worked at Amana Refrigeration, Inc.
Courtesy photo Louis, findagrave.comOn February 1, 1975, Connie married Ronald Kerkman at the Tripoli Grace Lutheran Church in Bremer County. Following their wedding, the couple lived at 408 6th Street in Belle Plaine.
Connie’s funeral was held on the afternoon of Friday, August 22 at the church where she was married only seven months before; and she was buried in the church cemetery.
Questions and information about the 1975 homicide of Connie Lee Kerkman should be directed to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at 319-472-2337 or to Iowa Cold Cases through the Contact form.
Recent Comments