Jeffrey Thomas Deaver
Jeffrey Thomas Deaver
25 YOA
Seneca Apartments
1132 E. Seneca Avenue
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
Case # 1983-37472
October 17, 1983
Jeffrey Thomas Deaver — a 25-year-old orthopedic technician employed by Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa — was found stabbed to death in his Des Moines apartment on Monday, October 18, 1983.
Polk County Medical Examiner Dr. R.C. Wooters ruled cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the chest from a large, sharp instrument. One defensive wound on Deaver’s left arm indicated he’d made an attempt to defend himself.
Deaver’s co-workers had contacted Seneca Apartments manager Carolyn Patrick after Deaver failed to report for work Monday morning. Patrick and Russ Perkins — a man remodeling part of the apartment complex — went together to Deaver’s unit.
They found no signs of a struggle inside the apartment, though Deaver’s body — his shirt blood-soaked — lay slumped in his recliner against the apartment’s north wall.
Officials discovered blood stains on the bathroom floor as well as a bloody washcloth in Deaver’s bedroom, which they believe Deaver’s killer used in attempts to clean up before leaving the apartment. The weapon used to kill Deaver was not located at the crime scene.
Courtesy photo Goggle Street ViewIn a Des Moines Register article dated October 18, 1983, Des Moines Police Det. Lt. Ed Harlan said everyone they’d spoken to indicated Deaver was a “real nice guy” and had no enemies of which they were aware.
In July 2012, one of Deaver’s classmates (name on file) contacted Iowa Cold Cases and stated she’d last seen Deaver the day before he was killed at the Jefferson Apartments in an apartment belonging to Judy Davis.
According to the witness, Judy Davis conveyed to Deaver that [Davis's] boyfriend was “very angry” because Deaver had “screwed her and/or some delivery” of illegal drugs, and she’d cautioned Deaver to “stay out of sight.”
Jeff Deaver was dead the following day.
Jeffrey Thomas Deaver was born in 1958 to Harry Thomas and Bernita Deaver. He graduated from Des Moines Technical High School in 1977.
He married but was later divorced.
His father served as Chief of Police in Mitchellville, where Jeffrey had resided up until six months prior to his murder.
In addition to his parents, Jeffrey Deaver was survived by two sisters, Cindy Deaver Huseby and Debbie Deaver.
If you have any information regarding Jeffrey Deaver’s unsolved murder please contact the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4864 or Iowa Cold Cases via our Contact form.
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My impression is that he knew the person. This person that stabbed him knew him well. Either loved him very much or hated him that much to kill.
He may not even have known this person’s true feelings of him.
But I am sure the police must of checked all that out closely.