Rhonda Knutson
Rhonda Anette Knutson
22 YOA
Phillips 66 Convenience Store
Williamstown, IA
Chickasaw County
Case Number: 92-07040
September 7, 1992
Chickasaw County in Iowa
During Labor Day Weekend of 1992, cars and trucks filled Iowa’s roads as residents got in a last trip before summer ended.
During those three days, hundreds of travelers stopped for gas and snacks at the Phillips 66 24-hour truck stop and convenience store six miles south of New Hampton, Iowa. Later removed by construction, the business sat where highways 18 and 346 intersected with U.S. Highway 63, a heavily-traveled road running between Louisiana and Wisconsin.
Twenty-two-year-old clerk Rhonda Anette Knutson came on duty at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 6, for a shift that would end at 5:00 a.m. Sunday.
Despite her family’s worries about her safety, Rhonda liked working the night shirt and was a friendly and welcoming presence for all-night travelers. Regular customers brought her garden produce and an elderly farmer with insomnia often turned up in the early hours just to talk. Because Rhonda’s father was a life-long trucker, she enjoyed visiting with the drivers.
But someone came in the store during her shift who was not looking for conversation or supplies. At 4:45 a.m. Monday, September 7, Rhonda’s body was found in a rear room of the store.
She was killed by blows to the head with a blunt object. There was no sexual assault or sign of robbery. Lacking a motive, authorities had little to go on.
Courtesy photo Cedar Rapids GazetteTwo men, both seen in the store that morning and believed to be truck drivers, were sought for questioning. Officials circulated composite sketches of the two.
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.
Chickasaw County deputies and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agents conducted hundreds of interviews.
Courtesy photo Cedar Rapids GazetteHoping to generate leads, Chickasaw County Sheriff Tom Bernatz mailed over 1,500 bulletins about the case to truck stops throughout the United States.
Eight northeast Iowa banks pledged $7,500 in rewards for information, and area individuals gave another $1,500. Private investigators and psychics were hired.
Chickasaw County Attorney Richard TeKippe called a press conference in early October to quell rumors in the community that a Deputy Sheriff killed Rhonda. TeKippe said members of the Sheriff’s Department who had regular contact with her were thoroughly investigated and treated like any other suspects. All were cleared.
In 1998, then Sheriff Bill Dean met with a co-executive producer for “America’s Most Wanted” in hopes of getting the popular television program to feature a segment on the murder.
Rhonda Knutson was born October 19, 1969 to Mary Marvin and Nels Harvey Knutson, a descendant of Norwegians who settled the region. She had four brothers — Robert, Roger, Richard, and Rodney — as well as two sisters, Renae Knutson Engle and Rochelle Knutson Lewis. She graduated from New Hampton High School in 1988.
For three years before her death, Rhonda was romantically involved with Al Wolf, son of an area dairy farmer. They met when Al stopped at the store while driving a local creamery truck. The last two years, they lived on an acreage one mile southwest of Tripoli, Iowa.
Courtesy photo Val Swinton, Cedar Rapids GazetteRhonda was happy and outgoing and completely engaged in her boyfriend Al’s motocross racing and demolition derby hobbies. Sometimes she competed against and even beat him driving a black car with her last name stenciled in large white letters above the rear window.
Rhonda’s funeral was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton on Friday, September 11. More than 500 mourners packed the church, with nine pews of relatives sitting at the front.
Questions and information about the unsolved 1992 murder of Rhonda Knutson should be directed to the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office at 641-394-3121 or Iowa Cold Cases through the Contact form.
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This case is so disturbing, I grew up in Fredericksburg and was in High School at the time. I always felt it had to be someone she knew because of the way she was killed. All kinds of rumors then and today. One was it was a cop. Recently I heard they knew who it was but couldn’t do anything about it because this person was dead. If true that is stupid because Rhonda deserves justice no matter what.
Anyways, I have nothing to add but wish Rhonda peace & justice.