Steven W. Graves
Steven Wesley Graves, Jr.
19 YOA
1600 16th Street
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
Case # 1994-46422
November 8, 1994
On Monday night, November 7, 1994, Des Moines Police could sense something in the air near 16th Street and Mondamin Avenue, a location that had seen increasing violence in recent years. In fact, a fight broke out there in the early evening.
Des Moines Police Capt. Jack Morton told the Des Moines Register: “You could drive through there . . . and feel that something was wrong.”
When Morton and Lt. Drew Burham cruised back through the area about 8:00 p.m., there was little activity; still, the feeling that something was amiss stayed with the officers:
“We found about eight to 10 males standing on the corner with their colors on — black jackets with white trim. We rolled down the window and asked them, ‘Don’t you guys have somewhere to go?’
They were very polite. It surprised us that they were so cooperative. It wasn’t right. It was like they were going to do whatever it took to get us to leave. So we thought there must be something in the wind.”
At 1:30 a.m., Timothy Robinson and Aretha Gowdy were driving in the 1600 block of 16th Street and came upon a man lying in the street. When they asked if he was all right, he said, “No, I can’t get up. I’ve been shot.”
Robinson called police. When officers arrived, the victim would tell them only that his first name was “Steve” and that he was 19.
The victim was taken by ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical center, where he died at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, November 8 from a large-caliber gunshot wound to the stomach.
Using fingerprints and a tip from the public, Des Moines Police identified the man as 19-year-old Steven Wesley Graves, Jr.
Although a few people in the neighborhood acknowledged hearing gunshots, no one admitted knowledge about the shooting victim or suspect.
However, there was mention of a small, dark car with two occupants leaving the scene near the time of the gunfire. A pager found nearby was kept as evidence.
Polk County Crime Stoppers offered a $1,000 reward. However, no one was arrested and brought to justice in the homicide.
Steven Wesley Graves, Jr., would have turned 20 on November 29.
His death came as a shock to students and teachers who knew him at Hoover High School, where he was Co-Captain of the 1992 football team and a star fullback.
His former Coach, Steve Lundholm, told the Des Moines Register Graves was “the anchor of the Hoover running attack” and was always motivated and inspired his teammates.
Lundholm also said that Graves had a beautiful singing voice that entertained others in the locker room:
“I always thought that is what he would do. . . . I thought he’d get into singing.”
Graves was arrested in 1993 and convicted of possession of marijuana.
Information needed
Questions and information about the unsolved 1994 homicide of Steven Wesley Graves, Jr. should be directed to Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4864 to Iowa Cold Cases through the Contact form.
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