Connie Marie Ruddy

Homicide
Connie Marie Ruddy
21 YOA
Ida Grove, Iowa
Ida County
February 10, 1997

Case summary by Jody Ewing

Connie Ruddy, a 21-year-old mother of two, vanished from her Ida Grove, Iowa home without a trace on February 10, 1997. Ruddy’s two-year-old and two-month-old children were found alone in the residence, unharmed.

On August 31, 1999, more than two years after her disappearance, a man looking for fossils near Ida Grove found a human jawbone in the Boyer River in Crawford County near Dow City. Nothing else was found. Dental records confirmed it was Ruddy's jawbone, and the former missing persons case was reclassified as a homicide. Sheriff's officials and the National Guard searched along the river, but no other remains were found.

No arrests have ever been made in the case.

On February 10, 2009 -- the 12-year anniversary of Ruddy's disappearance -- the case was reopened under the newly formed Iowa Cold Case Investigation Unit, and Ida County Sheriff Wade Harriman announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Ruddy's death.

"We want to remind folks that this case is still open and we haven't forgot about it and we know Connie's family has not forgot about it. We want to re-energize the case any way we can and hopefully get some help from the public so we can move this case forward," Harriman said.

Connie Ruddy's parents, Mary and Gary Neumayer, said they have never given up hope that their first born daughter's killer will be found. Though they buried her jawbone for some type of closure, they continue to wonder what happened to their daughter. Gary Neumayer said his daughter was quiet and a very caring person who loved her children and animals and would never hurt anybody.

Sheriff Harriman asks that anyone with any information into Connie Ruddy's disappearance and death contact the Ida County Sheriff's Office at 712-364-3146, or anonymously at the Ida County Crime Stopper's line at 800-568-4401. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting in the investigation.

Sources and References:

KTIV Channel 4 Special Report: Siouxland 'cold' case gets boost from victim's best friend - Part I April 1, 2009
KTIV Channel 4 Special Report: Best friend has theories about Ruddy murder - Part II April 1, 2009
Two area counties revive cold cases - The Sioux City Journal, March 1, 2009
WCF Courier: Sheriff to pay $5,000 for tip on case Feb. 10, 2009
KTIV Channel 4 Sioux City: Sheriff looks for closure in reopening cold case Feb. 7, 2009
KTIV Channel 4 News: Community wonders if cold case could finally be solved Feb. 7, 2009
KTIV Channel 4 Sioux City: Sheriff's office 're-opens' cold case Feb. 6, 2009
Discovery of jawbone brings back memories of Ida County case, The Sioux City Journal, Nov. 5, 2005
Ida Grove search uncovers no clues, The Sioux City Journal, Feb. 16, 1997
Search is organized to uncover clues in woman's disappearance, The Sioux City Journal, Feb. 15, 1997