The Cases – Homicides (Up through 1899)

BY ERA: Up through 1899 | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000 – present | Missing Persons

Please Note: This list is ongoing and not yet inclusive of all Iowa cold cases, though we continue to add individual pages for each victim as data is made available and time permits. If you know of a case not listed here or have information you’d like included with an existing page, please contact us with relevant details and we’ll respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.

The cases below include unsolved Iowa homicides up through 1899, and are listed in chronological order. Click on any hyperlink to view a victim’s case summary page and to access additional information and/or feature stories related to that case.

Nathaniel Carnagy
39 YOA
Marion, IA
Linn County
April 4, 1847

Mr. Knisely
Age Unknown
Near Indian Creek
Jasper County
Summer, 1848

Andrew M. Brown
28 YOA
South Fork Township
Maquoketa, IA
Jackson County
April 30, 1852

John Allen
Ensign Livery Stable
Walnut between 2nd & 3rd
Des Moines, IA
July 8, 1864

William Clugston
Age Unknown
Near Frankville, IA
Winneshiek County
January 1867

Esther Alger
72 YOA
Calamus, IA
Clinton County
September 25, 1872

Double Homicide
Elizabeth Brownlie
32 YOA
Long Grove, IA
Scott County
February 18, 1874

Double Homicide
Alexander Brownlie
4 YOA
Long Grove, IA
Scott County
February 18, 1874

Henry J. Millard
30 YOA
Camp Township
Polk County, IA
October 1874

Lovina Kneeskern
51 YOA
Frankville Township
Winneshiek Co., IA
April 28, 1876

Deborah A. Simmons
62 YOA
The New York House
Waterloo, IA
April 26, 1879

Baby Doe 1881
Newborn Girl
Pasteboard Box
Centerville, IA
Appanoose County
March 30, 1881

Robert W. Stubbs
36 YOA
Polk City, IA
Polk County
April 15, 1882

Rev. George Haddock
56 YOA
Sioux City, IA
Woodbury County
August 3, 1886

Double Homicide
Henry Nurre
76 YOA
Brown’s Station
Clinton County
March 11, 1890

Double Homicide
Adelaid Nurre
82 YOA
Brown’s Station
Clinton County
March 11, 1890

C.H. Wessel
68 YOA
Teeds Grove, IA
Clinton County
January 1, 1891

David P. Sutton
43 YOA
Ottumwa, IA
Wapello County
February 15, 1893

Double Homicide
Henry Talcott, 39
Milwaukee Road Railway Police
Dubuque, IA
Dubuque County
April 14, 1893

Double Homicide
Jake Frith, 26
Milwaukee Road Railway Police
Dubuque, IA
Dubuque County
April 14, 1893

James Chamberlain
Wabash Railroad Trestle
Ottumwa, IA
Wapello County
May 25, 1893

Double Homicide
Lena Schultz
48 YOA
Tilden Township
Cherokee County, IA
August 16, 1893

Double Homicide
Martin Schultz
59 YOA
Tilden Township
Cherokee County, IA
August 16, 1893

Anna Wiese
20 YOA
Green Mountain, IA
Vienna Township
Marshall County
August 26, 1893

William A. Hunt
63 YOA
Locust between 6th & 7th
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
September 27, 1893

John H. Beal
19 YOA
Illinois Central train
Cherokee, IA
Cherokee County
November 17, 1893

Jeremiah R. Zollinger
65 YOA
Newton, IA
Jasper County
February 23, 1895

Price V. Evans
24 YOA
Osage, IA
Mitchell County
October 14, 1895

Maud Straw
19 YOA
Sheldon, IA
O’Brien County
February 5, 1896

John H. Brownrigg
Near RR boxcar
Sioux City, IA
Woodbury County
April 24, 1896

W. Elmer Dudrey
22 YOA
Train Station
Webster City, IA
Hamilton County
June 9, 1896

Jacob Neibert
55 YOA
Muscatine, IA
Muscatine County
June 13, 1896

Alta Fisher Paul
25 YOA
Homer, IA
Hamilton County
July 3, 1896

Maria A. Dulin
81 YOA
Homer, IA
Hamilton County
July 27, 1896

Andrew Hart, Jr.
26 YOA
Marietta Township
Marshall County
December 13, 1896

Pitt McClellan Doxsie
34 YOA
Independence, IA
Buchanan County
October 26, 1897

Clara N. Gray
22 YOA
East Nishnabotna River bank
6 miles S. Red Oak, IA
Montgomery County
February 28, 1898

George Sulzberger
73 YOA
Rural Keota, IA
Keokuk County
March 7, 1898

John Doe 1898
White Male
Age Unknown
Wheatland, IA
Clinton County
September 10, 1898

Double Homicide
Charles E. Matthews
32 YOA
Railroad lines
Marshall County
August 21, 1899

Double Homicide
John E. Wilson
30 YOA
Railroad lines
Marshall County
August 21, 1899

Alexander McArthur
22 YOA
W of Train Station
Davenport, IA
Scott County
September 5, 1899

BY ERA: Up through 1899 | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000 – present | Missing Persons