Isidro Gomez, Jr.
Isidro Gomez, Jr.
27 YOA
Funk’s Hill Road
Muscatine, IA
Muscatine County
Case #: 08-018648
Reported Missing: December 17, 2007
Body Found: May 6, 2008
Isidro Gomez, Jr., of Muscatine, Iowa, was reported missing to the Muscatine Police Department on December 17, 2007, by Jessica Ridinger of Muscatine, Gomez’s girlfriend of eight years.
Ridinger said Gomez left their Muscatine home early that morning and promised to be back before breakfast. When he didn’t come home, Ridinger said she knew something was wrong and alerted authorities.
Gomez’s partially decomposed body was discovered Tuesday evening, May 6, 2008, in the woods off Funk’s Hill Road about five miles west of Muscatine by people hunting for mushrooms on the heavily wooded hill.
Investigators said a positive identification was made using fingerprint analysis and dental records, and that Gomez’s death is under investigation as a homicide. The Davenport Police Department Identification Bureau and the University of Iowa Pathology Department helped identify Gomez.
Authorities have not released how Gomez died specifically, but did say he was murdered.
Ridinger and Gomez had bought their Muscatine home more than two years prior to Gomez’s disappearance, and lived there with their then-5-year-old son and 10-month-old daughter.
The investigation of Gomez’s death is ongoing by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, Muscatine Police Department and the Muscatine County Attorney’s Office.
Isidro Junior Gomez was born October 29, 1980, in Los Angeles, Calif., the son of Isadro and Selia Ivalles Gomez.
He was employed at HWH in Moscow. He enjoyed playing soccer and spending time with his friends and family.
He was survived by his fiance, Jessica Ridinger, of Muscatine; a son, Alejandro Junior Gomez, and a daughter, Maggie Mae Gomez, both of Muscatine; his father, Isidro Gomez Ruiz and wife, Guillermina, of Pomona, Calif., his mother, Selia Ivalles of Azusa, Calif; five brothers, Richardo Gomez and Edudardo Gomez both of Pomona; Renee Gomez, Jerry Ivalles and Michael Ivalles, all of Azusa, Calif., two sisters, Ruby Gissel Gomez of Pomona, Calif. and Lupita Ivalles of Azusa, Calif. and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Alejandro Gomez.
The Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services was in charge of arrangements, with a private family memorial service set for a later date.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Mike Bailey of the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office at 563-263-6055 or Muscatine police Detective Mark Lawrence at 563-263-9922.
Muscatine in Muscatine County
Muscatine County in Iowa
Need Photo
Homicide
Police Officer Jacob Neibert
55 YOA
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
June 13, 1896
Officer Jacob Neibert was shot and killed on Saturday, June 13, 1896, after arresting two hobos for vagrancy. The two men overpowered and shot him. Neibert was able to give other officers a description of the two men before succumbing to his wounds.
Homicide
Felicitas Terrill
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Case # 86-01868
April 14, 1986
On the morning of April 14, 1986, the body of Felicitas Terrill was found in her home with four gunshot wounds to the head in what appeared to be a burglary.
Amber Marie Hayes
Homicide:
Amber Marie Hayes
7-1/2 months old
Case # 88-02703
603 Clay St.
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine County and Louisa County
June 9, 1988
Amber Marie Hayes, 7-1/2 months old, was reported missing by her mother, Mary Hayes, at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, 1988. Four days later, two boys riding all-terrain vehicles discovered the infant’s body, a pink diaper bag and blanket in a remote area near Lake Odessa in Louisa County.
Robert Kellar
Missing Person:
Robert Lee Kellar
Age at Report: 20
Missing From: Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Missing Since: February 12, 1990
Robert Kellar was last seen in February 1990 in Muscatine, IA, when he left on a cross-country trip. His family assumed he would be back, but they never saw him again.
Homicide
Eugenio P. Garcia
(Eugenio Prieto-Garcia)
36 YOA
7 miles NW of Muscatine, IA
Muscatine County
June 21, 1992
On June 21, 1992, 36-year-old Eugenio Garcia’s body was found near the Dougherty Bridge 7 miles NW of Muscatine. Although cousins Vincente and Pedro Morales were arrested for kidnapping and strangling Garcia, they were ultimately released.
Scott Tompkins
Homicide
Scott M. Tompkins
23 YOA
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Case # 95-13656
November 29, 1995
Scott M. Tompkins was shot by an assailant(s) while stopped to fix his windshield wipers. The victim was able to make it for medical treatment and later died. Prior to his death he was able to make a statement to police about the incident.
Isidro Gomez, Jr.
Homicide:
Isidro Gomez, Jr.
27 YOA
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Case # 08-018648
December 17, 2007
Isidro Gomez, Jr., of Muscatine, Iowa, was reported missing to the Muscatine Police Department on December 17, 2007, by Jessica Ridinger of Muscatine, Gomez’s girlfriend of eight years. His partially decomposed body was discovered May 6, 2008, in the woods off Funk’s Hill Road about five miles west of Muscatine by people hunting for mushrooms on the heavily wooded hill.
Muscatine County in Iowa
*Please Note: The cases listed below are within Muscatine County but may fall under a city police department’s jurisdiction. They are included here for cross-reference purposes. More specific information may be found on each victim’s individual page.
Need Photo
Homicide
Police Officer Jacob Neibert
55 YOA
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
June 13, 1896
Officer Jacob Neibert was shot and killed on Saturday, June 13, 1896, after arresting two hobos for vagrancy. The two men overpowered and shot him. Neibert was able to give other officers a description of the two men before succumbing to his wounds.
Homicide
Felicitas Terrill
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Case # 86-01868
April 14, 1986
On the morning of April 14, 1986, the body of Felicitas Terrill was found in her home with four gunshot wounds to the head in what appeared to be a burglary.
Amber Marie Hayes
Homicide:
Amber Marie Hayes
7-1/2 months old
Case # 88-02703
603 Clay St.
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine County and Louisa County
June 9, 1988
Amber Marie Hayes, 7-1/2 months old, was reported missing by her mother, Mary Hayes, at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, 1988. Four days later, two boys riding all-terrain vehicles discovered the infant’s body, a pink diaper bag and blanket in a remote area near Lake Odessa in Louisa County.
Robert Kellar
Missing Person:
Robert Lee Kellar
Age at Report: 20
Missing From: Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Missing Since: February 12, 1990
Robert Kellar was last seen in February 1990 in Muscatine, IA, when he left on a cross-country trip. His family assumed he would be back, but they never saw him again.
Homicide
Eugenio P. Garcia
(Eugenio Prieto-Garcia)
36 YOA
7 miles NW of Muscatine, IA
Muscatine County
June 21, 1992
On June 21, 1992, 36-year-old Eugenio Garcia’s body was found near the Dougherty Bridge 7 miles NW of Muscatine. Although cousins Vincente and Pedro Morales were arrested for kidnapping and strangling Garcia, they were ultimately released.
Corey Wieneke
Homicide:
Corey Lee Wieneke
22 YOA
West Liberty, IA (Muscatine County)
Case # 92-08083
October 13, 1992
Corey Wieneke, 22, was found bludgeoned to death in his rural West Liberty home on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1992. Wieneke’s fiancée, Jody Hotz, also of West Liberty, last saw him alive around 8:15 a.m. that morning and discovered his beaten body in his bedroom at 6 p.m. Tuesday evening.
Scott Tompkins
Homicide
Scott M. Tompkins
23 YOA
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Case # 95-13656
November 29, 1995
Scott M. Tompkins was shot by an assailant(s) while stopped to fix his windshield wipers. The victim was able to make it for medical treatment and later died. Prior to his death he was able to make a statement to police about the incident.
Isidro Gomez, Jr.
Homicide:
Isidro Gomez, Jr.
27 YOA
Muscatine, IA (Muscatine County)
Case # 08-018648
December 17, 2007
Isidro Gomez, Jr., of Muscatine, Iowa, was reported missing to the Muscatine Police Department on December 17, 2007, by Jessica Ridinger of Muscatine, Gomez’s girlfriend of eight years. His partially decomposed body was discovered May 6, 2008, in the woods off Funk’s Hill Road about five miles west of Muscatine by people hunting for mushrooms on the heavily wooded hill.
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The cases below include unsolved Iowa homicides from the year 2000 to the present, and are listed in chronological order. 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.
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