Cecil Earl Paris
31 YOA
Iowa Fiber Box Company
Commercial Alley
Keokuk, IA
Lee County
February 18, 1928
Note: Cecil Earl Paris was the twin of Tapati McDaniels’ great-grandmother, Nona Pearl. Nona Pearl raised one of Cecil Earl’s sons, George, whom Tapati knew as an uncle although he was a cousin.
Tapati submitted the following information about Cecil Earl’s murder for use on the Iowa Cold Cases website.
Cecil Earl Paris, 31 year-old night watchman at the Keokuk Box Factory plant on Commercial Alley, was shot and killed some time Saturday night, February 18, 1928, by an unknown assailant who was armed with a .22 caliber revolver. The body was discovered on Sunday morning by Walter Bryant, the day watchman.
The body had been pushed under a lumber wagon about forty feet from the doorway of the boiler room at the plant, and a sack of coal was found near the building.
Police believed Cecil was shot when he ordered someone off the premises. His own .32 caliber revolver was missing and believed stolen. Money had also been removed but a cheap watch was untouched. Three charcoal tablets had been wrapped in a paper that they think the murderer mistook for a bill and were found on the ground along with the paper.
Courtesy photo Tapati McDanielsA sister of the murdered man told the coroner who told the officers that a week ago her brother had accosted a man in the boiler room and ordered him out. Henry Faber was the police officer who responded to the call and he called Frank W. Oertel, Justice of the Peace and acting coroner.
Bloodhounds were used to follow the trail the murderer might have taken. They were given the scent from the victim’s body and also the sack of coal. Five times they led to the house of a man named Hammond in the vicinity of the Tenth street bridge, following a trail along “bloody run.”
A man named H. Lewis was taken into custody and questioned but later proved to have an alibi. He explained also that he had done some work unloading coal for a local coal dealer, and the Hammonds — with whom he was staying — confirmed that he was at their home all night.
An autopsy traced the route of the bullet as it entered the right side of Cecil Earl’s body to the left of the right nipple, between two ribs, and lodged in the pericardium. It had pierced the ascending aorta (the largest artery entering the heart) which would cause nearly instant death.
At the direction of Coroner Frank Oertel, the autopsy was performed by Dr. F. B. Dorsey Jr. and Dr. Johannes Anderson. The bullet was recovered and sealed as evidence. A three-inch spread of powder burns was found on the victim’s shirt and body once the shirt was removed.
The sheriff’s office was notified and Sheriff Hart, Deputy Sheriff Reinig and County Attorney D. J. McNamara joined the police officers already on the job under the direction of Chief J. B. Parks. Deputy Sheriff Fred Weisemann of Fort Madison also joined the officers. Deputy Sheriff H. E. Coles brought two bloodhounds who were allowed to sniff articles from the body and the bag of coal as described above. The dogs “worked furiously” when they came to a place in the creek where the ice had been broken, as if someone had plunged through.
A tag bearing the name of a local feed store was found on the sack of coal. No other mark was on it. This tag and the clothes of the murdered man were taken by the coroner for evidence. He empanelled a jury composed of R.L. Sherwood, Dr. P.E. Hanes and Henry Van Essling to hear the inquest on February 21, 1928. The body was removed to the Cunningham funeral parlor.
“Paris was said to have come here from Memphis, MO, about five years ago and was employed at the box factory. He had been night watchman for two years. He is survived by his widow and five children.”
“Earl Paris was born in Schuyler county Missouri, on August 5, 1896, and was the son of George and Laura McDaniel Paris. He came to Keokuk three years prior to his death. (This contradicts the portion above which says five years.) He was married to Rosa McKinney on September 17, 1917 at Moulton, Iowa, and to this union were born seven children, two of whom preceded him in death.”
“He was a member of the Christian Church at Downing, MO.
“He is survived by his wife, five children, all of whom live at home; his parents who live at Memphis, MO; four brothers; and seven sisters, besides other more distant relatives.
“The body will be taken to Memphis, MO., Tuesday morning where funeral services will be held from the Camp Ground church near Downing, MO., Wednesday morning.”
Courtesy photo Larry and Jane, findagrave.comAunt Pauline (wife of George Paris, Cecil’s infant son at the time of the murder) claims that there were theories about the killer but nothing was ever proven. It sounded like the implication was that gambling was involved. She says that whenever the elder family members were talking about it they’d all hush up if one of the younger generation came into the room, so she never did learn very much about his parents or the murder.
There is an interesting portion of an article that was not fully copied which talks of a Virgil Coovert, motorcycle cop who was paid one dollar by Mr. Paris earlier Saturday evening for a debt. One has to wonder if this was related to the rumored gambling. Mr. Coovert later gave this money to the widow out of sympathy.
There’s also a mention that the .32 caliber revolver used by Mr. Paris was considered “old-fashioned.” Additionally, the course of the bullet indicates that the assailant was taller than Mr. Paris and fired at close range. Mr. Paris was described as a “big well built man,” and his companions said he was a good wrestler, and “could have been a match for anyone in a fair fight.”
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If you have any information regarding Cecil Earl Paris’ unsolved murder please contact the Keokuk Police Department at (319) 524-3131, (319) 524-3132 or (319) 524-2741, or contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at (319) 372-1152, (319) 524-1414 or 1-800-382-8900.
A special thanks to Tapati McDaniels for putting this together for Iowa Cold Cases. If you have any information you’d like to share with Tapati, please e-mail her. If you have any details you’d like to share with Iowa Cold Cases, please e-mail us.
Gravestone photo courtesy Larry and Jane, findagrave.com
William Mullikin
57 YOA
Montrose, IA
Lee County
February 25, 1902
William Mullikin, 57, was shot in the head by a bullet that came through a dining room window as he sat talking with his wife on the evening of February 25, 1902.
We at Iowa Cold Cases have placed this case on review so we may determine its proper classification. A former ICC volunteer added this case to our website, but the cited references/research did not extend beyond 1902, the same year the murder occurred.
While we understand loss and the historical interest/significance of each and every Iowa homicide, our website’s primary goal has always been — and remains — focused on providing case summaries for unsolved Iowa murders.
Thank you in advance for your patience.
Delores Antonia “Toni” Martinez Hornung
48 YOA
Case # 99-01605
Keokuk, IA
Lee County
February 14, 1999
Delores A. “Toni” (Martinez) Hornung, 48, was shot to death in her Keokuk, Iowa home on Valentine’s Day, 1999. Her boyfriend, Lewis Greer of Bonaparte, Iowa, was arrested and charged with her murder, but was acquitted by a Lee County jury.
The following article about Toni Hornung was published in the Daily Gate City on the 13th anniversary of Toni’s death.
When Dolores (Toni Martinez) Hornung, 48, of Keokuk was found murdered on Feb. 14, 1999, in her Keokuk home, it changed Valentine’s Day forever for her loved ones.
“I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day,” said Hornung’s mother Alice Brown on Monday. “Someone, something took her from me.”
Every year around her daughter’s birthday, Brown honors her daughter with a photo in the Daily Gate City. She or another family member calls the Keokuk Police Department to see if they’ve come up with anything new that might lead to the arrest and conviction of Hornung’s murderer.
“Things get softer after the years go by,” Brown said. “But I always hope they’ll find out why and who before I die.”
The Keokuk Police Department and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations investigated Hornung’s death and subsequently arrested Lewis Greer of Bonaparte for the killing. However, after a four-day trial in the South Lee County Courthouse in Keokuk, a jury acquitted Greer of Hornung’s murder, refusing to consider lesser charges. Greer was released and walked out of the courtroom a free man.
The weapon used for the murder was determined to be a 30-30 rifle, but it was never found. Investigators followed every lead, but never could find any witnesses.
“We did everything we could,” said Keokuk Police Chief Tom Crew. “The DCI was the lead agency. We used all the information we could find, but the courts acquitted (Greer). It’s always frustrating for the police department and the family. We always go at these cases 110 percent to bring people to justice. But in this case, we were at the mercy of the court. The conclusion (juries) come to sometimes baffle us. It leaves us with a heavy feeling.
“We understand the family is frustrated. They want some closure through a conviction. If it was your loved one, nothing would be enough. There’s never going to be enough. I have the utmost empathy for the family and their loss over the years.”
The case remains open at the Keokuk Police Department and at a non-profit organization called Iowa Cold Cases Inc. at iowacoldcases.org.
For a while, the Hornung case also was part of the DCI’s Cold Case Unit in Des Moines, but the unit recently was defunded.
The cold case unit was created in 2008 but never was funded by the state, instead receiving funds from the federal government. Two full-time investigators and a lab tech initially were assigned to the unit. However, in 2010 the federal Community Orientated Policing Services grant funding was cut leading to manpower reduction in the unit. In the summer of 2011, the funding ran out. The unit was disbanded in the fall of 2011.
“The Cold Case Unit was DNA-driven,” said Bill Kitsman, DCI special agent in charge. “What we do now is look at cold cases from time to time when we get leads such as crime stoppers leads. We always look at those.”
A parallel but civilian-driven non-profit organization, Iowa Cold Cases, Inc., has “case summaries, articles and updates for all Iowa open homicides and missing persons cases where foul play is suspected, according to its website at iowacoldcases.org.” The organization started up in 2005 with a “mission … to educate the public about these open cases, share and exchange resources in efforts to publicize these unsolved crimes, and ensure every victim’s story is told and kept alive until those responsible are held accountable.”
The organization was created by Jody Ewing of Sioux City when she discovered that the State of Iowa had no centralized online database listing victims’ names and case details.
In January, Ewing wrote on the website: “Somebody knows something. They always do. Yet, people still fear coming forward with what they know, even when they realize it could very well help solve an unsolved murder. Did you ever wonder why they remain silent?
“We asked our readers last May, and the answers might surprise you. Our poll results, based on the options provided:
29 percent said they personally know the killer and fear retaliation.
27 percent said they believe there’s no such thing as an “anonymous tip.”
17 percent said they fear their own dark background might be exposed if they contact authorities.
17 percent also said they were somehow involved in committing the crime and/or covering it up.
9 percent chose “Other,” saying they don’t want to be labeled as a snitch; they are not sure if the information they have is true, and only suspect it; all of the above; all of the above plus apathy; and that they can’t remember.
2 percent said they honestly don’t care about the murder victims or whether the cases get solved.”
In June 2011, the website ran another poll question: If 100 percent anonymity were guaranteed, would you be willing to let Iowa Cold Cases serve as a liaison between you and the police?
Of the responses, 95 percent said yes and 5 percent said no. The website guarantees anonymity.
“Remind yourself that every single night, someone’s mother or father or sister or brother or husband or wife or child goes to bed wondering about the last moments of his or her loved one’s life,” Ewing wrote. “Think back: Do you have knowledge about something — perhaps one small detail about the crime never reported in the papers, never mentioned on TV? Did you hear someone give conflicting accounts of his/her whereabouts that day/night? Do you have reason to believe … reason to suspect … something you’d rather forget?”
In addition to Hornung, Keokuk has been the scene of four unsolved murders since 1904.
John Murphy, age unknown, of North Sixth and Concert streets, was shot on the morning of Nov. 27, 1904, by an unknown man at his corner while his way to work. According to the site, he planned on attending church after work. The shooting appeared unprovoked.
Earl Paris, 31, a night watchman at Iowa Fiber Box Company in Keokuk, was shot on Feb. 18, 1928, while on duty.
Richard Buchanan and Willard Charles Woodring were killed Oct. 9, 1960, in Keokuk. Woodring, 42, “was owner and operator of a house of prostitution, commonly referred to as the Hawkeye Hotel, according to the website. Buchanan, 49, was a customer. The men were shot and killed during a robbery by a young male gunman in a black leather jacket who was accompanied by a young red head in a lavender dress, according to website notes.
Call the Keokuk Police Department at 524-2741 to get more information about how to share information regarding a cold case.
Copyright © 2012 Daily Gate City. All rights reserved.
Delores A. “Toni” Martinez was born December 12, 1950, in Portland, Maine, to Pete Jr. and Alice A. Olvis Martinez. She had been a resident of Portland from 1970–1975.
Toni was a seamstress and noted for her quilts and beadwork.
While living in Portland, she was a member of the Thunderbird Society, the Nauvoo Ward of the Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She was survived by a son and daughter and many other relatives and close friends.
If you have any information regarding Delores “Toni” Hornung’s unsolved murder, please contact the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at (515) 725-6010, e-mail dciinfo@dps.state.ia.us, or contact the Keokuk Police Department at 319-524-2741 or the Lee County Attorney’s Office at 319-524-9590.
Lee County in Iowa
Arthur Leon Ransford
36 YOA
Rural Route M
Lee County
Case # 84-02367
Disappeared: November 22, 1983
Body Found: May 13, 1984
On May 13, 1984, Arthur L. Ransford’s body was found enclosed in a large yellow bag and buried under cement blocks in a wooded area overlooking the Mississippi River south of Montrose, Iowa.
He was last seen on November 22, 1983.
Arthur Leon Ransford was born March 20, 1947 in Scotland County, Missouri, to Thelma Maxine Long and William Bryon Ransford.
He served in the Army during the Vietnam War.
Ransford was buried on May 22, 1984 in the Keokuk National Cemetery for Veterans.
When the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) established a Cold Case Unit in late 2009, Arthur Ransford’s murder was one of approximately 150 cases listed on the Cold Case Unit’s new website as those the DCI hoped to solve using latest advancements in DNA technology. Although the Cold Case Unit closed down in December 2011 due to lack of funding, the DCI continues to investigate cases where progress was being made. They also follow up on any new leads provided in these cases.
If you have any information about Arthur Ransford’s unsolved murder please contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at (319) 372-1152, (319) 524-1414 or 1-800-382-8900, or contact the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at (515) 725-6010 or via e-mail at dciinfo@dps.state.ia.us.
Richard Buchanan
Hawkeye Hotel Brothel
Keokuk, Iowa
Lee County
Case # 60-00902
October 9, 1960
On October 9, 1960, Willard Charles Woodring, owner and operator of a house of prostitution, commonly referred to as the “Hawkeye Hotel,” and Richard B. Buchanan, a customer, were shot and killed by an unknown gunman who was accompanied by an unknown woman accomplice during an attempted robbery of the owner and premises.
When the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) established a Cold Case Unit in late 2009, Woodring’s and Buchanan’s murders were included in approximately 150 cases listed on the Cold Case Unit’s new website as those the DCI hoped to solve using latest advancements in DNA technology. Although the Cold Case Unit closed down in December 2011 due to lack of funding, the DCI continues to investigate cases where progress already was being made. They also follow up on any new leads provided in these cases.
If you have any information regarding the unsolved murders of Willard Woodring or Richard Buchanan, please contact the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at (515) 725-6010, e-mail dciinfo@dps.state.ia.us, or contact the Keokuk Police Department at (319) 524-3131.
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