chad-white-with-jason-and-motherCourtesy photo Jason White
Chad White (left) with his mother and brother, Jason

Chad William White

Homicide

Chad William White
21 YOA
Corning, IA
Adams County
May 21, 1993

 

 

Case Summary compiled by Jody Ewing
We extend a special thank you to Jason White for providing photos to Iowa Cold Cases for use on our website.
Adams County in Iowa
Adams County in Iowa
 
Corning in Adams CountyCorning in Adams County

Late Friday night, May 21, 1993, Chad William White, 21, was shot to death in the Corning, Iowa home he shared with his fiancée, Dixie Kinser.

Dixie, whose bridal shower was scheduled for the following day, survived the attack. Chad’s younger brother, Jason White, 18, was set to graduate from Corning High School on Sunday, May 23.

In correspondence sent to Iowa Cold Cases in April 2011, Jason White said he and his brother grew up in a series of tiny Iowa towns and were quite close.
During school months, the boys stayed with their mother and stepfather, but spent summers in Illinois with their father. They were forced to be independent, Jason White said, and always looked out for one another.

Jason described to Iowa Cold Cases what he remembered from the night of his brother’s murder.

“It was around 11:00 p.m. and I had to take my girlfriend home. She lived on the same side of town as my brother, so we started in that general direction.

As we were driving, one of the town of Corning’s officers flew by us with his lights on. As we came over the hill to Chad’s house, I noticed the cop stopped in front of his house. I pulled up behind the officer and got out. He ran out of the house with his gun drawn and around to the back.

As I walked into the yard, I noticed Dixie lying on the ground in front . . . . I knelt down next to her. She was face-down, having trouble breathing; and I saw a big tear down the back of her jacket.

It’s kind of a blur, but I remember the ambulance showed; and I turned to the house and started up the stairs to the front door. One of the neighbors was in the doorway and wouldn’t let me in. I think I knew right then that my brother was dead.

I came back down the stairs and found the police officer. I asked him what happened and all he would tell me was that they had been shot. He wouldn’t tell me whether my brother was dead or not. I watched the ambulance take Dixie away, and I noticed that they didn’t take my brother.”

Jason said he took his girlfriend home and then went to an aunt’s home to call his mother and father. He then drove back to his brother’s home to await his family’s arrival.

“My mother and stepfather arrived and the officer told them my brother was dead,” Jason said. “I lost it for a little while and cried harder than I have ever cried. My father showed up to find out that his first son had been murdered.”

Jason described his brother as a “good guy” who was a mechanic by trade and a motor-head for life. He loved cars, his motorcycle, chewing tobacco, Dixie, AC/DC, and “going fast,” Jason said.

Waiting in the bedroom with a 20-gauge shotgun

In the small town of Corning, Iowa, people didn’t lock their doors, Jason said. The night of the murder, Chad and Dixie had gone out riding on Jason’s motorcycle. At some point while they were gone, Jason said someone entered their home and waited in the bedroom with a 20-gauge shotgun.

Jason told Iowa Cold Cases:

When they got home, the person came out of their bedroom and shot Chad in the head while he stood at the kitchen sink. Dixie screamed and turned and ran for the door. The person shot again but missed and hit the door frame. As Dixie was running out the door, he shot again and hit her in the back. She flew out and landed on the front lawn. The shooter came out the front door and ran off.”

Chad and DixieCourtesy photo Jason White
Chad White and Dixie Kinser’s engagement photo

Family members had arrived in town for Dixie’s bridal shower and Jason’s graduation ceremony, but Jason said he spent his graduation asking people to be pallbearers at his brother’s funeral.

Things went from bad to worse after Chad’s murder.

Jason said he occasionally “smoked weed,” was questioned in his brother’s murder, and ended up spending a year on probation. One year and one week after Chad’s murder, the boys’ father hung himself.

No one seemed to know whether Chad and Dixie were targeted specifically or whether the murderer simply went to the wrong address.

“I spent a good part of my life scared to walk in my front door after that,” Jason said. “I didn’t know if one day the same person would come after me or not for whatever reason.”

Determined to honor his older brother’s memory, Jason said he cleaned up his own life and moved to Denver, Colo. He says he has a house, a wife, a dog, a good family and a good life.

“It’s been hard to deal with a lot of times, and life goes on,” he said, “but Chad’s death will haunt me forever.”

Chad William White was born June 14, 1971.

Information Needed

Anyone with information about Chad William White’s unsolved murder is asked to contact the Adams County Sheriff’s Office at 641-322-4444.

Sources:

 

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17 Responses to Chad White

  1. Bill Coleman says:

    There has been misconduct issues with law enforcement, county attorneys and court appointed attorneys. If you of low social status, you get no justice.

  2. April Yarrington says:

    I don’t appreciate some people making fun at a family friend who was murdered thanks. I want it solved as much as his family does, I still have issues sleeping around that time of year and it breaks my heart to know his killer is still around living and free. Chad was like a part of the family and I saw how it affected Dixie. That’s so unfair.

  3. Angela White says:

    It’s been 13 years. They should have reopened & solved it by now.
    So sorry for your loss.

    • Patrick Kerrigan says:

      The local authorities could not have the expertise to handle a homicide. So, they could have requested some assistance from other agencies.

      It makes wonder if someone had it in for them. I guess we will never know. Also, we have few details. All we know is that they were shot with .20 gauge shotgun. I assume there was no forced entry, no fingerprints, no footprints, no other forensic evidence.

  4. Scott Johnston says:

    The investigation was a complete joke. They didn’t do shit to solve this!

    • Justice says:

      Interesting…What makes you say this if I may ask?

      • Scott Johnston says:

        That fucking killer still walks the streets and more people than me know it. I’m not going to write a book on here but the investigation was shit. That young man deserved better

        • Stay Strong! says:

          He and the entire family and friends deserved better. This totally should have been solved and have to believe the investigation was totally botched.

          Without naming names, do you feel comfortable indicating the motive?

          I just can’t believe this wasn’t solved. Maybe starting at the motive can shake things up with the investigation?

  5. Ned Flanders says:

    Dude looks like Ned Flanders

  6. Lucian bolton says:

    I was about 12 years old at the time this happened and knew all 3 of them. Kind people. Dixie was a absolute sweetheart! Chad was a very nice guy to me and I as just a dumb kid. Jason was nice as well. I believe my sister and him were friends and his nickname was packrat. Very sad that this was never solved! Small town murder where evidence was most likely tainted and removed due to inexperience. Not their fault though, just not a lot of that stuff happening there. With any luck somebody will step forward at some point and give this family some peace!

  7. Brenda Kelly Morrison says:

    So sorry for all your loss! Have it re-opened. Time for justice. God bless.

  8. this should have been solved by now so sad

  9. I remember that night. I had seen them cruising up and down main street on his motorcycle for hours. Very sad.

  10. Theresa says:

    I believe the weapon was a youth model Remington 20 gauge. Why? Easy to manage, and it will hurt like heck but probably not kill unless you are less than 1 or 2 feet apart. Sounds to me like a stupid joke gone awry.

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