Polk County in Iowa
Polk County in Iowa
 
Des Moines in Polk CountyDes Moines in Polk County

David Morris

Homicide

David Morris
68 YOA
Morris Foods
2550 Maury Street
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
Case # 1973-12106
February 22, 1973

 

On Thursday evening, February 22, 1973, David “Dave” Morris, 68, was shot in the back of the head behind the meat counter at Morris Foods, the supermarket he owned at 2550 Maury Street in Des Moines. Two empty .32-caliber shell casings lay near his body.

Morris FoodsCourtesy photo Google Street View
David Morris was robbed and murdered at Morris Foods on Feb. 22, 1973.

Robbery appeared to be the motive, as Morris’s wallet had been stolen and an undisclosed amount of cash was missing from the cash register.

Around the time of the murder, an old delivery truck was seen parked at the store. According to witnesses, the truck resembled the kind used to deliver bread.

No one has ever been charged in Morris’ death.

 

About David Morris
david-morris-gravestoneCourtesy photo Katie Lou, findagrave.com
David Morris and his wife Celia are buried in the Jewish Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines.

David Morris was born January 8, 1905. He and his wife, Celia, are buried in the Jewish Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines. Celia passed away in 1985.

Information Needed

If you have any information regarding Davis Morris’s unsolved murder, please contact the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4864.

Sources:
  • Des Moines Police Department, correspondence to Iowa Cold Cases, July 10, 2009
  • Find a Grave Memorial
  • George Hendrickson, personal correspondence to Iowa Cold Cases, December 4, 2011
  • “D.M. Grocer Found Slain In His Store,” Denise Caringer, The Des Moines Register, February 23, 1973
  • United States Social Security Death Index

 

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12 Responses to David Morris

  1. Tri State Girl says:

    I know this answer might be lost in time, but does anyone know if David Morris was related to the Tommy Morris who was killed in 1972? It would be crazy if they were brothers or something. https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/tommy-morris/

  2. Yellow Bag says:

    Wilbur Millhouse, a man who lived directly across the street from Morris’ store, implicated himself in Johnny Gosch’s disappearance in 1982. In 1973, the DM Register interviewed Millhouse at the scene of Morris’ murder and quoted a neighbor who said Morris would only have unlocked that store door after hours for someone from the neighborhood. In 1986, Millhouse went to prison for 20 years for sexually abusing teen boys. It would not surprise me at all if Millhouse was involved in Morris’ murder too.

    • Johna Davis says:

      No the person who is involved lives here in Mesa Az at 155 N. 88th way 85207 his name is Mark David Davis Sr.? He’s also a Child Molester & Rapist I should know I’m one of his victims & unfortunately one of his siblings our family had to leave Iowa because of his crimes he was young violent & on drugs (PCP) & involved with people even far more dangerous than him! His terror continued in AZ on innocent women & children. I’m sure if they took his prints & DNA they’d be able to solve several unsolved cases.

      • Yellow Bag says:

        Are you saying he implicated himself in David Morris’ murder, or in the Johnny Gosch or Eugene Martin kidnappings? Did he live in Iowa in the early 1980’s? How old would he have been in 1982? Did he have any involvement with the Des Moines Register?

      • Socat says:

        I do not see any offenders by that name at that address. Did he pass away?

        • Doug says:

          Wilbur Millhouse died in 2015.

          Also, Millhouse was a newspaper dispatcher who regularly drove old delivery trucks at that time.

          Millhouse wasn’t the only pedophile working with the young delivery boys at that time, there were at least two others, delivery boys had stories about them propositioning the teens often, rumors of worse, and Millhouse mentioned on a number of occasions that Gosch never learned to keep quiet and that’s what got him in trouble, this was after he went missing.

  3. Patrick Kerrigan says:

    I again wonder if this case was entered into the FBI’s VICAP system. It would be interesting to see if there were any other cases involving the use of a .32 caliber firearm. There were two girls found murdered in Chicago in the early 1970’s, that were shot with a 32 caliber firearm.

    Also, a young man missing from Zion, Illinois, was found shot to death with a 32 caliber firearm in Racine County, Wisconsin. I know the case involving the two girls by has never been solved. The murder of the young man, I am not sure about.

  4. Never give up hope, have alot of faith.

  5. I pray someone comes forward. My prayers sent to the families and friends.

  6. Diana Wilson says:

    I love cold cases but they are always someone’s family member. Sad

  7. shemas says:

    Even after all these years it would be great to solve this horrible injustice!!!

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