Dennison Stookesberry (Courtesy IA Dept. Public Safety)
Blakesburg in Wapello CountyDennison Stookesberry, a 56-year-old disabled man from rural Blakesburg, Iowa, in Wapello County, was last seen alive on Monday evening, Feb. 8, 1999, when a fishing buddy said he’d dropped his friend off at home after a night at a bar.
Stookesberry was reported missing to the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office in Ottumwa, Iowa, one week later on Monday, Feb 15, 1999, after officials discovered the diabetic appeared to have left his home in the middle of cooking dinner and hadn’t taken any of his diabetes or heart medication with him. Butter had been left on the kitchen table and a deer steak left in the microwave oven.
Stookesberry also had four dogs — all of which had been left behind — something Stookesberry never would have done under normal circumstances.
Stookesberry’s laundry had been left outside the full week, hanging on a line.
He didn’t drive and used a cane to get around. Officials believe he was taken against his will and classified his disappearance as missing and endangered.
At the time of his disappearance, Stookesberry was described as a 56-year-old white male with black hair and hazel eyes, 5-foot-6 and weighing about 230 pounds. He may have worn a mustache and regularly wore wire-rimmed glasses with a slight tint.
A DNA Family Reference Sample (FRS) has been submitted and tests are complete.
Fingerprint information has also been entered is available through the investigating agency.
If you have any information about Dennison Stookesberry’s mysterious and unsolved disappearance, please contact Chief Deputy Donald Phillips at the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office at 641-684-4350 x 306.
He is a diabetic and disabled. Yet, he was out drinking with a supposed fishing buddy. I am missing something. He could have a problems mixing alcohol and his medications. This could cause serious problems, which could have led to him doing wandering off.
Hmmm…the fishing buddy???