Polk County in Iowa
 
Des Moines in Polk County

Earl J. Lambert

Homicide

 
Earl J. Lambert, 58, was found dead beneath the E. 14th Street Viaduct bridge in Des Moines at about 1 a.m. on October 1, 1962.

Railroad employees found Lambert’s body on railroad tracks, but authorities said they did not believe Lambert — who worked for the Des Moines Central Railroad — had been struck by a train. They also said they did not believe he fell from a moving train.

About Earl J. Lambert

Earl J. Lambert was born in Washington County on July 30, 1904, the son of Jacob and Anna Doran Lambert. He was reared and educated in Washington County.

Courtesy photo Sara AboZena, findagrave.com

Earl Lambert is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Des Moines.

He was a member of the Christian church and employed by the Des Moines Central Railroad.

Survivors included a half-sister, Mrs. Ada Coppock of Shenandoah; one sister, Mrs. Mabel Murham of Washington; four brothers, Sam, Clyde, and Homer of Washington, and Glenn of Davenport.

Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, 1962, at the Jones Funeral Home with the Rev. Carlyle Smith in charge. Burial was in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Washington County.

Information Needed

Anyone with information regarding Earl Lambert’s unsolved murder is asked to contact the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4864.

Sources:

• Des Moines Police Department, correspondence to Iowa Cold Cases, July 10, 2009
• “United States Census, 1920,” Jacob Lambert
• Earl Lambert in household of Jacob Lambert, “United States Census, 1920”
• “LAMBERT, Earl J., 1904–1962,” Iowa GenWeb Project, March 8, 2013
• The Washington (IA) Evening Journal, Oct. 1, 1962
• Earl Jacob Lambert (1904 – 1962) – Find A Grave Memorial