Gregory “Greg” Dunbar (Courtesy Scott County Sheriff’s Office)
Gregory Oliver “Greg” Dunbar
Suspicious Death
Gregory “Greg” Dunbar
35 YOA
Residence: Davenport apartment building, 37th Street
Davenport, Iowa
Scott County
Body Found: In Mississippi River near Buffalo, Iowa
Last Seen Alive: May 8, 2016
Body Recovered: May 13, 2016
The body of 35-year-old Gregory “Greg” Dunbar was pulled from the Mississippi River near Buffalo, Iowa, on Friday, May 13, 2016, after a caller reported finding a body around 9:20 a.m.
The Buffalo Fire Department, Buffalo Police Department, and Scott County Sheriff’s Office responded to the boat ramp off Front Street, where they pulled the then-unidentified body from the river.
Officials described the decedent — who had no identification on him — as a white male about 5-foot-11 and weighing about 170 pounds.
Scott County in Iowa
Davenport in Scott County
“At this time the subject is unidentified and the cause of death is unknown,” the Buffalo Police Department said in a statement released to the press.
Dunbar’s family didn’t learn about the death for three days, and after the identification, his mother, Lisa Duffy of Davenport, said her son’s mental illness may have made him an easy target for foul play.
“He was very trusting of everybody,” Duffy said in a June, 13, 2016 interview with WQAD Channel 8. “He had a mental illness and was on medication for that.”
She said cause of death was drowning, but didn’t believe her son would take his own life.
Dunbar lived in a Davenport apartment on 37th Street — at least four miles away from the river — and didn’t have a car. Duffy said some residents at the apartment claimed her son had been beaten up a short time before he went missing.
“One said he had a cut lip and black eyes,” Duffy told WQAD, though she said she didn’t know if that had anything to do with her son’s disappearance or not.
Last seen alive May 8
Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities released a statement saying surveillance video showed Dunbar leaving his apartment around 11 p.m. Sunday, May 8, 2016.
Courtesy photo WQAD.com
Emergency vehicles along the Mississippi River near Buffalo where Greg Dunbar’s body was recovered — May 13, 2016
They asked that anyone with information about Dunbar and his whereabouts prior to his discovery contact the tip line at (309) 762-9500. Callers could remain anonymous, and anyone with a tip leading to a felony arrest would receive a $1000 reward with no questions asked.
Scott County Sheriff’s investigators, Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities, and Dunbar’s family are still working to find out what happened to him.
“I’d really love to have that closure. I just hope somebody knows something and comes forward,” said Duffy, who described her son as a very unassuming, sweet guy.
“We just want to find out what happened. Right now, we don’t know if this was accidental or intentional,” she said.
Dunbar’s obituary lists his date of death as May 13, 2016 — the day officials recovered his body from the river.
Another detail about her son’s death continues to haunt Duffy.
“They thought he was homeless. That breaks my heart,” she said.
About Greg Dunbar
Gregory Oliver “Greg” Dunbar was born on March 3, 1981, the son of Lisa R. (Vieger) and Greg Dunbar. He resided in Davenport, Iowa, at the time of his passing.
A memorial visitation was held Friday, May 20, 2016, at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, 614 Main Street, Davenport, where his family greeted friends from 4 to 6 p.m. The family held a private burial at Oakdale Memorial Gardens, Davenport.
Greg was an avid sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite teams: the Cubs, the Hawkeyes and the Bears. He also loved playing basketball and pool, and going boating with his dad.
Those left to honor his memory include his parents, Lisa Duffy and Greg Dunbar; his siblings, Tegan and Tyler Duffy, all of Davenport; grandparents, Nadine Vieger, Davenport, and Glenn and Carole Dunbar, Daytona Beach, Fla.; his aunts and uncles, Leanne (Dave) Belk, LeClaire, Michael (Kris) Vieger, Davenport, and Bret Dunbar, Las Vegas; and his many cousins, as well as the many friends and employees from the Vera French community who have been loving and supportive to Greg over the past few years.
Information Needed
Anyone with information about Greg Dunbar’s death, or his last known whereabouts, is urged to contact Sgt. Alex Gries with the Buffalo Police Department at 563-381-4733, or Det. Josh Wall with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office at 563-326-8625.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 309-762-9500. Callers with a tip leading to a felony arrest will receive a $1000 reward with no questions asked.
Sources:
- Scott County Sheriff’s Office
- Buffalo Fire Department
- Buffalo Police Department
- Gregory O. Dunbar, Findagrave.com
- “Mom of man found in Mississippi River searching for answers,” by Chris Minor, WQAD.com, June 13, 2016
- “Details sought in death of Davenport man found in Mississippi River,” by Jeff Whitten, KWQC.com, June 10, 2016
- “Mystery surrounds death of man whose body was pulled from Mississippi River,” by Katrina Lamansky, WQAD.com, June 10, 2016
- Quad-City Crime Stoppers
- “Obituaries: Gregory Dunbar,” The Quad-City Times, May 19, 2016
- “Body pulled from Mississippi River near Buffalo identified,” by Sarah Tisinger, WQAD.com, May 18, 2016
- “Obituary: Gregory O. Dunbar,” legacy.com
- “Body pulled from Mississippi River in Buffalo, Iowa,” by Katrina Lamansky, WQAD.com, May 13, 2016
So sad. Hope they find whoever is responsible :((