Kathleen StithCourtesy photo Kathryn L. Wallace
Kathleen Violet Stith

Kathleen V. “Kathy” Stith

Homicide

Kathleen V. “Kathy” Stith
47 YOA
966 E. 6th Avenue
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
Case # 1994-7200
February 24, 1994

 

Case Summary compiled by Jody Ewing

 
Kathleen V. “Kathy” Stith, 47, was found dead Thursday evening, February 24, 1994, in a Des Moines townhouse she shared with Scott Macy, her 32-year-old boyfriend of five years. Stith was found upstairs on a sofa, a blanket over her head.

Stith and Macy, who resided together at 966 E. Sixth Avenue, had been involved in an on-and-off tumultuous relationship over the years, and Macy had been arrested for domestic abuse on four separate occasions between 1986 and 1994.

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

According to reports Macy provided to Des Moines police, four people had allegedly spent the night at the couple’s townhouse. Macy told officials he’d slept upstairs on a sofa, while Kathy slept in a first-floor bedroom. He said Kathy’s 16-year-old son, Denny Dellaca, and Denny’s friend, Chris Davis, had also slept downstairs.

Macy said that early Thursday morning, he’d loaded his tools into his truck and then gone back inside to leave cigarettes for Kathy. She was no longer in the downstairs bedroom, he said, and had moved upstairs to the sofa where he’d slept, where she lay with a blanket over her head.

Macy told police he put a pack of cigarettes next to her head and left the townhouse at approximately 8:30 a.m. He said he did not check to see if the two boys were still there but believed they were still sleeping.

The townhouse was unlocked when he arrived home from work at 5 p.m., Macy said, and the TV was on.

Upstairs, Macy said he found his girlfriend on the sofa where he’d last seen her, the blanket still over her head, and that it didn’t appear she’d touched the pack of cigarettes. It was then, he told investigators, he realized Stith was dead.

The couple had no telephone, and Macy said he left and went to a phone booth, where he telephoned the police department and then his mother.

Kathleen Stith gravestoneCourtesy photo Carl Nollen, findagrave.com
Kathleen “Kathy” Stith is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Des Moines.

An autopsy performed by Polk County Medical Examiner Dr. R.C. Wooters placed Stith’s time of death at approximately 8:30 a.m., the same time Macy reportedly left the townhouse for work.

Stith, Wooters believed, had been strangled.

Stith’s unsolved murder was included in a list sent to Iowa Cold Cases’ Jody Ewing on July 10, 2009, by Des Moines Police Lt. Camden Moran.

About Kathy Stith

Kathleen Violet “Kathy” (Rushing) Stith was born on June 27, 1946.

She passed away on February 24, 1994.

Kathleen is buried at the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Des Moines.

Information Needed

If you have information on the unsolved murder of Kathleen Stith, please contact the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4864.

Sources:
  • Des Moines Police Department, Correspondence to Iowa Cold Cases, July 10, 2009
  • Kathleen V. “Kathy” Stith (1946 – 1994) — Find a Grave Memorial
  • “United States Social Security Death Index,” index, FamilySearch.org, Kathleen V Stith, 24 Feb 1994; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
  • “D.M. homicides from 2000 officially closed,” The Des Moines Register, April 11, 2005
  • “Slayings keep D.M. police stumped,” by Tara Deering, The Des Moines Register, September 13, 2003
  • “Police suspect foul play in death,” Laurance N’Kaquo and Tom Sauk, The Des Moines Register, February 26, 1994

 

Copyright © 2024 Iowa Cold Cases, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

65 Responses to Kathleen Stith

  1. Alisia Myers says:

    I guess my mother’s case wasn’t never reviewed or there was no time for anyone to contact me back Jodi I had left you a message at the top of the page quite some time back, also never received a phone call back from the detectives I would like to meet with and have this case reworked with fresh eyes new detectives my mother was abused on her autopsy report that should be more than enough evidence that he beat her up prior to killing her, she had a bite mark on her lip on the outside bruises on her face black eye and they stated she had bite marks on her tongue from being strangled how do you bite your tongue at the same time you get a bite mark on the outside of your lip he’s already bit her lip off once completely off.

    • Laura Dyann says:

      Alisia I’m so frustrated reading about your mamas case that I cannot even fathom how you feel. Why is there 0 drive or urgency to lock him up till he rots? I want to suggest for you to reach out to a few people who run you tube channels dedicated to unsolved true crime. It would maybe help not only to spread awareness but to put some pressure and accountability on the LE you’ve had to deal with. And their inadequacies. I will send a few names/channels that take their work and research very seriously and you can submit the case to them. I will too (squeaky wheel theory). I’ve had about 5 channels cover the my friends missing person case. Anything helps! This is absolutely solvable I feel.

  2. Alisia Myers says:

    This case is not closed there is still reward money available thru crime stoppers please notify if you have any information regarding this murder still unsolved, reward money available to who ever comes forward with information.

    • Kat W. says:

      Still holding on to hopes that her case will be solved as well. My thoughts are with you Alicia. <3

    • Jody Ewing says:

      Alisia, I’m juggling about four cold case conversations right now and will follow up on Kathleen’s case when finished. Thanks for your patience. Jody @ ICC

      • Alisia Myers says:

        Was this ever followed up on or just simply forgotten about not important enough I’m assuming money was just funded to help solve these cases what is going on and why is nothing being done , there is a new Cold Case unit that had money funded to solve cold cases in Iowa this one’s long overdue and they need to be reworked I have her autopsy report it states clearly on there she has bruises and had a bite mark on her lip she was abused by her boyfriend and they just let him go that’s all the evidence that they should need they can see she’s been a physically abused by the autopsy report what else more do you need to know, also sperm found wasn’t tested yet also pubic hairs were clipped I spoke with the coroner’s office regarding everything they got I would like to have a meeting with the detectives handling my mom’s case and you and your office that list this need to address that there is reward money still available and a murder case is never closed there is no statute of limitations it needs reworked this case was never worked word DNA can be retrieved from the spermatosis swabs and the hair clippings from the pubic hairs they got from her to rule her boyfriend out if it wasn’t him however I know it was him, the autopsy stated she had a bite mark on her lip how is she biting her tongue at the same time had a bite mark on the outside of her lip her boyfriend had bitten her lip off in the past before completely off and now at the autopsy report they didn’t realize that there was a bite mark on the outside of her lip she couldn’t possibly be biting her a lip and her tongue at the same time she’s being strangled could she doesn’t make any sense to me.

  3. Alisia Myers says:

    29 year’s now still not solved, God please take the wheel and solve this for them since no one cares to do anything else or bother to at least follow up with us the family shouldn’t be our job to do their job to communicate with them they’re the ones that supposed to be reaching out to families that they have not forgotten about my mother or others unsolved!!

    • Alisia Myers says:

      Love my mother and pray this is solved before my time comes , I will see her again and then I will know and they will not be coming to heaven because I’ll kick the door shut the devil is waiting for whoever did this to my beautiful mother she wasn’t just nobody she was somebody so let that sink in.

    • Kat Wallaze says:

      Still holding out hope that the killer will be brought to justice! Although he has to live with it in his head everyday it isn’t enough. Justice for Kathy <3

  4. Alisia Myers says:

    28 years now still unsolved ,but we have a new cold case team in Des Moines Iowa , I hope and pray they open my mom’s case and re review it.

  5. Alisia myers says:

    Well 27 year’s ago still unsolved , sickening to me he is still free Scott Macy needs reinvestigated how bout another lie detector , DNA in her nails and hair and DNA all around her body did you test and study all that and the garbage bag found with her hair and salvia in it also finger tear Mark’s on it also , come on forensic technology solve my mother’s murder 🙏

    • Kathy Wallace says:

      Forensics will solve this. The case needs to keep being warmed up and followed and revisited every single year until that murderer is brought to justice . Prayers ❤️

      • Alisia myers says:

        I only can hope and pray Jesus will take the wheel and help the police catch Scott Macy , tweeker out on the east side because he is a meth head .

  6. alisia.myers12@gmail.com says:

    Please call me if you have any information to who did this , and you will have a big reward if leads to the killer at large and still free !

  7. Kelly Stith says:

    It’s shame that this has gone on this long without any closure for the family, me included. I just hope that one day soon it will be over. Kathy was first married to my brother back in the early ’60’s and I knew her and her family pretty well and she was the mother to my niece and nephew who are both in their mid 50’s, I know that it would be of some comfort to put this case to bed and find justice for Kathy… praying for closure

    • Kathryn L Wallace says:

      I understand . I shutter everyday I walk by the suspect’s house. I even planted a large bush near my windows that face his upstairs bedroom window so I don’t have to see it when I open my drapes. It’s a constant daily reminder. Kathy talked of her relationship with your brother. I knew the story. She really cared about him even though they broke up. The funeral was disturbing when they chased the suspect out of Hamilton’s. Without his late fathers alibi ..I think he would have been charged. Sad .

      • Alisia Myers says:

        He actually worked that whole day with my kids dad’s blood brother he said he acted not right and kept leaving the job site to probably call his mom to help quarterback came through this murder while using a payphone from wherever he was working that day never thought about finding out where they worked to get phone records pulled from the pay phone at the gas station close to where they were working that might be something new they can pull phone records from that far back that day to see if he contacted his mother.

    • alisia.myers12@gmail.com says:

      Thank you Kelly for your support and hope to find the killer that did this to our mom 🙏 God bless you for your kind words .

  8. Julie Hyden-Crawford says:

    One of those boys was her son n his long time best friend! Her son surely wouldn’t of killed his own mother n I know for sure his poor now deceased best friend wouldn’t have neither! Those boys wouldn’t have heard anything if they were asleep downstairs w the door shut n she was upstairs on the couch being strangled while asleep. Because if she wasn’t she would of fought back that’s for damn sure n there would of been defense wounds on both her n Scott! So think about it! I’ve known this family all my life n have witnessed Scott beat her up! So I know what that drunk ass meth head woman beater killer is all about n is capable of doing! I heard there was a witness that seen them the night before fighting in the laundry room n he was trying to drown her in a sink in there. Did anyone follow that up??? Also of course his prints would be in n around her home bc he lived there w her! So that throws off the investigation. So he pretty much committed the perfect murder however everyone knows he did it n is guilty they just need witnesses n evidence! So if anyone has any information they need to come forward not come on here w bullcrap n hating on Alisia!

  9. Alisia Myers says:

    What is your point about the minors , they missed school often , and one of them is dead commitmented suicide he hung his self !

    • Alisia Myers says:

      I watch this every time someone makes a comment , were ready for his ass to be prosecuted for first-degree murder on my mother, Scott Macy is a killer walking the streets smoking meth with his mother every day and he is FREE Still …. Sickening !!!

    • Kathryn L Wallace says:

      No point. I just remember them being home. Remember I lived next door.

    • Kathryn L Wallace says:

      Yes, Alisia. No point. I just remember ! lived next door you know. Yep the boys did stay home sometimes on school days. They were there when I visited.

  10. Julie Crawford says:

    Clearly the boyfriend did this. It doesn’t take a genius to know this! Hello! Domestic Abuse always leads to someone being killed! Plus time of death was around the same time her boyfriend left for work supposedly well doesn’t that give you a clue right there? Plus if he noticed her laying upstairs on the couch when she was sleeping downstairs and she’s got a blanket over her head wouldn’t his first thought be to check on her if he truly cared? NOT throw a pack of cigarettes on her head! Duh! Because he killed her and tried to throw the police off and they once again failed the family! The killer walks free! Not to mention he calls his mom after he calls the cops… why? Because he’s guilty and is freakin out? Why doesn’t the Des Moines Police ever do their job and handle domestic abuse cases like they’re suppose to? Get with it guys! You’ve failed this family, you’ve failed me and my kids and you’ve failed a lot of other women plus their children too. How many more have to die in the hands of their abusers til someone learns how to deal, educate themselves and handle cases with domestic violence?! Seriously?! I just pray everyday for this family that this killer one day gets punished for what he did to this beautiful lady ❤️🙏🏻.

    • Kat Wallace says:

      Murderer walked right past my house yesterday. Glanced over. You want to no how that makes me feel? Take a guess.

      • Patrick Kerrigan says:

        With all the new forensic tools available the police should review their case files and determine what evidence they have and whether anything can be tested.

        However, if the boyfriend did it, his finger prints and DNA evidence would normally be found there since he lived there

        However, it would be nice to know if they verified if these other people were present. Also, do they remember anything from that night or morning.

        But, in some jurisdictions cold cases are not a priority. A recent article spoke about a six year delay in forensic testing in several cold cases, allowed the offender to remain on the street. However, this was a decision by the crime lab. This took place in California.

        • Kathryn L Wallace says:

          Right Patrick. Prints and DNA everywhere from him anyway..The part that I can’t stand is he was across from me then and. 23 year’s later he’s across the way from me again. New questions are coming up about the deal with the two minors downstairs that fateful morning. It was a school day. Mystery!

  11. Kat Wallace says:

    It would be nice of Mr Lester to share the photo he has of Kathy so we can see her face on here.

    • Alisia Myers says:

      Would not mind posting her picture on here except there is no where to post it , and they never put one there back in 1994.

    • Alisia Myers says:

      Thank you for posting the pictures , you must of had to contact them for posting them . Last I knew when I called them they were closing the cold case site for some reason but it is still available so they figured a way to keep this program going , thank god maybe someone will come forward there is still a reward leading to a arrest of her killer .

      • Kat Wallace says:

        Your welcome. I’m very happy they were able to upload Kathy’s Picture. Thank you to those who worked on getting picture’s on here so fast. Appreciated very much. Kathy never liked sleeping downstairs. Most of the time she chose to stay on the sofa. We spent a lot of time together in 1993-94. I on one end of the townhouse her on the other. She came to visit when he would leave, it’s the only time she could get away . According to her , he tried to keep her confined, not wanting her to have friends. She said she didn’t know how to go about getting away from him. No job, no where to go and did fear for her life.

  12. Kathy Wall says:

    Death Anniversary has come and gone. Of course I remember it like yesterday. You were my neighbor and friend. He lives across the way from me now and it’s a constant reminder. Miss you. I decorate your grave each year. So glad they finally added a photo here.

  13. Kathy says:

    Yes you would think. He’s in the neighborhood. Why do you think he did it?

  14. Bud says:

    Love you grandma. See you soon.

  15. Mystery addict says:

    I’m not claiming to have any affiliation at all. Most of the times, I read these stories and I have a gut instinct. I had a strange on this time. I feel that the boyfriend did not do it. I feel like someone else made advances on her and she went to him for protection, but her injuries were severe and she didn’t have the ability or wherewithal to actually summon help.
    Here is the thing about abusers. Abusers run with abusers. Abusers do not understand that they are abusers. The abused do not understand they are abusers. They also like to be in control. So as soon as the top dog is gone…. someone will challenge his place. Either by removing the abused or taking rank over the abused by exerting force (often sexually) physically or verbally. And with thier history noted…. it’s probable that that person would be coward enough to “finish the job” then summon help.

    • Kate says:

      What on earth is that all about? Twisted thought.

    • Alisia Myers says:

      Addict your opinion is way out there , Scott Macy did this and police just don’t have enough evidence to arrest his ass , so for your thought on my mother’s cold case file is not needed , unless u know him and have something to let me regarding this please don’t comment…

      • Alisia Myers says:

        People your comments are not wanted , this is my mother’s cold case do not want to see anyone comment about her on here , once again my number is listed feel free to call with any information..

        • Jody Ewing says:

          Alisia, I do hope you find it in your heart to understand others are only trying to help. Comments are still welcome here regarding your mother’s unsolved murder.

          • Julie says:

            Hi Jody! I get what your saying about others being able to post comments on here “Regarding information pertaining to the Case” however I don’t think they should be allowed to post argumentative comments nor be hating towards the victim’s daughter and family members especially if they didn’t know any of them or anything about the case. It’s a waste of time for you guys in my opinion! Also you pointed out that Alisia used foul language well I only read one explicit word and it wasn’t even spelled out. So what I’m trying to say is if your going to call her out maybe you should the others if they’re not on here to help the case but instead being hateful under a victim’s unsolved homicide cold case. They should be ashamed of themselves! The family is still struggling over this and just wants justice is all!

  16. Diana Wilson says:

    Hard to believe 4 people were in the house that night and no one was arrested!!!!

  17. Sandy R says:

    Alisia..I am so sorry for your loss..and I cannot imagine the pain your famliy has gone through. However, I don’t think it’s necessary to use such foul language towards anyone who comments here. You can certainly get your point across in a better way. I’m not judging you, because as I have said..I have no idea what kind of pain you’ve experienced for years. But I really think you can be heard better without the language you use in your posts. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!

    • Alisia Myers says:

      This my mom’s case please see your way out of this site period!!!!

      • Sandy R says:

        I believe this is an open forum, and I do not have to leave this site. Period!!

        • Alisia Myers says:

          Are you really bored or something you nothing else to do but comment on here , no it’s rude of you get a life lady!!!!

        • Alisia Myers says:

          I will report your posts on my dead mother’s cold case file as of now!

          • Jody Ewing says:

            Alisia, I’m sorry that the comments left here on your mother’s case have angered you. These are individuals who cared enough about your mother’s death to take time to stop what they were doing, read about her case, and comment on her unsolved murder.

            I’ve not seen any comments here that were inappropriate (people will always have opinions as to who was responsible, and even you provided a name as to who you thought was responsible), but please know the investigating agencies do read these comments and some of them could prove quite helpful in solving your mom’s case.

            This may be the page honoring “your” mother’s life and her unsolved death, but that does not mean others are not allowed to post comments. People post comments on stories that affect them because they care. I hope you can somehow see their concern through their words while coping with the anger at having lost someone so near and dear to you.

            For those of us who’ve lost a loved one and the killer has yet to be charged or held accountable, we all stand on those same grounds of anger. Hopefully, though, someone may come along and comment and provide that last missing puzzle piece investigators need to solve your mom’s murder. My heart truly goes out to you.

  18. Theresa says:

    It is really impossible to even speculate without autopsy results or coroner’s report. It is a silly sentence that Macy would say she wasn’t sick and never used drugs, yet her family “believed” she did without some sort of explanation as to why. If she took something because she didn’t feel well, then it would be accidental. However, there is no leading information as to what even went wrong. Depression can cause a person to feel physical pain, and it can be a substantial physical pain leading someone to search for serious medication.

  19. alisia myers says:

    she is my mother and is loved and missed very much by her kids, please solve this case, it is just not fair

  20. Kathy says:

    Was my neighbor and friend, I think he did it!

    • alisia says:

      I think he did it too but the police can’t figure out 21 years later murdered and there’s a killer on the loose, I bet my mom’s file have not even been opened for 21 years sickens me ,Karma – what goes around comes around ,who ever killed her will pay the price of life in he’ll where they belong piece of sh** on the bottom of my shoe you are u will pay one way or another

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