Michael J. Booth (Courtesy Des Moines Register)
On Saturday, April 26, 1997, an apartment building maintenance man discovered the deceased body of Michael Jerome Booth, 45, in apartment #21 at 510 15th Street.
Booth, who’d joined the U.S. Army in September 1969 and spent time in Germany and Hawaii before being honorably discharged in 1976, hadn’t been seen since April 20.
According to the Polk County medical examiner, cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
After his tour of duty, Booth returned to Carroll where he opened a restaurant, Michael’s Casino Café, and later went on to graduate from Des Moines Area Community College and Drake University.
Des Moines in Polk CountyBooth’s sister, Mary Bernholtz, contacted Iowa Cold Cases in February and March 2011 about her brother’s unsolved murder. Like many other soldiers during that era, drugs helped with endurance and emotional stress while away from home, and as drug use became more widespread, some became addicted, including her brother.
Booth’s parents and Mary, a Des Moines Mercy Hospital nurse, made repeated attempts to help Booth overcome his addiction, but said it was a constant struggle for him and that he’d eventually become involved in drug trafficking.
Des Moines Police Sgt. Bruce Elrod told Des Moines Register reporter Tom Alex, “You can rest assured that regardless of Mr. Booth’s habits or lifestyle, he did not deserve to meet his end in such a fashion as this.
Both had successfully been holding down a job at the Des Moines Embassy Suites hotel when slain in his Des Moines apartment.
Des Moines Police Lt. Camden Moran confirmed with Iowa Cold Cases on July 10, 2009, that Booth’s murder remained unsolved.
Michael J. Booth was born to Jerome and Angeline (Lengel) Booth in Carroll, Iowa, on August 14, 1951. He graduated from Carroll High School in 1969, and four months later joined the military.
He never married and had no children.
After his tour of duty, Booth returned to Carroll where he opened a restaurant, Michael’s Casino Café, and later went on to graduate from Des Moines Area Community College and Drake University.
Memorial services were held at Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll on Thursday, May 1, 1997, with military rites performed by Maurice Dunn American Legion Post No. 7.
Burial was in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Michael’s survivors included his brother Melvin and sister Mary, along with several nieces and nephews. His parents preceded him in death.
The United States Social Security Death Index lists Michael Booth’s date of death as April 26, 1997 — the same day police were called to investigate and discovered Booth’s body at the 15th Street apartment.
If you have any information about Michael Booth’s unsolved murder please contact the Des Moines Police Department Detective Bureau at 515-283-4864.
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