Fayette County in Iowa

Cold Cases in Fayette County, Iowa

*Please Note: The cases listed below are within Fayette County but may fall under a city police department’s jurisdiction. They are included here for cross-reference purposes. More specific information may be found on each victim’s individual page.

Ashley Downing

Homicide
Ashley Downing
77 YOA
Westgate, IA
Fayette County
January 4, 1933

Ashley Downing, a 77-year-old Iowa farmer, was killed by a shotgun blast to the head in his rural Westgate home in Fayette County, Iowa, on January 4, 1933, in what officials called a robbery/homicide.

Nels Louvring

Homicide
Nels Pedersen Louvring
51 YOA
315 Water Street
Fayette, IA
Fayette County
July 29, 1933

Sometime between 11 and 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 29, 1933, Nels Pedersen Louvring, 51, was shot at his Fayette, Iowa home shortly after arriving home from work. Louvring, owner of Dixie Oil Co. (aka Nels Louvring Filling Station), left the filling station at approximately 11 p.m. He parked his car in the family’s 315 Water Street garage, and was shot just as he was leaving the garage.

Layne Schneider

Homicide
Layne Edward Schneider
22 YOA
Echo Road and 180th Street
Elgin, Iowa
Fayette County
January 22, 2013

Layne Edward Schneider, 22, of Elgin, Iowa, was found burning in another individual’s pickup about one and one-half miles from his home early morning Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013. Officials determined he was already dead before the pickup was driven or pushed down into the ditch and up against a tree.

Kaiden Estling

Hit-and-Run Homicide
Kaiden Estling — Solved
14 YOA
Highway 150 near 118th St.
From: Maynard, Iowa
Killed Near: Fayette, Iowa
Fayette County
June 28, 2018

Kaiden Douglas Estling, 14, of Maynard, Iowa, was killed by a hit-and-run driver Thursday, June 28, 2018, while riding his blue moped on Highway 150 just south of Fayette. The teen was found in the west ditch, but died despite lifesaving efforts. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the moped crash on Highway 150 near 118th Street, about two miles south of Fayette, around 10:00 p.m., June 28. Fayette County sheriff’s deputies said the driver who struck Kaiden’s moped didn’t stop, notify officials of the crash or attempt to help him.

UPDATE: The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged Kelli Jo Michael, 26, of Des Moines on Friday, June 26, 2020, in connection with Estling’s death.