The Cases – Homicides (1970 – 1979)
BY ERA: Up through 1899 | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000 – present | Missing Persons
The cases below include unsolved Iowa homicides from 1970 – 1979, and are listed in chronological order. If you know of a case not listed here or have information you’d like included with an existing page, please contact us with relevant details and we’ll respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.
Click on any image or link to view a victim’s case summary page and to access additional information and/or feature stories related to that case.
Charles Gearhart
89 YOA
422 First St. SW
Cedar Rapids, IA
Linn County
May 13, 1970
Paula Oberbroeckling
18 YOA
116 10th St. N.W.
Cedar Rapids, IA
Linn County
July 11, 1970
Mary Bernice Lange
37 YOA
Burlington, IA
Des Moines County
Case # 70-01291
December 17, 1970
Judith Haecker
18 YOA
202 E. 15th St.
Davenport, IA
Case # 1971-10031
March 6, 1971
Kenneth M. Bouzard
53 YOA
Dubuque, IA
Dubuque County
Case # 71-00481
April 23, 1971
Valerie Peterson
8 YOA
Hit and Run
Manson, IA
Calhoun County
May 6, 1971
Valerie Klossowsky
14 YOA
Waverly, IA
Bremer County
Case # 71-00549
June 13, 1971
Ross R. McConnell
47 YOA
1604 Tichenor St.
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1971-29236
June 26, 1971
Karen Streed
21 YOA
Amana, IA
Iowa County
Case # 71-00703
October 18, 1971
Unidentified White Male
33-53 YOA
Correctionville, IA
Woodbury County
Found: Aug. 30, 1988
Died: 1971-73
Edwin H. Jacobs
55 YOA
Ike’s Peak
Clinton, IA
Clinton County
January 2, 1972
Shawna M. Johnson
2 years old
1336 18th Street
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
January 4, 1972
Tammy R. Nitcher
2-1/2 months old
Rt. 1
Waverly, IA
Bremer County
January 7, 1972
Edward A. Schmidt
85 YOA
506 High Avenue East
Oskaloosa, IA
Mahaska County
January 13, 1972
Don Jeys Sr.
64 YOA
700 Blk West 5th St.
Davenport, IA
Scott County
February 18, 1972
Tommy Morris
1800 blk Des Moines St.
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
Case # 1972-15347
March 9, 1972
Sarah M. Nitcher
2 years old
Rt. 1
Waverly, IA
Bremer County
March 15, 1972
Lynn Schuller
25 YOA
3100 30th St. Dr. SE
Cedar Rapids
Linn County
August 6, 1972
Carl A. Brunen
81 YOA
Ryan, IA
Delaware County
Case # 72-00427
November 8, 1972
Roy Madison
69 YOA
223 Raccoon St.
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1972-87405
December 18, 1972
David Morris, 68
Morris Foods
2550 Maury Street
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1973-12106
February 22, 1973
Sarah Ann Ottens
20 YOA
Univ. of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Case # 73-00179
March 13, 1973
Maria Ybanez
16 YOA
Davenport, IA
New Liberty, IA
Scott County
June 13, 1973
Janet LaFratte
35 YOA
Norwalk, IA
Warren County
Case # 73-00272
June 20, 1973
Judith Pleas
17 YOA
Council Bluffs, IA
Pottawattamie County
Case # MP-73-226
August 10, 1973
Ernest H. Lilly Sr.
50 YOA
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1973-46114
Crime: Sept. 11, 1973
Died: Dec. 19, 1973
Helen Mae Bown
61 YOA
Found in Iowa River
Tama County
Found Oct. 31, 1973
DOD: October 2, 1973
Alexander Sauceda
23 YOA
Duck Creek Plaza
Bettendorf, IA
Scott County
October 11, 1973
Mary K. Senne
21 YOA
4119 E. University
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1973-51704
October 22, 1973
Doris Elaine Konecne
38 YOA
Ken-Lee Apartments
North Cherry St.
Creston, IA
October 27, 1973
Louis Dale Reed, Sr.
53 YOA
2800 Liberty Ave.
Clinton, IA
Clinton County
February 14, 1974
Timothy Friedel
25 YOA
Wooded Area NW
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
June 6, 1974
Dennis Clougherty, 23
U.S. Highway 20
Cedar Falls, IA
Black Hawk County
Case # 74-00418
August 12, 1974
Douglas A. Nielsen, 17
1409 Elmhurst Ave.
Humboldt, IA
Humboldt County
Case # 74-00512
October 18, 1974
Ewald E. Bandixen
70 YOA
Folletts, IA
Clinton County
Case # 74-00523
October 28, 1974
Floyd W. Alborn
76 YOA
Panora, IA
Guthrie County
Case # 74-00550
November 8, 1974
Cecil DuBois
73 YOA
1322 23rd St.
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1974-42891
November 15, 1974
Melvin Price
26 YOA
Iowa Highway 42
Riverton, IA
Fremont County
November 17, 1974
Triple Homicide
Jesse Hanni, 26
117 Morningside Ave.
Sioux City, IA
Woodbury County
December 2, 1974
Triple Homicide
Billy Isom II, 27
117 Morningside Ave.
Sioux City, IA
Woodbury County
December 2, 1974
Triple Homicide
Freta Bostic Isom, 24
117 Morningside Ave.
Sioux City, IA
Woodbury County
December 2, 1974
John Rude
51 YOA
2500 Blk of Madison
Davenport, IA
Scott County
December 11, 1974
Judith Reed
38 YOA
Charlotte, IA
Clinton County
December 27, 1974
Jackie Shireman
21 YOA
Marino’s Meal on a Bun
Dubuque, IA
Dubuque County
January 4, 1975
Gregory N. Dickey
23 YOA
Interstate 80
Altoona, IA
Case # 75-00248
February 18, 1975
Terry Vanden Hull
20 YOA
2 1/2 miles SE
Maxwell, IA
Story County
February 24, 1975
Hulda Emma Fischer
84 YOA
Maquoketa, IA
Jackson County
Case # 75-00175
February 25, 1975
Unidentified Black Female
12 – 23 YOA
10 weeks pregnant
Mississippi River
Clinton County
April 11, 1975
Diane M. Schofield
21 YOA
2000 Blk. Porter
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1975-24048
July 4, 1975
Geralyn Jean Kean
17 YOA
446 SE Hart
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1975-26584
July 29, 1975
Billy Lee Clark
43 YOA
Martin Bergland farm
Ottumwa, IA
Wapello County
August 1, 1975
Charles Hines
46 YOA
11 S. Delaware Ave.
Mason City, IA
Cerro Gordo County
August 2, 1975
James Bailey, Jr.
32 YOA
Colfax, IA
Jasper County
Case # 75-00503
August 14, 1975
Double Homicide
Karen Christensen
27 YOA
Coralville, IA
Johnson County
August 26, 1975
Double Homicide
Larry Wells
25 YOA
Coralville, IA
Johnson County
August 26, 1975
Tommy McConkey
38 YOA
2929 E. University
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1975-30748
August 27, 1975
Neal R. Townsend, 29
Lifelong Anamosa resident
Killed in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho
September 2, 1975
Julie Benning
18 YOA
Waverly, IA
Bremer County
Case # 76-00382
November 28, 1975
Michael Edward Carr
19 YOA
Highway 9
Estherville, IA
Emmet County
December 26, 1975
Alice Van Alstine
28 YOA
Assumed Deceased
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
March 26, 1976
Mary Ann Scovel
18 YOA
661 17th St.
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
April 14, 1976
Steven F. Barrette
20 YOA
Mississippi River
Clinton, IA
Clinton County
June 6, 1976
Wanda J. Morrow, 14
Cedar Rapids resident Found dead in Pima County, Arizona (AZ jurisdiction)
September 6, 1976
Marie “Lisa” Peak
19 YOA
One quarter mile north of Waverly, IA
Bremer County
September 7, 1976
Emma S. Lewis
80 YOA
Waukee, IA
Dallas County
Case # 76-00804
September 13, 1976
Double Homicide
Debbie Laubenthal
18 YOA
Roadway B-19 ditch
Palo Alto County
October 23, 1976
Double Homicide
Raymond Henkins
30 YOA
Roadway B-19 ditch
Palo Alto County
October 23, 1976
John Robert Hill
51 YOA
Ottumwa, IA
Wapello County
Case # 76-00925
November 22, 1976
James C. Huff, Jr.
26 YOA
Vinton, IA
Benton County
Case # 77-00102
January 1, 1977
Kathleen Holliday
37 YOA
From Grimes, IA
Saylorville Reservoir
Polk County
March 12, 1977
Elgin Hobert Strait
80 YOA
Mason City, IA
Cerro Gordo County
Case # 77-00254
March 18, 1977
Charles Plucar
74 YOA
Luzerne, IA
Benton County
Case # 77-00373
June 22, 1977
Dennis Stastny
30 YOA
222 10th St. NW
Cedar Rapids, IA
Linn County
August 9, 1977
Frank Goff
36 YOA
612 SE Jackson
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1977-35047
September 23, 1977
Lisa Elaine Miller
15 YOA
Sullivan Slough
Burlington, IA
Des Moines County
October 8, 1977
Double Homicide
John Franklin, Sr.
35 YOA
Eddyville, IA
Wapello County
January 3, 1978
Double Homicide
Michelle Franklin
22 YOA
Eddyville, IA
Wapello County
January 3, 1978
Edward L. Hickson
32 YOA
1500 Blk of S. 6th St.
Council Bluffs, IA
Case # B78-1173
February 15, 1978
Frankie Lee Capps
24 YOA
2903 W. 68th St.
Davenport, IA
Scott County
March 13, 1978
Steven Gardner
27 YOA
1037 23rd
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1978-11923
April 8, 1978
John Albert Rose
35 YOA
Vinton, IA
Benton County
Case # 78-02418
April 21, 1978
James A. Harsch
31 YOA
Burlington, IA
Des Moines County
Case # 78-03075
May 6, 1978
Anna T. Miller
57 YOA
3531 54th St.
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1978-25150
July 8, 1978
Francis F. Jordon, Sr.
42 YOA
Cliffland Park river bank near Ottumwa
Wapello County, IA
July 12, 1978
Clara Schiele
90 YOA
1416 Main St.
Davenport, IA
Scott County
August 3, 1978
Camille Njus
20 YOA
Polk County
Case # 78-06827
Approx. Date of Death:
August 4, 1978
Glenn W. Turner
59 YOA
2222 Hubbell Ave.
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1978-29909
August 9, 1978
Roger Joynt
26 YOA
Mason City, IA
Cerro Gordo County
Case # 78-06397
September 29, 1978
Wilma June Nissen
23 YOA
Highway 182
Lyon County, Iowa
Case # 78-06487
October 4, 1978
John “Johnie” E. Clinton
68 YOA
1525 Walker Street
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1978-41681
October 19, 1978
Martha Kistenmacher
74 YOA
1308-1/2 Main St.
Davenport, IA
Scott County
November 4, 1978
Gene W. Williamson
23 YOA
1311 21st Street
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1979-5278
February 9, 1979
Keara Coshow
3 YOA
Hilltop Motel
Red Oak, IA
Montgomery County
July 12, 1979
Roger Warren
12 YOA
Mississippi River
Davenport, IA
Scott County
August 19, 1979
William Thomas
70 YOA
1213 Jefferson
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1979-35742
September 9, 1979
Double Homicide
Gary Lee Harker
30 YOA
Davenport, IA
Scott County
December 25, 1979
Double Homicide
Cody James
30 YOA
Davenport, IA
Scott County
December 25, 1979
BY ERA: Up through 1899 | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000 – present | Missing Persons
Copyright © 2024 Iowa Cold Cases, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Is there any new news regarding Willie Mae Rucker disapears?
Looking for information about Carol Donnelly, killed in Des Moines late 1979, body discovered early 1980. This case once appeared on your site. Has it been solved?
What about Mary Lou Cooper August 8th 1978? Obviously a cold case. I gave the Polk county sheriff’s office my DNA to rule out my father who was a suspect over 2 years ago and no results yet and the case is not listed. Her and her children deserve justice.
In doing family genealogy, I looked up information about the murder and death of Ed Schmidt, an Oskaloosa attorney, Feb. 13, 1972. I posted comments to my cousin in Des Moines, who is also an attorney, on Facebook and a couple other people responded (who had lived in Oskaloosa at the time the murder occured.) The question was raised whether DNA had been done on the evidence since then? Or, has the evidence been kept?