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
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?
We encourage thoughtful discussion here but ask that comments remain civilized and constructive … i.e. without personal attacks or name-calling. Be respectful of others and remember that victims' family members visit these pages, too. If you'd like to provide us with information regarding a suspect or have other sensitive details to relay, please email us directly. Thank you in advance.
Unidentified White Male
Ernest H. Lilly Sr.
Dennis Clougherty, 23
Douglas A. Nielsen, 17
Triple Homicide
Triple Homicide
Triple Homicide
Wanda J. Morrow, 14
Edward L. Hickson
Francis F. Jordon, Sr.
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?