The cases below include unsolved Iowa homicides from 1980 – 1989, 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.
Jane Doe
19-25 YOA
River Area SE
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1980-20704
May 26, 1980
Helen Morrow
55 YOA
Eldon, IA
Wapello County
August 12, 1980
Donald Hebert
43 YOA
3115 SW McKinley
Des Moines, IA
Case # 1980-38313
September 8, 1980
1981 a man with 1972 impala tried to kill me me he had black hair with a pitted face and also drove a small white car he was never caught ,he beat me with a metal baseball bat and was a public official he often drove 19th street and 1st ave . He ran me over when I dug my fingers in his eyes ,I will never forget his face
Barbara, I’m so sorry for the loss of your best friend. Penny was killed Nov. 30, 1984. In May 1997, Ronald Merrill Gruber pled guilty to second degree murder in her death. DCI Special Agent Mike Motsinger verified this on Feb. 4, 2014.
What happened to Ron’s mom Marie Shipman? I used to work with her in Jesup IA and be close with her during some of this ordeal then she moved down south after surgery we never heard from her again.
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Double Homicide
Kimberly “Kim” Loose
UnIDd White Male
I HEARD THAT MY UNCLE MAY HAVE BEEN A SUSPECT IN KENNY JOE JOHNSON CASE. IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME.
Hey Keith, would you be able to give anymore details? I am interested in this case. Thanks.
HI JOY. MY NUMBER IS 563-451-4806. IF I DONT ANSWER PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE. THANK YOU
1981 a man with 1972 impala tried to kill me me he had black hair with a pitted face and also drove a small white car he was never caught ,he beat me with a metal baseball bat and was a public official he often drove 19th street and 1st ave . He ran me over when I dug my fingers in his eyes ,I will never forget his face
For Brian Schappert-I didn’t find a write up about him. Sept. 8, 1989. I do appreciate all
of the work you do for doing this. Thank you!
Laura, the write-up about Brian Schappert is located here: https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/brian-schappert/
What about Danny Germain? Muscatine county.
was Penny Sternquist murder ever solved? this happen in Boone Iowa 1984 or 1983
she was my best friend
Barbara, I’m so sorry for the loss of your best friend. Penny was killed Nov. 30, 1984. In May 1997, Ronald Merrill Gruber pled guilty to second degree murder in her death. DCI Special Agent Mike Motsinger verified this on Feb. 4, 2014.
What happened to Ron’s mom Marie Shipman? I used to work with her in Jesup IA and be close with her during some of this ordeal then she moved down south after surgery we never heard from her again.