54 Responses to Missing Persons

1. Brittni Ranae Morris says:

   April 4, 2025 at 11:49 am

   how come when you search grant leonard a site comes up saying hes in custody in des moines?

   Reply
2. MikeD says:

   December 27, 2024 at 4:08 pm

   Looks like Timothy W. Fortney has been found and identified. KCRG in Cedar Rapids has a story on their site about it.

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   • Kim says:

     December 27, 2024 at 7:05 pm

     Link to story on KCRG:
     https://www.kcrg.com/2024/12/27/authorities-use-dna-identify-remains-iowa-man-missing-more-than-5-years/

     Reply
   • Jody Ewing says:

     December 27, 2024 at 11:18 pm

     I read about it in the Des Moines Register. I’m awaiting additional info to see if his death should be added to our homicides section. A very sad ending for this young man.

     Reply
3. Kim says:

   August 12, 2024 at 4:46 pm

   Looks like Jade Colvin’s 2016 missing persons case is now a homicide and there’s been an arrest made in her case:
   https://www.kcrg.com/2024/08/12/georgia-man-charged-connection-2017-iowa-cold-case/

   Reply
4. Kim says:

   April 26, 2024 at 6:14 pm

   Sebastian Husted’s remains have been found in Missouri:
   https://www.kcci.com/article/sebastian-ty-husted-centerville-iowa-teen-found-dead-missouri/60616876

   Reply
5. Kim says:

   April 3, 2024 at 4:48 pm

   This was on KCRG’s news today:
   https://www.kcrg.com/2024/04/03/dna-evidence-identifies-body-found-missouri-1978-missing-iowa-girl/

   Reply
6. Erika Kuriger says:

   October 5, 2023 at 9:35 am

   Paul M. Campbell’s body was recovered from the Mississippi River near Muscatine in 2021:

   https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/remains-of-man-missing-since-2020-identified/

   https://obituaries.clintonherald.com/obituary/paul-campbell-1083243458

   Reply
7. andrea says:

   August 20, 2023 at 11:46 pm

   Rachel Anne Reuter died. https://www.channel3000.com/obituaries/rachel-anne-reuter/article_30a8e221-b28e-56bb-82c3-effe0b13f8ab.html

   Reply
8. Anon says:

   June 20, 2023 at 12:11 pm

   This looks like Sharla Mcahren. There is only one Sharla Mcahren in the state of Iowa according to data aggregators so she appears to be alive and posting on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093400122307&mibextid=ZbWKwL

   Reply
   • Patrick Kerrigan says:

     June 20, 2023 at 7:09 pm

     Anon, I attempted to pull up that Facebook page. It seem to show her as having some connection to Scripos Memorial Hospital. However she seems to list Waterloo. Iowa as her home town.

     I assume this is the one that is posting to her page. However, there is very little detail on her disappearance. I was looking for something that suggested she worked in the medical field, especially with the reference to a hospital in the Dan Diego metro area.

     Do you any further details on her background. I get frustrated that with the limited details on many missing persons cases. In this day and age there should be more details that law enforcement should develop and provide to us who like to help find them.

     Also, I don’t have access to Facebook. I had a page on there many years ago, but stopped off. Too many strangers wanted to be friends, but no enemies.

     Reply
   • Jalysa says:

     August 16, 2023 at 7:39 pm

     I think this is the missing Sharla Mcahren on fb: https://m.facebook.com/sharla.mcahren.7/

     Reply
9. Abby says:

   March 22, 2022 at 9:21 pm

   https://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/politics_and_administration/city/update-missing-ames-teenager-found/article_cb11a336-10b5-11e6-8162-e38162c8c1d3.html

   It appears Jade Colvin was found back in 2016. Needs updated!

   Reply
   • Jody Ewing says:

     March 26, 2022 at 12:37 am

     Abby, that story was updated May 4, 2016 (two days after Jade Colvin went missing). She went missing again June 10, 2016, as reported by the Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse and NamUs.

     Reply
     • Patrick Kerrigan says:

       March 26, 2022 at 1:11 pm

       Jody, that was nice of her to runaway again. Maybe the authorities should have handed her a statement of the costs of searching for her. Plus, a booklet listing all the runaways who were murdered. Plus the unidentified bodies around the country.

       But, then she has more important stuff to do. But not at home.

       Reply
       • Anon says:

         May 2, 2024 at 4:15 pm

         Disrespectful. You don’t know what her circumstances were. And if something nefarious happened to her, she didn’t deserve it.

         Reply
       • smpecinovsky says:

         May 2, 2024 at 4:22 pm

         What a disrespectful comment. If something nefarious happened to her, its still NOT HER FAULT.

         Reply
10. Dakota willson says:

    March 7, 2022 at 1:17 am

    I’d start by looking for the description of these cars at junk yards.. they have some old cars piled up from years ago..

    Reply
11. andrea says:

    September 9, 2021 at 8:16 pm

    It appears that Chantal Steeg has been active on facebook since the missing persons report was made. https://www.facebook.com/chantal.steeg.7

    Reply
    • Patrick Kerrigan says:

      March 12, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      An online directory shows her supposedly living in South Sioux City. Nebraska.

      Reply
      • Jody Ewing says:

        March 26, 2022 at 1:04 am

        The Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse (MPIC) is usually the first to delete a report once the individual has been located. As of today, they still show Chantal Steeg as missing.

        For the longest time, Facebook also showed Cari Farver as alive and posting. We now know Shanna Golyar impersonated Cari on Facebook after she killed her. The posts on Chantal’s page (primarily new profile pictures, one after the other, with an occasional link to an offsite article) strike a familiar chord.

        As long as MPIC lists Chantal Steeg as still missing (and physically endangered at that), she remains on our Missing Persons page.

        Reply
12. Theresa says:

    August 23, 2021 at 12:19 am

    When I see a child missing with no pictures, no information as to details where they went missing. Just their name, location date they went missing i don’t understand why there is no picture, no information. How do they expect the public to help. Very disturbing to say the least.

    Reply
    • Jody Ewing says:

      August 27, 2021 at 8:53 pm

      Theresa, I’ve often asked myself that same question, but the info put out on many missing persons cases can be quite limited. For example, right now, there are 331 individuals listed as missing on the IDPS’s Missing Person Information Clearinghouse site. Of the 331 missing, 65 have a photo.

      My understanding is that the investigating agency will provide a photo to MPIC “if” the one filing the missing person report provides a picture of the individual to LE officials at the time they file the MP report.

      Missing persons photos may be emailed to mpicinfo@dps.state.ia.us, but the photo or photos will have to be verified by the appropriate jurisdiction.

      Reply
13. anon says:

    June 3, 2021 at 12:05 am

    A lot of people who were listed as missing on this page have been taken down. What happened to the kid with the surname Nissen?

    Reply
    • Jody Ewing says:

      June 6, 2021 at 3:54 am

      Anon, Brian Nissen’s case was removed from both the IDPS’s Missing Person Information Clearinghouse site, and his case also removed from NamUs, which means for whatever reason, they no longer consider him missing. I cull through our Missing page frequently, and when I see they’ve been removed from the other two sites (some don’t even make it to NamUs), then I remove them from ICC’s “Missing” page. A lot of our missing people don’t have personal case summary pages because there’s so little info about them online. The MPIC staff with the state are adding and deleting names from their database every day.

      Reply
14. MarionFuela says:

    August 28, 2020 at 1:40 pm

    htttp://gye6645.toshibanetcam.com

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15. Eddie Hickman says:

    April 2, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    I contacted the police about someone that I believe to be missing and they only called the person. I believe she is being held against her will and the people holding her has her phone what should I do now

    Reply
    • Barb says:

      April 14, 2020 at 9:56 pm

      Call in a welfare check- I believe the usual is for them to physically check on the person. Wouldn’t hurt.

      Reply
16. anon says:

    October 21, 2019 at 5:45 pm

    Scenny Tate and Omon Watson have long-standing fostercare cases. There has been a lot of activity in both cases since they were reported missing. Looks like Scenny Tate’s mom is Scenny Pleas and dad’s name is Tyrone Tate and that Omon Watson’s mom is Scenny Pleas and Cyris Watson is Omon Watson’s dad. In May of 2018, both Scenny Tate and Omon Watson were “PLACED IN TEMPORARY CARE & CUSTODY OF TAKIYRAH DYE PENDING FURTHER ORDER OF THE COURT.”

    Reply
17. Nicole Nestvedt says:

    July 20, 2018 at 11:48 am

    Why were so many without picture’s? The public needs to know what they look like in order to be found. I never knew there were so many people in Iowa that are missing. I pray that they are all ok and safe.

    Reply
18. anon says:

    February 11, 2018 at 8:22 am

    The state (and the police) gave you incorrect information about Jesse Giovanni Nimaja Pol. His name isn’t “Nimajapol” it is “Nimaja Pol.” Also, there are some internet postings from someone named “Adexe Nauzet Giovanni Nimaja Pol” from Denison, Iowa. Was his real name Jesse?

    Reply
19. anon says:

    July 10, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    This appears to be Tyler hackett’s facebook profile

    Reply
20. Kathleen says:

    May 18, 2017 at 12:19 am

    I wonder why some names are not highlighted? Can’t read anything on them.

    Reply
    • Jody Ewing says:

      May 18, 2017 at 3:45 am

      Kathleen, the names that are highlighted have individual pages on the Iowa Cold Cases website. At the top of the page, it tells readers to simply click on the black and white image for the other names, which takes one to the missing persons page on the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Missing Person Clearinghouse page. These are still cases where we have very little information, so until we gather that info, we link directly to the MPIC site. I apologize for the confusion.

      Reply
21. Daphne says:

    October 5, 2016 at 5:35 am

    I hope ALL of these people get found!

    Reply
22. Cake says:

    September 24, 2016 at 8:24 am

    Sadly If Were Goin Back To 1900-2001 Those Missing People Are No Longer With Us Anymore. Some Has Murdered Them :/ May God Rest Your Souls

    Reply
23. anonymous says:

    August 23, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    https://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-Reese/100008614277271 This appears to be Steven Reese’s facebook page.

    Reply
24. anonymous says:

    August 12, 2016 at 3:51 pm

    The Iowa Courts Online website says that Phillip Bizzell’s full name is Phillip Terry Bizzell, with a DOB of 08/29/1960. Various online records show him as having an address, or having had an address, in the state of Oregon.

    Reply
25. Sierra Lynn says:

    July 20, 2016 at 3:18 pm

    If all of these missing people were some how connected the person responsible would be 62 years old. If you closely look at the year or location in which the person went missing the years aren’t too far apart, some being very close together. That also includes locations though. Most of these locations are only a couple hours apart but are still in a general area. The ones that seem to be more than two hours apart from each other tend to go missing a couple months apart. I think there’s a pattern involved but I also think it was the same person responsible for all of these people. It’s possible except for the case of 1930. Also if most of these cases involved a person being seen in a car, and then never again it’s also quite possible the person is still out there.

    Reply
26. anonymous says:

    June 28, 2016 at 2:10 pm

    It appears that Lexus Wright may not be missing. Have a look at this link: https://resumes.indeed.com/resume/1198d29cc80cc66a?rsrdr=1

    She appears to have a resume online here, which was updated in May 2016 (if this is the same person, from Des Moines, Iowa).

    I emailed the mpicinfo@dps.state.ia.us contact info about this two weeks ago, and didn’t hear back. Nothing.

    Reply
    • Jody Ewing says:

      June 28, 2016 at 9:49 pm

      Anonymous, thanks for the info on Lexus Wright. It does appear to be the same person, but until law enforcement officials notify the MPIC and ask that she be removed, I’ll probably keep her listed. There are several others listed here that actually Facebook accounts, but there’s no solid proof that the person posting is the actual owner of the account. (i.e. No selfies, etc.) Hopefully the MPIC will look into this. Thanks for passing along the info!

      Reply
27. andrea says:

    April 7, 2016 at 10:43 am

    Under what circumstances did Crystal Steward go missing?

    Reply
28. gcdrae says:

    April 24, 2015 at 8:56 pm

    My prayers goes out to all the families, friends and to those who are missing. I can’t imagine what or how you feel. The best I can do is to pray that all who are missing be found and for those who are left with that empty place in yours hearts be healed. God bless.

    Reply
29. andrea says:

    February 10, 2015 at 4:05 am

    It looks like Jennifer Tweedt is no longer missing:

    Reply
    • Jody Ewing says:

      February 10, 2015 at 8:54 pm

      Andrea, it may (or may not) be the same Jennifer Tweedt, but we still show her name on our Missing Persons page b/c she’s still listed as missing on the Iowa Dept. of Public Safety’s MPIC site. http://www.iowaonline.state.ia.us/mpic/Controller.aspx?cmd=personDetailCommand&id=27500
      Says she was reported missing to the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office in Osage on Feb. 3, 2012. The Jennifer T. on FB is in Waterloo (just a few counties away), but either she or the reporting person needs to contact the Mitchell County sheriff (641-732-4740) to verify she’s been safely located.

      Thank you for the heads up! Just last night I removed Alfredo Rodriguez from the MP page, though haven’t yet switched his status over to an unsolved homicide b/c officials haven’t yet publicly released a cause or manner of death.

      Reply
30. Jenni says:

    October 26, 2014 at 3:51 pm

    I wonder how many of these cases could be solved if there were systematic efforts to search bodies of water with the new Side Scan Sonar systems.

    Quite a few of these cases involve an individual who was last seen leaving in a vehicle, and neither the individual or vehicle were ever seen again.

    Reply
    • Patrick Kerrigan says:

      August 30, 2020 at 9:39 pm

      Jenni, I agree with your comment. However, it costs money to do these searches. Also, there are two couples who have small boats that can do this.

      As a former submarine sailor, I am familiar with other tools the military has used to find submarines, that might more useful, and possibly quicker.

      I have been keeping track of stories of where vehicles have been found containing the remains of people missing. In one case law enforcement divers recovered two vehicles missing for almost 40 years on a dive to try out some new equipment.

      Reply
    • Patrick Kerrigan says:

      September 13, 2022 at 6:46 pm

      Jenni, I assume you have heard of the dive group Adventures with Purpose. They have cleared about 24 missing persons cases. They seem in a one case to have done what law enforcement failed to do.

      There was a recent case from the Philadelphia area, of a man, who disappeared a number of years ago. He worked the midnight shift for UPS, and was a diabetic.

      He over slept and was running late to pick up the kids from the babysitter, and disappeared. I came across his case about 40 or five months ago. I looked at my AAA Road Atlas, and figured he ended up in a specific body of water.

      Well, that’s where they found him and his pickup truck. It was interesting that there had been some improvements made to a pier of whatever. So, the divers found a pylon that was driven through the engine compartment of the truck. If the contractors had done a underwater survey, they would have found the truck a few years ago,

      Reply
      • Kandice Hildreth says:

        January 9, 2023 at 2:32 am

        Patrick yes AWP actually found Ethan Kazmerak who was missing from Hampton Iowa, but if you watch them I assume you know already wish more people would do what they do

        Reply
31. Kim says:

    October 21, 2014 at 12:21 am

    The case of missing Marion resident, James Booher, is now being treated as a homicide, despite not finding his body yet. Links to CR Gazette articles about the case:

    https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/missing-man-investigation-leads-police-to-possible-meth-lab-20140624

    https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/memorial-service-scheduled-for-missing-marion-man-20141017

    Reply
    • Kim says:

      October 21, 2014 at 7:51 pm

      Forgot to link to the original article about Booher’s disappearance:
      https://www.thegazette.com/police-say-marion-mans-disappearance-is-suspicious-20140613

      Reply
      • Jody Ewing says:

        October 22, 2014 at 3:59 am

        Kim, thanks so much for the update on James Booher. I’ve now got a page added for him with all the updated info at: https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/james-booher/

        Since his body has not yet been found, I kept him listed here on the MP page but also added him to the Homicides page for the 2000-present cases. I sure hope his family is able to find answers soon.

        Thanks again!

        Reply
32. mary says:

    April 30, 2014 at 10:17 pm

    Pray for the lost souls out there to many people gone what is this country coming to

    Reply
33. Tammy Lynn Clark says:

    February 21, 2014 at 7:24 am

    Wow. So many ppl. I pray for them all.

    Reply