Unknown Baby Boy

On July 22, 2016, in , by Jody Ewing

Unknown Baby Homicide NAME: Unidentified Newborn Baby Boy AGE: 2-3 hours old SCENE OF CRIME: Highway 30 about four miles west of Tama CITY: Tama COUNTY: Tama County DATE: June 11, 1952   “Unknown Baby” found on U.S. 30 in 1952 Tama County in Iowa   Tama in Tama County Gone Cold – Exploring Iowa’s […]

Helping Catch Bad Guys

On June 10, 2016, in Media, News, The Families, by Jody Ewing

 Ron Novak’s unsolved 1983 murder was one  of more than 50 cases featured by the Iowa  Newspaper Association and participating  newspapers across the state. The past, present, and future are inexorably linked, and nowhere has that been more clear than in the last year during our partnership with the Iowa Newspaper Association (INA) and its […]

News Archives 2015

On March 27, 2016, in , by Jody Ewing

Cold Cases in the News — 2015 Archives Current News | 2020 Archives | 2019 Archives | 2018 Archives | 2017 Archives | 2016 Archives | 2015 Archives | 2014 Archives | 2013 Archives | 2012 Archives | 2011 Archives | 2010 Archives | 2009 Archives | 2008 and Earlier Archives GONE COLD: EXPLORING IOWA’S […]

Gone Cold: Exploring Iowa’s Unsolved Murders

On August 23, 2015, in , by Jody Ewing

About Gone Cold   Gone Cold: Exploring Iowa’s Unsolved Murders is a collaborative partnership with the Iowa Newspaper Association and Iowa news organizations to revisit some of the most brutal and mystifying homicides in state history. The weekly series will feature a number of the state’s 438 unsolved murders, with articles published simultaneously across the state in […]

Lisa Vander Esch

On November 19, 2014, in , by Jody Ewing

Lisa Ann Vander Esch Homicide Lisa Ann Vander Esch 19 YOA Ireton, Iowa Sioux County Tuesday, September 14, 1982 Case Summary compiled by Jody Ewing   Her favorite color: red. Favorite car: the Chevy Camaro. Favorite television program: MASH. Lisa Vander Esch, 19, had barely started building her list of life’s favorite things when she […]

Ethan Kazmerzak

On February 18, 2014, in , by Jody Ewing

Ethan Kazmerzak (Courtesy Hampton Police Dept.) Ethan Bert Kazmerzak Former Missing Person Remains found in submerged car Oct. 27, 2020 NAME: Ethan Bert Kazmerzak AGE AT REPORT: 22 DOB: April 12, 1991 WEIGHT: 180 lbs. HEIGHT: 5’05” RACE: White HAIR: Dark Blond EYES: Blue SEX: Male INCIDENT TYPE: Other adult missing MISSING FROM: Hampton, IA […]

Adam Lack

On December 22, 2013, in , by Jody Ewing

Courtesy photo Veronica Lack Adam Michael Lack Adam Michael Lack A Dead Zone Death Adam Michael Lack 33 YOA Residence: Nora Springs, IA Floyd County Death Location: Highway 9 Mitchell County, IA Date of Death: July 13, 2008   Case Summary compiled by Jody Ewing UPDATE October 15, 2016: From the updated report, “NFPI” – […]

Gladys Held

On October 11, 2013, in , by Jody Ewing

Black Hawk County in Iowa   Waterloo in Black Hawk County Gladys Dorothy Held Homicide Gladys Dorothy Held 83 YOA Walnut Court Retirement Home 315 Walnut St., Apt. 321 Waterloo, IA Black Hawk County December 8, 1993   Gladys D. Held, an 83-year-old retired personal secretary, was beaten and strangled at a Waterloo senior citizens […]

Jacob Biretz

On October 11, 2013, in , by Jody Ewing

Black Hawk County in Iowa   Waterloo in Black Hawk County Jacob J. “Jake” Biretz Homicide Jacob “Jake” Biretz 87 YOA 311 Lafayette St., Apt. B Waterloo, IA Black Hawk County December 10, 1993   Jacob “Jake” Biretz, an 87-year-old retired mechanic, was found dead in his apartment at a Waterloo retirement home on Friday, […]

Henry Chavis

On October 6, 2013, in , by Jody Ewing

Henry William Chavis Homicide Henry William Chavis 55 YOA Highway 69 One mile south of Ames, IA Story County (jurisdiction) November 8, 1948     Henry Chavis, 55, lived in a four-bedroom farm house on a 300-acre farm near current-day South Duff Avenue and Airport Road outside Ames, Iowa. He was found dead outside his […]