Long ago in Iowa, a man walked through shadowy woods and stopped.
Was he going somewhere or was he coming back? Was something unspeakable about to happen to him? Or was he contemplating a horrific act?
Was he searching for the person who committed a crime, seeking a reason why? Or was he helping to cover up that deed?
Through Iowa history, a dark path of evil has wound through woods, along rivers and streams, across farm fields, near barns, beside highways and railroads, into small settlements, and up to the doors of homes.
Along that path were murdered victims — most identified, some anonymous. Victims for whom there was no justice, no resolution or answers. And whose killers had motives with a deadening and deadly sameness.
This is an educational and historical site filled with accounts of those victims and their murderers.
If you’re looking for pages cluttered with links to breaking news and sensational current events or forced and maudlin sentimentality or a scatter-shot approach to the simple crime of homicide, you won’t find any of that here — no flash, dazzle, or glitz.
There are no ads here, and you won’t be asked for a donation. We receive no salaries.
What you will discover on this not-for-profit site is uncomplicated: just the dark facts of vintage unsolved Iowa murders.
Our philosophy is simple: we refuse to profit financially from articles or books about the unsolved murders of our fellow human beings.
This is the only true and authorized site for the articles posted here.
Check back soon for more cases researched and written exclusively by Nancy Bowers and/or David Jindrich, who painstakingly tracked down each newspaper clipping, case file, and photograph so that every victim can be brought out of the shadowy woods and remembered in the light.