Category Archives: Unsolved Iowa Murder

Death at the Box Company: Murder of Earl Paris 1928

Murder Victim Earl Paris 32-year-old Night Watchman 1896-1928 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Iowa Fiber Box Company Commercial Alley Keokuk, Iowa Lee County February 18, 1928 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written December 2011 When day … Continue reading

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Black Hand Vendetta? Murder of Phoebe Jane Vigoletti 1926

Murder Victim Phoebe Jane Vigoletti 46-year-old Homemaker 1880-1926 Cause of Death: Strangled Motive: Black Hand Vendetta Murder Scene and Date Third Avenue NW Oelwein, Iowa Fayette County March 14, 1926 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written May 2011 On Monday, March … Continue reading

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Charred Remains: Murder of Jane Otis 1921

Murder Victim Jane Otis 76-year-old “Spinster” Homemaker 1845-1921 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned and Set On Fire Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Otis Home Gravity, Iowa Taylor County January 4, 1921 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written December 2010 At 4:00 … Continue reading

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“Hacked to Pieces”: Murder of John McGill 1920

Murder Victim John McGill 28-year-old Laborer Motorcar Garage 1891-1920 Cause of Death: Stabbed Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date “Behind a Businessman’s Home” Sioux City, Iowa Woodbury County September 1920 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written July 2011 Despite its brutality, … Continue reading

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Lonely Hearts Scam and the Veteran: The Murder of Michael Featherstone 1924

Murder Victim Michael Featherstone Old Soldiers Home Resident 83-year-old Civil War Veteran 1841-1924 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date 4 Miles North Marshalltown, Iowa Marshall County November 7, 1924 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written May 2011 … Continue reading

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“A Bitter Taste”: Murders of Alta Paul and Maria Dulin 1896

Murder Victims Alta Alice Fisher Paul 25-year-old Homemaker Bride of Six Months 1871-1896 Cause of Death: Poison Motive: Love Triangle Maria Anne Woodard Fisher Dulin 80-year-old Homemaker Midwife 1815-1896 Cause of Death: Poison Motive: Obtaining an Inheritance Murder Scene and … Continue reading

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The Wrong Brother? Murder of William VandeBrake 1920

Murder Victim William E. VandeBrake 30-year-old Drugstore Owner 1890-1920 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Romantic Obsession Murder Scene and Date Corner Drugstore 302 Main Street Rock Valley, Iowa Sioux County October 19, 1920 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written August 2011 … Continue reading

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At Closing Time: Murder of Officer George W. Mattern 1918

Murder Victim George W. Mattern 22-year-old Police Officer Des Moines, Iowa, Police Department Killed in the Line of Duty 1890-1918 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Avoiding Arrest Murder Scene and Date Alley off Second between Walnut & Court North of … Continue reading

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Teatotaling Klanswoman: Murder of Myrtle Cook: 1925

Murder Victim Myrtle Elizabeth Underwood Cook 51-year-old Homemaker President, Benton County W.C.T.U. President, Benton County Women of the KKK 1874-1925 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Personal Assassination Murder Scene and Date 703 3rd Avenue Vinton, Iowa Benton County September 7, 1925 … Continue reading

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“Butcher, Baker”: Murder of Otto H. Samp 1916

Murder Victim Otto H. Samp 37-year-old Baker Resident of Newton, Iowa 1879-1916 Cause of Death: Stabbed Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date 618 E. 2nd Street Des Moines, Iowa Polk County October 1, 1916 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written January … Continue reading

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