Category Archives: Murders

The Body in the Pasture: Murder of Elmer Penderson 1881

Murder Victim Elmer Penderson 16-year-old Farmhand 1866-1881 Cause of Death: Undetermined Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Farm Field Keota, Iowa Keokuk County August 1881 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written July 2012 On Wednesday, August 24, 1881, a grim discovery … Continue reading

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The Coffee that Killed the Frog: Murder of Winfield S. Carpenter 1904

Murder Victim Winfield S. Carpenter 50 year-old Carpet Weaver 1853-1904 Cause of Death: Poison Motive: Family Quarrel Murder Scene and Date Boat House, Iowa River Iowa City, Iowa Johnson County August 12, 1904 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written August 2011 … Continue reading

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The Boy on the Train: Murder of Addis Lyman 1905

Murder Victim Addis Lyman 1887-1905 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Chicago and Northwestern tracks Carroll, Iowa Carroll County February 23, 1905 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written 2011 When the body of 17-year-old Addis E. Lyman … Continue reading

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The Veteran Who Lived Alone: Murder of Henry Millard 1874

Murder Victim Henry J. Millard 30-year-old Farmer and Civil War Veteran 1844-1874 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Camp Township Polk County October 1874 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written 2011 In early October of 1874, 30-year-old … Continue reading

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The Interrupted Funeral Procession: Murder of Josiah Pratt 1905

Murder Victim Josiah M. Pratt 33-year-old Farmer 1871-1905 Cause of Death: Poison Motive: Love Triangle Murder Scene and Date Pratt Farm Home Elm Grove Township Near Yetter, Iowa Calhoun County June 25, 1905 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written January 2012 … Continue reading

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Locations

To read about unsolved murders in a particular Iowa location, click on Towns/Townships or Counties: ☛ Towns/Townships ☚ ☛ Counties ☚ Articles are added frequently. Check back soon for additional stories. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________    

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Dates

To read about an unsolved historic Iowa murder from a specific year, click on case from a year below. Cases are being added frequently. Check back soon for other years and cases. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ☛ 1847 ☚ Nathaniel Carnagy ☛ 1848 … Continue reading

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Who Killed the Corn Canning Czar? Murder of Henry Chavis 1948

Murder Victim Henry William Chavis 55-year-old Ames Canning Company Owner Cattle and Grain Farmer 1893-1948 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Grudge Murder Scene and Date Chavis Farm Home Highway 69 (now S. Duff Avenue) 1 mile South of Ames, Iowa … Continue reading

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Taking the Waters: Murder of Frank Callahan 1905

Murder Victim Frank Callahan 34-year-old “Nervous Disorder” Patient 1870-1905 Cause of Death: Drowned Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Last Seen September 19, 1905 Des Moines, Iowa Found in Des Moines River at Levey Polk County September 24, 1905 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ … Continue reading

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“Very Maw of Death”: Murder of Officer Fred Widmann 1908

Murder Victim Fredrich P. “Fred” Widmann 30-year-old Waterloo Patrolman Killed in the Line of Duty 1870-1908 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Avoiding Arrest Murder Scene and Date Alley behind East 4th Street Waterloo, Iowa Black Hawk County End of Watch: … Continue reading

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