Tag Archives: unsolved Des Moines Iowa Murder

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

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“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

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Alleyway Robbery: Murder of Carlisle Hunter 1919

Murder Victim Carlisle Gordon “Lyle” Hunter 30-year-old Guthrie County Farmer 1887-1919 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Downtown Alleyway Des Moines, Iowa Polk County November 22, 1919 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written October 2010 In the … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Leave Town or Die: Murder of Richard Huggins 1914

Murder Victim Richard William Huggins 49-year-old Florist Sherwood Greenhouse 1865-1914 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Romantic Entanglement Murder Scene and Date 600 blk Conger Street Waterloo, Iowa Black Hawk County October 3, 1914 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written March 2012 … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Strangled With His Own Necktie: Murder of David Faulkner 1920

Murder Victim David A. Faulkner 30-year-old Receiving Clerk Iowa Packing Company 1860-1920 Cause of Death: Strangled Motive: Grudge Murder Scene and Date 2416 E. Lyon Street Des Moines, Iowa Polk County May 1, 1920 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written September … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Deadly Taxi Party: Murder of Thaddeus Mitchell 1922

Murder Victim Thaddeus William “Thad” Mitchell 44-year-old Taxi Driver President, Consolidated Taxi Company 1878-1922 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date St. Joseph Avenue near 20th Street Near City Detention Hospital a.k.a. “Pest House” Des Moines, Iowa … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

All Souls’ Day: Murders of Sister Mary Virginis and Sister Mary Rosalita 1921

Murder Victims Sister Mary Virginis née Mary Agnes Austin 37-year-old Vocal Music Teacher St. Joseph’s Academy 1884-1921 Sister Mary Rosalita née Agnes McLaughlin 41-year-old Piano Teacher St. Joseph’s Academy 1880-1921 Cause of Deaths: Automobile Hit and Run Murder Scene and … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dead From a “Wallop”: Murder of John Schnellbacker 1913

Murder Victim John Schnellbacker (John Schnellbächer) 55-year-old Handyman East Des Moines Hotel 1858 -1913 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Argument Murder Scene and Date E. Third and E. Walnut streets Des Moines, Iowa Polk County March 10, 1913 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Fear of the Dread Black Hand”: Murder of Domenico Barretto 1921

Murder Victim Domenico Barretto 25-year-old Laborer 1895-1921 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Black Hand Vendetta Murder Scene and Date 1519 Jackson Avenue Des Moines, Iowa Polk County March 27, 1921 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written January 2011 On the night … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Black Hand at the Bridge: Murder of Francis “Frank” Oliverio 1917

Murder Victim Francis “Frank” Oliverio 40-year-old Factory Worker Schuermann Bros. Mills 1877-1917 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Black Hand Vendetta Murder Scene and Date SW Fifth Street Bridge, Raccoon River Des Moines, Iowa Polk County August 6, 1917 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By … Continue reading

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment