Spencer, IA Area Cold Cases

Name
Mamie SimeAge
74Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
Shortly after 4 a.M. On tuesday, march 31, 1981, a fire broke out in the home of mamie sime on the outskirts of rolfe, iowa. Firemen answered the alarm at 4:30 a.M., and arrived to find the house fully engulfed in flames.Agency
Iowa
Name
Elna PetersonAge
8Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
On thursday, may 6, 1971, 8-year-old valerie peterson was killed by a hit-and-run driver around 4 p.M. While riding her bicycle off the side of the road in front of the manson augustana lutheran church. One other girl — the friend with whom valerie was riding bikes — was riding up ahead of valerie and said she saw a blue-green pickup truck with two or three men inside traveling north at a high rate of speed. They appeared to have long hair, and the girl believed the truck had some sort of equipment in the flatbed.Agency
Iowa
Name
Connie RuddyAge
21Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
Connie ruddy, a 21-year-old mother of two, was reported missing from her ida grove, iowa home on monday, february 10, 1997. Her 2-year-old daughter and 3-month-old son were found alone inside the residence, unharmed. Ruddy had last been seen by her sister around 11 p.M. Saturday, february 8, in ruddy’s home. About 10:30 a.M. Monday, a friend stopped by and discovered ruddy gone and her children alone. Ruddy’s car was still at the house and she hadn’t taken her purse.Agency
Iowa
Name
Town Joseph KaschmitterAge
53Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
On saturday, march 25, 1911, town marshal joseph kaschmitter (last name sometimes spelled kashmetter or kashmitter) was shot at approximately 1 a.M. As he walked near the alton, iowa depotAgency
Iowa
Name
Leo SmithAge
56Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
Early thursday, april 10, 1969, iowa highway patrol officers discovered the body of 56-year-old leo joseph smith — a veteran who served with the 749th military police battalion during world war ii — at the highway 20 rest area about 30 miles east of sioux city in woodbury county, iowa. Smith’s throat had been cut. Later that same day, two girls found an unidentified man under a truck in northeast sioux city’s industrial area. That man’s throat also had been slashed, leading authorities to first believe the two murders may be connected. The following day, however, a 35-year-old pittsburgh steel worker was arrested and charged in the unidentified man’s homicide.Agency
Iowa
Name
Mervin WalvatneAge
53Cause of Death
MissingInfo
Mervin leo walvatne, 53, went missing from spencer, iowa, on july 18, 1990. Walvatne’s sister, who lives in spencer and had regular contact with her brother, became concerned after not seeing her brother since july 18 and reported him missing to the spencer police department.Agency
Iowa
Name
Michael CarrAge
19Cause of Death
HomicideInfo
At approximately 10 p.M. Friday, the day after christmas 1975, michael edward carr was struck by a vehicle on the west edge of estherville, iowa, while walking home. The hit-and-run happened near the intersection of iowa highway 9 and emmet county blacktop a-22.Agency
Iowa