Alma, WI Area Cold Cases

Name

Alex Bullerman

Age

18

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Waterloo, iowa, was shot in the college hill commercial district adjacent to the university of northern iowa campus in cedar falls early on saturday, november 11, 2017.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Alonzo Quinn

Age

27

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On friday, january 3, 2003, waterloo police discovered the bodies of alonzo nakia quinn, 27, and rhiannon marie olsen, 22, inside quinn’s home at 1001 hartman avenue in waterloo. Olsen was nine months pregnant with quinn’s child

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rhiannon Olsen

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On friday, january 3, 2003, waterloo police discovered the bodies of alonzo nakia quinn, 27, and rhiannon marie olsen, 22, inside quinn’s home at 1001 hartman avenue in waterloo. Olsen was nine months pregnant with quinn’s child

Agency

Iowa

Name

Andrew Hatges

Age

75

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Andrew “andy” hatges, 75, owner of the former west vu market located at 2601 fourth st. S.W. In mason city, was found dead in his home on friday, march 8, 1968, after he didn’t open the store that morning.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Ashley Downing

Age

77

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Barely a year after his wife’s death, ashley downing, a 77-year-old chicken farmer, was shot and killed wednesday, jan. 4, 1933, inside his rural westgate home. Downing lived alone on a 240-acre farm about eight miles northwest of oelwein. He owned a total of about 800 acres in fayette county, and also owned around 800 acres in minnesota.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Becky Lawless

Age

59

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Becky simpson lawless, 59, of waterloo, was apparently walking home from a tavern in the early morning hours on monday, april 9, 2012, when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver in the area of washington street and west mullan avenue.

Agency

Iowa

Name

William Pruin

Age

43

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

William thomas “billy” pruin, 43, was shot at his rural mason city, iowa, home on tuesday, april 4, 1995. Cerro gordo county in iowa cerro gordo county in iowa mason city in cerro gordo countymason city in cerro gordo county two days before his death, he’d proposed to his girlfriend, gretchen tusler. Officials initially ruled his death a suicide, but later changed the status to undetermined.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Brian Blachut

Age

30

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Brian richard blachut, 30, of lake mills, iowa, disappeared after leaving the blue moon saloon in scarville, iowa, about 2 a.M. On sunday, november 21, 1993. At approximately 10 a.M., blachut’s four-wheel drive datsun 1981 pickup truck was found partially submerged in a drainage ditch on the west side of winnebago county road a-16, about two miles east of scarville. Tracks indicated the vehicle had gone down into the ditch on the road’s east side, circled in the field, crossed back over the blacktop road and then gone back into the ditch on the road’s west side.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Brian Burns

Age

55

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On november 5th, 2023, the delaware county sheriff’s office responded one mile south of the 1300 block of 180th street for a report that human remains had been located in a field just west of manchester by some pheasant hunters.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Brian Dietrich

Age

30

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

He’d planned to take his new baby daughter out trick-or-treating that october night in 1993. Brian dietrich — the son of [then] Clayton county sheriff verdean dietrich — was known for his biker lifestyle and “living off the land” in rural garnavillo, iowa, but made regular trips across the mississippi river to prairie du chien, wis., to sell ginseng.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Martavious Robinson

Age

20

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Rash died that same evening. Robinson died the following tuesday, september 24, at allen hospital. By march, waterloo police announced they were mounting simultaneous, coordinated investigations to crack two unsolved murder cases in the previous six months that left four people and a near-term unborn child dead, in addition to a march 6, 2003 shooting that left two men critically injured.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Calvin Rash

Age

29

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Rash died that same evening. Robinson died the following tuesday, september 24, at allen hospital. By march, waterloo police announced they were mounting simultaneous, coordinated investigations to crack two unsolved murder cases in the previous six months that left four people and a near-term unborn child dead, in addition to a march 6, 2003 shooting that left two men critically injured.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Cartha Pearson

Age

26

Cause of Death

Murder

Info

Cartha “jack” pearson, 26, of 714 south view drive in waterloo, iowa, was found dead in his car thursday, july 29, 1993, from bullet wounds to his stomach and chest, and cedar valley crime stoppers is asking witnesses in the decades-old unsolved murder to come forward with any known information about the case. A waterloo cedar falls courier article dated august 16, 1993, said pearson was shot to death in an alley between the 100 block of sumner and cottage streets after he allegedly cheated some drug dealers by not paying them or only partially paying them for drugs.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Daniel Andersen

Age

4

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Four-year-old daniel j. Andersen was reported missing to the black hawk county sheriff’s office in waterloo, iowa, on january 25, 1992. The toddler was last seen wearing blue snow-pants and a blue jacket near finchford, iowa, about five miles north of cedar falls. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a 3-foot tall white male with brown hair, brown eyes, and weighing about 50 pounds. According to a cedar rapids gazette article published january 27, 1992, the black hawk county sheriff’s department said the boy was visiting at a house on newell road with his father, david andersen.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dariusz Szczeponek

Age

25

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Dariusz “darek” szczeponek, a 25-year-old university of northern iowa student, was shot to death wednesday night, september 29, 1993, at annie’s launderette on 819 sycamore st. In waterloo, iowa, during an apparent robbery attempt. Szczeponek, a young polish immigrant who worked at the launderette to earn money for college, was shot about 7:47 p.M. By a gunman wearing a ski mask and pronounced dead a half-hour later at allen memorial hospital. Officials believe keith trenell taylor is likely responsible for szczeponek’s homicide; taylor currently is incarcerated at the michigan reformatory in ionia, mich.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Darrell Lanier

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

The 22-year-old lifelong waterloo resident was about three blocks from home when he was shot and collapsed. He lingered unconscious at unitypoint health-allen hospital for three days and underwent two surgeries before dying early friday from internal injuries associated with the bullet wounds, police said.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Denelius Nesby

Age

55

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Denelius nesby, 55, was shot multiple times in a waterloo, iowa, parking lot on sunday, january 22, 2017. Officers were called to the 700 block of logan avenue for a report of gunfire around 5:05 a.M. Sunday, and found nesby on the ground near a car parked in the lot to the south of greer funeral home.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Clougherty

Age

23

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On monday, august 12, 1974, sometime between the hours of 10:30 p.M. And midnight, someone shot 23-year-old dennis clougherty five times in the chest and left his body along union road, south of first street in cedar falls, iowa. A passing motorist discovered the body early the following morning about 100 yards off u.S. Route 20 in black hawk county.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Dennis Washburn

Age

69

Cause of Death

Trauma

Info

Dennis dwaine washburn — a 69-year-old united states navy and vietnam war veteran who didn’t have a vehicle and walked with the assistance of a walker — was found unconscious with head injuries near longfellow elementary school in waterloo, iowa, on memorial day, may 26, 2014. Washburn sustained blunt force trauma injuries and a broken neck, and died from his injuries early thursday, june 5, 2014.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Diane Courbat

Age

34

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Diane courbat, 34, was shot in the head in the early morning hours on tuesday, august 3, 1993. Two waterloo police officers on routine patrol found courbat lying in the northwest parking lot of the cedar river exchange park about 2:30 a.M. Courbat, who resided at 538 montero drive, was described as a 5-foot-5 black female weighing about 130 pounds and dressed in a red tank top, cutoff blue jean shorts, red socks and black shoes. She died three days later at university of iowa hospitals in iowa city. Black hawk county in iowa black hawk county in iowa waterloo in black hawk countywaterloo in black hawk county courbat reportedly was breathing when officers found her, and underwent brain surgery that same day. She remained in critical condition at university hospitals until her death at 9:08 p.M. Friday.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Diane Martin

Age

48

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Diane martin, 48, was shot in her waterloo home around 9:45 p.M. On monday, sept. 10, 2018. She was later pronounced dead at unitypoint health-allen hospital. Police investigators returned to 84 ricker st. On tuesday, sept. 11, 2018, after a woman had been shot and killed at the home the night before. Jeff reinitz | jeff.Reinitz@wcfcourier.Com on september 12th, 2018 an autopsy was conducted by the iowa state medical examiner’s office and determined diane martin died as the result of a single gunshot wound, police announced in a press release. Police records show martin had reported gunfire at her home multiple times in the past few years, but no injuries were reported.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Friedrich Widmann

Age

30

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Patrolman fred p. Widmann was shot and killed by burglars on wednesday, october 11, 1908, while walking his beat. Widmann was the first waterloo officer to die in the line of duty. Widman was 30 years old and had served with the waterloo police department for two years. No suspect was ever apprehended and his murder remains unsolved.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Fredrick Webber

Age

33

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Fredrick “dewayne” webber, a 33-year-old passenger in a sport utility vehicle, died after being struck by gunfire around 3:55 p.M. Friday, july 14, 2017, in waterloo, iowa. An autopsy was scheduled for july 17, 2017.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Gary Lack

Age

58

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Cause of death: drowning (in own blood) after a hospice nurse illegally administered a fatal dosage of an unprescribed drug she’d stolen from another client original investigating agency: medicare, iowa board of nursing, and iowa department of inspection and appea

Agency

Iowa

Name

Gladys Held

Age

83

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Gladys d. Held, an 83-year-old retired personal secretary, was beaten and strangled at a waterloo senior citizens home around 11 p.M. On wednesday, december 8, 1993. Held resided alone in a third-floor apartment at the walnut court retirement community complex at 315 walnut street. A senior home companion became concerned when held didn’t show up for an in-house worship service thursday, and went to held’s apartment to check on her at approximately 11 a.M.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Gregory Walker Jr

Age

33

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Gregory kent walker jr., a 33-year-old father of four and lifelong waterloo resident, was shot during an attempted robbery in the early morning hours on saturday, may 19, 2018, at a waterloo home. Relatives said he was supposed to travel to des moines to referee a basketball game that day. Paramedics with waterloo fire rescue took him to unitypoint-allen hospital, where he later was pronounced dead.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Harold Doerring

Age

66

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Sixty-six-year-old harold doerring was reported missing to the winneshiek county sheriff’s office in decorah, iowa, on february 16, 1997. Authorities found harold doerring’s truck abandoned on highway 218 south of mount pleasant in henry county on february 23, 1997. When they tried to contact him about the vehicle but could not find him, they discovered no one had seen doerring since february 16 in cedar falls, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jacob Biretz

Age

48

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Jacob “jake” biretz, an 87-year-old retired mechanic, was found dead in his apartment at a waterloo retirement home on friday, december 10, 1993. The following day, waterloo police said they were investigating the death as a homicide. Biretz was found on his sofa, his arms crossed over his chest. He’d been suffocated with a pillow. According to his death certificate, it took several minutes for him to die

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jeffery Zolliecoffer

Age

23

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On friday, september 15, 1989, a child playing by the cedar river told nearby adults he had found a mannequin or body in the river. When police were notified at 6:40 p.M. That day, they discovered the body of jeffery “jo jo” howard zolliecoffer about a half-mile north of waterloo’s business district.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Jodi Huisentruit

Age

27

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Today marks the 25th anniversary of jodi huisentruit’s disappearance in mason city. We pause today to stand with jodi’s family as they remember her and remain hopeful for answers about her disappearance. The investigation into her disappearance continues and is an active case being worked by the mason city police department and the iowa division of criminal investigation. We appreciate the work the media has done to keep jodi’s story in the public eye in support of our investigative efforts

Agency

Iowa

Name

Julie Benning

Age

18

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

She had a quick smile and a zany laugh. She was bright, beautiful, spunky, and ambitious. She loved getting out to meet people and making things happen. She loved live music and the weekly top 100 countdown. Her creativity spilled over into every aspect of her life; she not only designed and sewed her own dresses, but painted landscapes and portraits of all things closest to her heart.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Justin Dollen

Age

27

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Justin montravious dollen, 27, was shot early sunday morning, aug. 30, 2015 outside the porsches theater of arts located at 1850 w. Airline highway in waterloo, iowa. Authorities said the shooting happened around 3:30 a.M. Sunday and that dollen sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was transferred to iowa city from an area hospital and died a short time later from his injuries

Agency

Iowa

Name

L matlock

Age

37

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On july 5, 2004, josephine matlock watched her 37-year-old brother l.C. Matlock walk across the mullan avenue bridge in waterloo, iowa, and disappear into the distance. L.C. Was never seen nor heard from again.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lee Rolfe

Age

48

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Lee allan rolfe, a 48-year-old registered sex offender, disappeared from his rural garber, iowa home on april 13, 2008. He was reported missing to the clayton county sheriff’s office in elkader that same day. Lee allan rolfe (courtesy namus) lee allan rolfe (courtesy namus) officials described rolfe — aka “rolfey rolfe” — as a 5-foot-9 white male with blue eyes, brown hair, and weighing 230 pounds. Rolfe wears glasses, has a tattoo of yosemite sam on his upper left arm, and was on anti-depressant medication at the time of his disappearance.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lowell Stumo

Age

48

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Lowell stumo, 48, a former u.S. Army sgt. Who served in vietnam, was shot to death sometime on sunday, december 7, 1997, near his farmhouse southwest of northwood, iowa.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lucille DeVries

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Lucille elaine devries, a 22-year-old insurance firm secretary and restaurant waitress, was found dead early wednesday, oct. 10, 1962, in the back seat of her fire-gutted auto outside her mason city, iowa home.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Lyman Elledge

Age

65

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Lyman elledge, 65, was found bludgeoned to death on the front lawn of the barney wiskus home in colesburg, iowa, at about 7 a.M. On friday, september 28, 1951.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Marquavion Brown

Age

19

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Marquavion d. Brown, 19, was shot to death in waterloo, iowa, on saturday, nov. 23, 2019, while sitting in a car with a friend. Black hawk county in iowa black hawk county in iowa waterloo in black hawk countywaterloo in black hawk county also injured in the shooting was 21-year-old quintorey farshawn d’quan kemp, who, along with brown, was transported to unitypoint-allen hospital, where brown was pronounced dead. Kemp was then transferred to university of iowa hospitals and clinics in iowa city for further treatment.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Martavious Johnson

Age

17

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Martavious taveros “tay tay” johnson, a 17-year-old former football player for east high school in waterloo, was shot in the back on thursday, january 5, 2012, after cracking a joke.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mattie Zabel

Age

45

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Mattie lou zabel, a 45-year-old teacher’s aide who worked at river hills school in cedar falls, iowa, was reported missing to the cedar falls police department on march 21, 1978. Black hawk county in iowa black hawk county in iowa cedar falls in black hawk countycedar falls in black county zabel was last seen by her family on march 21, 1978, in her hometown of cedar falls. She left behind not only her husband, jack, and three children, but also a frozen chicken thawing in the kitchen sink that was to be the family’s dinner. No clothing was taken, and she would not have had the assets to just walk away. There was no indication that she just got frustrated and left.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Melvin Gallagher

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

His young adult life had started out with a few uncertainties, but 22-year-old melvin james gallagher was finding his footing and making plans for what he hoped would be a bright future. He’d been deeply in love with two different women — gloria and patricia — and wanted to settle down with a good job and start raising a family. He’d first been engaged to patricia, but after much soul searching, realized it was gloria with whom he wanted to spend his life. He and patricia broke off their engagement, and a short time after they went their separate ways, patricia discovered she was pregnant with gallagher’s child.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Micalla Rettinger

Age

25

Cause of Death

Injury

Info

Micalla a. Rettinger, a 25-year-old former star uni softball player, was driving south on highway 218 near the brinker lake and cedar river bridges in waterloo when a single bullet pierced through her driver’s side window and hit her in the neck early sunday, april 28, 2019.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mikaela Bond Hill

Age

22

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Mikaela bond hill, a 22-year-old mother of three young children, was shot early on saturday, june 3, 2017, in her waterloo home. Police said someone fired into the bedroom window of mikaela bond hill’s rented hope avenue home in the early morning hours of june 3. Bond’s boyfriend and her three children were in the house, but she was the only one hit by the gunfire.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Mildred Clemenson

Age

81

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Mildred adaline “millie” clemenson, 81, was brutally slain on monday, nov. 9, 1998, inside her rural kensett, iowa, mobile home — a home about seven miles west of kensett and directly attached to the family farmhouse clemenson owned at 3926 ironwood avenue.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Nels Louvring

Age

51

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Sometime between 11 and 11:30 p.M. On saturday, july 29, 1933, nels pedersen louvring, 51, was shot at his fayette, iowa home shortly after arriving home from work. Louvring, owner of dixie oil co. (aka nels louvring filling station), left the filling station at approximately 11 p.M. He parked his car in the family’s 315 water street garage, and was shot just as he was leaving the garage. A .38 caliber bullet — which entered louvring’s left side just above his waist and exited near his right shoulder — indicated the perpetrator had been kneeling and/or sitting low in wait to ambush louvring. Louvring staggered from the yard towards his home’s kitchen door, where he finally collapsed.Officials found him dead in a pool of blood, the cigar cash box and keys still near the victim’s hands. A .38 caliber shell casing was found embedded in the wood near the garage door.Louvring’s [second] Wife amy, and his stepdaughter’s family found him collapsed over the kitchen threshold — cash and receipts scattered around him — shortly after they heard the shot. The entire family — including louvring’s wife, his stepdaughter, stepson, and their respective spouses — had been at the store that night and departed the main st. Business just half an hour before louvring left the business to return home.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Norma Horgen

Age

18

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Around 8:15 p.M. On saturday, september 10, 1966, a fisherman found 18-year-old norma jean horgen’s body near clear lake’s northwest shore. The st. Ansgar teen — a student at the mason city school of cosmetology — was discovered in about four feet of water. Officials determined cause of death as drowning, though did not rule out foul play.Dr. A.J. Kerlitzka, the county medical examiner, said alcohol was found in the teen’s blood, but said the alcoholic content did not indicate intoxication and that horgen had not consumed an excessive amount.In an austin (mn) daily herald news article dated saturday, sept. 17, 1966, cerro gordo county attorney b. Michael dunn said 75 to 80 people had been questioned in the case and would be reinterviewed in efforts to clarify some discrepancies — particularly the time element in horgen’s death.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Norman Gant Jr

Age

21

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Norman carroll gant jr., 21, of waterloo, iowa, was shot in the 1800 block of tremont street in cedar falls, iowa, on sunday, june 1, 2014. Police chief jeff olson said police were dispatched to the area at 1:36 a.M., where they found gant lying in a yard with life-threatening injuries from a gunshot wound. Gant — who lived at 1725 e. Fourth street in waterloo — was found on the lawn of a residential home next to a rental property where a loud party occurred saturday night.Paramedics transported gant to sartori hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. In a press release, police said the shooter “remains at large” but that the public in the area was not at risk. They did not release a description of the shooter.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Pitt Doxsie

Age

34

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

On tuesday, october 26, 1897, patrolman pitt mcclellan doxsie, 34, was shot and killed in independence, iowa during a gunfight with two thieves. Patrolman doxsie had been patrolling the city’s downtown area on horseback when he stumbled on a burglary in progress.His body was discovered in an alley, and neither of the two thieves were ever apprehended.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Randall Dawson

Age

52

Cause of Death

Shooting

Info

Randall “randy” scott dawson, 52, was shot multiple times at his waterloo home on christmas eve, 2014.Waterloo police said officers and paramedics responded to a shooting at 302 east 10th street at 9:25 p.M. On wednesday, dec. 24, 2014, after a neighbor reported what sounded like five or six gunshots. Waterloo fire and rescue transported dawson to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said daniel trelka, director of safety services for waterloo.Trelka said police were looking for one or two “persons of interest” in the shooting.One person was placed in a squad car in handcuffs shortly after police arrived on scene but was not arrested.“I’ve got a 5-year-old who lays his head down right there,” she said, pointing at her home one house away from where dawson had been shot.

Agency

Iowa

Name

Rhonda Knutson

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Early on monday, september 7, 1992, rhonda anette knutson was murdered while working the 9 p.M. To 5 a.M. Shift at the phillips 66 convenience store in williamstown, iowa, in chickasaw county.The store manager found knutson’s body monday morning around 4:45 a.M. In a room near the back of the store.The williamstown store was open 24 hours a day and located six miles south of new hampton on u.S. Highway 63 and one-quarter mile north of highway junctions 63, 18, and 346.An autopsy concluded knutson died after being bludgeoned to death, and there were no signs of sexual assault.

Agency

Iowa