Category Archives: Unsolved Iowa Murder

The Apron in the Shack: Murder of Erma (Irma) Vivian Caldwell 1924

Murder Victim Erma (Irma) Vivian Caldwell 27-Year Old Waitress 1897-1924 Cause of Death: Drowned Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Chicago Great Western Railroad Bridge Iowa River Marshalltown, Iowa Marshall County August-September 1924 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written March-April 2020 … Continue reading

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A Dream of Murder: Mysterious Disappearance of Mr. Thomas 1857

Murder Victim Mr. Thomas Age and Occupation Unknown ?-1857 Cause of Death: Unknown Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Millersburg, Iowa Iowa County August 1857 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written September 2017 Historical accounts sometimes tease the historian who is … Continue reading

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The Broken Clevis: Murder of Samuel Cronk 1867

Murder Victim Samuel S. Cronk 23-Year-Old Deputy Sheriff Civil War Veteran 1844-1867 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned With a Clevis Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date South of Cottonville, Iowa Jackson County January 23, 1867 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written September … Continue reading

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The Well Digger: Murder of Peter Hendrickson 1895

Murder Victim Peter Hendrickson 47-Year-Old Well Digger And Stone Mason 1848-1895 Cause of Death: Unknown (Staged Suicide) Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Keokuk and Des Moines Railroad Bridge Des Moines, Iowa Polk County October 5, 1895 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy … Continue reading

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“Lilies of Soul-Less Sin”: Murders of Max Noack and Ora Minter 1895

Murder Victims Max Noack 22-Year-Old Farmhand 1872-1895 Ora Minter, a.k.a. Hazel Hammond 18-year-old Prostitute 1876-1895 Cause of Deaths: Gunshots Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Maud Hoyle’s Brothel 209 Fourth Street, Second Floor Sioux City, Iowa Woodbury County August 25, … Continue reading

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The Frozen Body: Murder of James Edgar “Ed” Knotts 1895

Murder Victim James Edgar “Ed” Knotts 23-year-old Farmer 1872-1895 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Charles R. McCuddin Home Elijah W. Knotts Farm Virginia Township Near New Virginia, Iowa Warren County January 23, 1895 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By … Continue reading

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“Sensational and Cold-Blooded Affair”: Murder of Arthur Mead 1903

Murder Victim Arthur C. “Art” Mead 26-year-old Jeweler 1876-1903 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Thomas McCarthy’s Lunch Room Near the Rock Island Depot West Liberty, Iowa Muscatine County May 14, 1903 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers … Continue reading

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Dead In Bed: Murder of Thomas Tolbert 1877

Murder Victim Thomas Tolbert 28-Year-Old Farmer 1849-1877 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Tolbert Farm Southwestern Road Two miles West of Eldon, Iowa Wapello County April 3, 1877 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written September 2014 In … Continue reading

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“Shot Into Eternity”: Murder of John Legall 1897

Murder Victim John Legall 30-year-old Transient Farmhand Resident of East St. Louis, Illinois 1867-1897 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Montgomery Railroad Bridge Little Sioux River 8 Miles West of Spirit Lake Diamond Lake Township Dickinson … Continue reading

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Driftwood: Murder of an Unknown Child 1859

Murder Victim Unknown Child ?-1859 Cause of Death: Drowning Motive: Infanticide Murder Scene and Date Bennett’s Ford Flood Creek Rudd Township Floyd County, Iowa August 20, 1859 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written September 2014 In the late 1850s, from their … Continue reading

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