Category Archives: Murders

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

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder, Unsolved Iowa Murders: Historic Cases | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Apron in the Shack: Murder of Erma (Irma) Vivian Caldwell 1924

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

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder, Unsolved Iowa Murders: Historic Cases | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Frozen Body: Murder of James Edgar “Ed” Knotts 1895

“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

Posted in Murders, Unsolved Iowa Murder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Sensational and Cold-Blooded Affair”: Murder of Arthur Mead 1903

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

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

“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

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

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

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

What the Medium Saw: Murder of John Pierson 1904

Murder Victim (Louis) John Pierson 52-year-old Dairyman/Milkman 1851-1904 Cause of Death: Undetermined Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Mississippi River Burlington, Iowa Des Moines County Last Seen: March 11, 1904 Body Found: August 20, 1904 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written … Continue reading

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

Under the Willows: Murder of John Doe 1904

Murder Victim John Doe 25-to 28-year-old Male Occupation Unknown Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Juncture of Milwaukee Road and Rock Island Tracks Perry, Iowa Dallas County August 2, 1904 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written September … Continue reading

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

Pointblank: Unavenged Murder of James Alfrey 1866

Murder Victim James W. B. Alfrey 34-year-old Attorney Civil War Veteran 1831-1866 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Avoiding Arrest Murder Scene and Date Near Pleasanton, Iowa (formerly Pleasant Plain) Hamilton Township Decatur County May 16, 1866 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers … Continue reading

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

Blood in the Barn: Suspicious Death of John L. Rogers 1915

Murder Victim John L. Rogers 31-year-old Laborer 1884-1915 Cause of Death: Slashed Throat Motive: Unknown Death Scene and Date Rogers Family Barn Afton Township Afton, Iowa Union County August 3, 1915 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written 2011 On Tuesday, August … Continue reading

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