5 of the biggest true crime cases in Iowa history

Iowa has been home to many devastating crimes over the years. Here are a few of the biggest true crime cases in IA history. 

True crime has become an increasingly popular genre in recent years. A study conducted by Edison Research in 2024 found that “84% of the U.S. population aged 13+ are True Crime consumers, meaning they watch or listen to True Crime through any medium,” including podcasts, documentaries, and more. This rise in interest, like many things, is complicated to unpack.

On one hand, there are instances where people’s interest in a case has a positive impact in terms of finding justice and clearing the names of innocent individuals. On the other hand, an obsession with true crime—and trying to find patterns where there aren’t any—can be detrimental to law enforcement officials who are trying to solve an active case, and to the victim’s family who are trying to find answers amid their grief.

I’ve been following true crime cases for as long as I can remember, though I’ve always approached this interest from the perspective of wanting to understand, psychologically, how such awful things can happen. And, through that knowledge, understand how similar crimes can be prevented through certain adjustments. This can include anything from how the criminal justice system views stalking and domestic violence allegations, to the accessibility of mental health services, to knowledge of how to best protect yourself and others from harm.

Unfortunately, there isn’t one clear path forward in terms of reducing the number of violent crimes that are committed in Iowa, and across the world, each year. If there is one overarchingly good thing that comes with this recent rise in true crime interest, I hope it is a way for all of us to better prevent these things from happening, and to have a clearer path toward justice when they inevitably/unfortunately do.

Numerous crimes have taken place in Iowa throughout the state’s history, but I’m going to discuss a few below as a way of sharing facts about these stories, and to memorialize the individuals* who were brutally taken from their loved ones.

*I will not be discussing the cause and manner of death for these women, and will instead focus on personal details about them and their lives.

1. Sarah Ann Ottens 

Sarah Ann Ottens was from Morrison, Illinois, and was studying at the University of Iowa in 1973 at the time of her murder. Her younger sister, Susan, spoke with The Guardian in 2016 and said that she idolized Sarah. “She forged the way for me in life … I looked up to her for advice,” Susan told the publication.

Their brother, Sam, said that Sarah had been involved in the school newspaper back in Morrison, as well as its radio station, yearbook, and drama club. She was the first person in the Ottens family to attend college. She was a nursing student at the University of Iowa and was working at a nearby hospital to earn experience and money. Many of her friends left for a spring break trip in March 1973, but Sarah stayed behind to finish her shifts. She sometimes slept in room 429 in Rienow Hall during this time instead of her usual room, 408, because room 429 had a television.

As her mother, Myra, explained in an interview in 1983, “I was coming to Iowa City with her grandparents to pick her up that week. She sounded happy. She asked me to come in time so we could eat out.” Less than 24 hours after Myra and Sarah discussed those details on the phone, Sarah was murdered.

Around midnight on March 14, 1973, fellow students George Proctor and Brenda Simpson found Sarah dead in room 429. Several suspects were questioned over the course of several months before 19-year-old James Wendell Hall was arrested and charged with Sarah’s murder. According to The Guardian, “An eyewitness placed him in Rienow Hall that night.” A fingerprint found on Sarah’s faucet “was consistent with his, while hair under one of his shoes matched Ottens’.”

Hall was convicted of second-degree murder in May 1974 after a two-week trial, though some people felt he was wrongfully accused—he was a young Black man convicted by an all-white jury. Hall started his prison term in 1977, and six years later, his conviction was overturned. However, he was charged and convicted of murdering another woman, Susan Hajek, in 1992. The details as to what happened to Susan Hajek, and as to why Sarah Otten’s case is still open, are difficult and complicated. You can learn more about the events that unfolded here.

2. Mollie Tibbetts 

Mollie Tibbetts was 20 years old when she disappeared on July 18, 2018, while jogging close to her boyfriend’s home in Brooklyn, Iowa. About a month later, police identified a suspect in relation to her disappearance, Cristhian Bahena Rivera, whose car was shown on surveillance footage following Tibbetts on July 18. On August 21, the 24-year-old led police to a cornfield in Poweshiek County, where they found Tibbetts’s body. River was charged with first-degree murder and found guilty on May 28, 2021. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Tibbetts was a University of Iowa student majoring in psychology. She previously worked at Grinnell Regional Medical Center at a children’s day camp there. Her grandmother described her as “a beautiful, vibrant young woman so full of promise.” Speaking at her funeral service, her father, Rob, said, “Mollie’s nobody’s victim. Mollie’s my hero,” and urged people to follow her example of being kind and helping others.

You can read more about the case and learn more about what Mollie’s father said regarding the immigration debate her murder sparked here.

3. Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook-Morrissey

Two young girls, 10-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey and eight-year-old Elizabeth Collins, went missing on July 13, 2012, in Evansdale. The two cousins were riding their bikes close to a recreational area near the middle of town at the time of their disappearance. Law enforcement officials investigating the case found their bikes, along with a pink purse, near Meyers Lake a few hours later. Their bodies would not be located for another five months. Hunters discovered their remains in the Seven Bridges Wildlife Area in Bremer County, about 25 miles from where they went missing. Their murders have still not been solved.

Elizabeth’s father, Drew Collins, spoke with The Independent in 2024. He said the cousins loved to dress up, sing, choreograph dance routines, and spend time outdoors. “They were like sisters,” he said.

According to KCCI Des Moines, “A cold case foundation has also been established in honor of the Evansdale girls. The nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families of missing people started in 2022. The Elizabeth Collins Foundation partners with Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers to bring awareness to cold cases in hopes of garnering new tips and leads.”

4. Celia Barquin Arozamena 

On September 17, 2018, Celia Barquin Arozamena was found dead at Coldwater Golf Links located in Ames, Iowa. The 22-year-old Iowa State student was an accomplished golfer—she had been named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year in 2018. She had turned pro that spring. She studied civil engineering during her time at Iowa State and was a native of Puente San Miguel in Spain.

Her golf coach at Iowa State, Christie Martens, spoke highly of her in a statement released following Arozamena’s death. “Celia was a beautiful person who was loved by all her teammates and friends. She loved Iowa State and was an outstanding representative for our school. We will never forget her competitive drive to be the best and her passion for life.”

22-year-old Collin Daniel Richards, who was known to police due to prior charges and arrests, was charged with first-degree murder after he was found near the golf course “with several fresh scratches on his face consistent with fighting, and a deep laceration in his left hand that he tried to conceal.” He was sentenced to life in prison without parole in August 2019.

5. Michelle Martinko 

On December 19, 1979, 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was murdered in a mall parking lot in Cedar Rapids. Her death would remain a cold case until 2018. At the time of her murder, Martinko was a senior at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School and was well-regarded as a student and individual. She was a member of the twirling squad and performed in both theater and choir productions. She was planning on attending Iowa State University as an interior design student.

Martinko had gone to the mall alone after two friends declined to go with her. She was last spotted around 9 p.m., and after she failed to return home, her father reported her missing around 2 a.m. He, along with Cedar Rapids police, searched for Martinko before law enforcement officials found her body inside the family’s 1972 Buick Electra in the mall parking lot.

Her case remained unsolved until 2018, when DNA that was previously found in 2006 was shown to be a match for Jerry Lynn Burns. That DNA had been gathered from a sample found on Martinko’s clothing from the night of the murder. He was arrested and found guilty of first-degree murder in February 2020. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole in August 2020. To read more about how the case was solved, click here.

Additional cases

There are numerous Iowa cold cases that remain unsolved as of writing. To learn more about the individuals involved in these cases, click here.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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