Dozens of cold cases in Iowa Quad-Cities could get another look with state cold case unit (2024)

Dozens of cold cases in Scott, Clinton and Muscatine counties could get an another look by a new statewide cold case unit in the Iowa attorney general's office.

"The way that I look at it is I think every victim matters," Bird said in an interview this week with the Quad-City Times/Dispatch Argus. "... Anyone who has information on any leads or information they think that we would need to know should call our office or call local law enforcement and let them know, because sometimes even just a small piece of information can help to uncover more leads in a case."

The unit will have three investigators and one prosecutor dedicated to cracking the more than 400 cold cases in Iowa. The unit is funded by $530,000 appropriated by the state Legislature.

Led bySteve Ponsetto, a former Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations special agent, the investigators will each be assigned to two of Iowa's six law enforcement regions, Bird said.

The unit will partner with local agencies to investigate homicides or likely homicides where there are no current active leads.

Iowa Cold Cases, a website operated by Iowan Jody Ewing that provides case summaries, articles, and updates of Iowa's unsolved murders and missing persons, lists 44 cold cases in Scott County.

The most recent is Jovontia Antonio "Jovi" Jones, a 16-year-old who was shot outside Hilltop Liquors in 2018 and died the next day.No one has ever been charged in connection toJones' death.

Jones' death spurred a concentrated effort by Davenport officials curb violence among young people. But it also led to the formation of a new gang among teenagers and retaliatory violence in Davenport.

The oldest case listed in Scott County is of a 70-year-old Charles Englehart who was struck in the head in 1935 as he tried to exit his parked vehicle.

In Clinton County, it goes back further. John Bernard "Henry" Nurre and his wife Elizabeth Nurre were attacked in their home in rural Clinton County in 1890. He died the same day.

Bird said the new unit wouldn't place a time limit on the cases because a decades-old homicide could still be solvable.

"We want to bring criminals to justice," Bird said. "That is very important and we want to get answers for families. But there might be sometimes, too, where the answer for the family is to let them know that the person that did it has passed away, and at that point, the family knows that the murderer isn't out walking around in their community."

The new cold case unit supervisor, Ponsetto, has already been reaching out to law enforcement agencies to see what physical or other evidence is still available in cold cases, Bird said.

Bird said the unit is designed to be a support system for local law enforcement agencies.

"The importance of having a dedicated unit is because if they were just handling all homicides, then when a new homicide happened, it would be very important that they respond to that quickly," Bird said. "But here, having a dedicated statewide, cold case unit, that is their job every single day to work those cold cases."

Bird gave a few examples of what the unit may help a local agency do. Each case is different, she said, but sometimes they may focus on locating physical evidence and storage, try new scientific testing, or receive tips from witnesses or people involved in the case that may previously have been afraid to come forward.

She said she wants everyone who's lost a loved one or friend and their case has gone unsolved that "we never give up."

"After meeting and working with many of these families, some of whom have waited decades, it's clear to me that all of this is worth it if we just solve one case," Bird said. "Everybody matters and we're just going to work hard and see where that case investigation leads us, but when you see what some of these families have gone through, it's all worth it if we solve one case."

Davenport Police Captain Greg Behning said in an emailed statement that the Davenport Police Department is excited to see the Iowa Attorney General's Office moving forward with a statewide cold case unit.

“We look forward to blending the hard work of our personnel with the fresh perspectives and innovative strategies of the cold case unit," Behning said. "This collaboration on cold, but not forgotten, cases, offers renewed hope for achieving long-awaited resolutions.”

To submit a cold case tip, contact the Iowa Attorney General's Office at 1-800-242-5100 or coldcase@ag.iowa.gov