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Missouri Cold Cases

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Missouri Murders

If you’re interested in the detailed statistics surrounding the number of murders in Missouri by year, numerous law enforcement agencies’ websites give historical and current records and reports. Furthermore, the Federal Bureau of Investigation compiles and publishes a Uniform Crime Report each year, which covers the many different types of crimes committed, crime statistics and rates, and the general locations where crimes are committed in most cities and counties in every state in the United States.

Aside from law enforcement, Project: Cold Case is a nonprofit organization that has created and published a public database of almost 25,000 unsolved killings across the United States, as well as a page dedicated to the number of unsolved homicides and the homicide clearance rate in each state. Between 1980 and 2019, there were approximately 23,023 homicides in Missouri alone, according to Project: Cold Case’s unsolved homicide statistics website. Around 16,639 of those homicides have been solved over the years, leaving approximately 6,384 unresolved murders in Missouri as of the website’s most recent update.

Few local and state law enforcement agency websites, along with Project: Cold Case, have published lists or databases containing the basic information regarding a few of the cold cases in Missouri. Due to the overall lack of a comprehensive database with Missouri’s cold cases, there are few cases mentioned in the group of databases/lists, including murders in northern Missouri, murders in Jefferson City, Missouri, and murders in Cole County, Missouri. A couple of categories, on the other hand, seemingly have an abundance of cold cases listed within multiple databases. The first of these categories includes the many central Missouri unsolved murders, which include the following: the 1972 murder of Arnold Hayes, the 1970 murder of Allen Thompson, the 1987 murder of Cinde Kemple-Buchner, the 1992 murder of Tammy Zywicki, and the 1997 murder of Gloria Jean Barnes, in addition to the 1985 unsolved disappearance of Jody Ledkins.

Unsolved Missouri Murders

In addition to law enforcement, as of Project: Cold Case’s most recent website update, there are about 6,384 Missouri cold cases. Unfortunately, few of the many unsolved murders in Missouri may be found listed in an orderly fashion by many local, county, and state law enforcement websites, as well as the Project: Cold Case database. Although there is no single database or list of the unsolved murders in northern Missouri, or the unsolved murders in Jefferson City, Missouri, there are plenty of east Missouri unsolved murders that can be found much more easily. Some of these include: the 1974 murder of David Eyman, the 2000 murder of Russell Montjoy, and the 2007 murder of Doris Morrow, among others.


Joseph Smedley
Joseph SmedleySuspicious Death, 2015
Asha Degree
Asha DegreeMissing, 2000

Consider this

More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime community—together we can do better.

Famous Missouri Murders

Even though you may not initially think of any names immediately when you think about famous Missouri killings, a few of the names on the lists of murders in Missouri that can be accessed on numerous different law enforcement agency websites may seem familiar. A few of the names on the different lists of all murders in Missouri, list of Missouri murders, and even notorious Missouri criminals appear to have become household names. Among the most well-known or infamous Missouri murders that remain unsolved to this day are the 1981 murder of Ken McElroy and the 1992 murder of Tammy Zywicki, along with many well-known missing persons cases. Some of these strange and mysterious disappearances include: the 1985 disappearance of Jody Ledkins, the 1991 abduction of Angela Marie Hammond, and the 1992 disappearances of Sherill Levitt, Suzie Streeter, and Stacy McCall, who are commonly known as the “Springfield Three.”


Homicide Rate in Missouri

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2019 Uniform Crime Report (UCR), the violent crime rate in Missouri was at 495 per 100,000 people, meaning that in 2019, 495 people out of 100,000 were directly affected by violent crime. As a reminder, the category of violent crime consists of homicide, assault, burglary, and sexual assault. According to the same FBI data, the 2019 homicide rate in Missouri was approximately 9.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, meaning that more than 9 people per 100,000 Missouri residents were killed in 2019.

Jefferson City, the capital city of Missouri, surprisingly has a relatively low population of over 42,000 inhabitants. Shockingly, the 2018 violent crime rate in Jefferson City, Missouri, was roughly 352.34 per 100,000 people, while the murder rate in Jefferson City, Missouri, was about 11.67 per 100,000 people. Although there is no definite method to anticipate how many murders in Missouri 2021 or how many murders in Jefferson City, Missouri, 2021, we could go through historical crime records to create an informed prediction based on statistics and crime trends throughout time. Based on these archival statistics, the homicide rates in both Jefferson City and Missouri as a whole appear to be steadily increasing every year.


Cole County Murders

Cole County, Missouri, has a rising population of over 76,000 inhabitants, according to the most recent census. Even though we do not know exactly how many Cole County murders have occurred in previous years, we can look at archived FBI Uniform Crime Reports to make a general estimate on the current trends. According to archived reports, in Cole County, there were no murders in 2016, 1 in 2017, none in 2018, and 1 in 2019. Based on this minimal amount of information, it seems that the number of murders in Cole County, Missouri, has remained steady through recent years.

In certain Cole County murders cases, detectives are able to collect enough Cole County murders evidence to prosecute and bring their main suspect to Cole County murders trial. The sorts of evidence commonly offered in Cole County homicide cases are entirely determined by the features and attributes of the crime itself. For example, evidence could include blood, saliva, or other DNA evidence, fingerprints, firearms, and most commonly, Cole County murders crime scene photos, which show the jury the environment surrounding the crime scene, the locations of any important items of evidence, and any other factors that may have an impact.


Jefferson City, Missouri Murders

Because of its size and population, homicides in Jefferson City, Missouri, appear to be significantly less prevalent than in other large Missouri cities. Many of the cold case murders in Jefferson City, Missouri, have been resolved throughout the years, and police continue to investigate the remaining unsolved cases. As long as these cold cases remain cold, the Jefferson City murders discussion will continue on different prominent social media platforms such as Websleuths, Reddit, and Facebook. Users on these social media platforms regularly have discussions centered around speculations, opinions, and thought-sharing about Jefferson City murders pictures, Jefferson City murders crime scene photos, and Jefferson City, Missouri, murders autopsy photos, among other topics.


Missouri Serial Killers

Surprisingly, Missouri has had more Missouri murderers than you may think during its long history. The most well-known or famous Missouri serial killers can be found on any sort of serial killer list, such as list of serial killers in Missouri or other types of Missouri serial killer list. These lists typically include some of the most notorious Missouri serial killers, including: Terry Blair, who murdered at least 8 women; Lorenzo Fayne, who killed 5 children and teenagers; and Theodis Hill, who murdered at least 5 women.


Crimes in Missouri

If you’re open to learning more about the statistics of crimes in Missouri, a number of law enforcement groups provide yearly reports on their websites that describe the sorts of crimes committed in the state. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, for example, releases an annual Uniform Crime Report that includes crime rates and data for every city, county, and state in the United States, including an in-depth report on crime in Missouri.

Unfortunately, it looks as if the number of Missouri homicide and true crime stories in Missouri will never be brought to an end. Between 1980 and 2019, there were about 23,023 homicides in Missouri, according to Project: Cold Case. As of the website’s most recent update, around 16,639 of the killings had been solved, leaving approximately 6,384 unresolved homicides in Missouri alone. Despite this, Missouri’s various law enforcement agencies will continue to work tirelessly to solve all of Missouri’s true crimes.


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Additional Missouri Cold Cases

Lisa IrwinTammy ZywickiEcho LloydLibby CaswellPhoenix ColdonAngela HammondSarah BurtonElizabeth GillChristene SealJody LedkinsTony WoodworthCarol BladesAshley MartinezBranson PerryDiana AultDonald ErwinRobert GarmanJohn CurtisRita RinehartKathrynn SeefeldtSherrill LevittScott KleeschultePaul CappoNancy HarrisGrace WeberCheryl SchererRebecca AlsupYinzhou ZhengJamie ToliverLinda RobertsKristina BishopJohnna WrisingerShannon MinshallToi MitchellSuzanne StreeterStacy McCallLoy EvittsRaymond DampierDana BruceBianca PiperMarc FullertonDouglas BrucksGary BrumleyGebar Byrd JrSebastian CatanzaroEugene CerneyPatrick ChapmanStacey ChatmanKelly ClintonDarrion ColeJaelynn AyersGeorge Bell JrIra BriscoeTavin BoydChristina WhittakerCharles HendersonCharles BellBrandon BankheadThomas BarkfeltCherie BarnesKenneth BassEvan BattertonJeffrey AshfordCheree AtkinsJacquelyn Auten-MetzLynn BaltzleyRichard AshleyPeggy AltSteven AlyeaKelly AllenGary AkersCynthia AllegroSkylar WareGeneva AdamsAngel AveryChristina Burnett-PittsAmanda JonesAnthony AlexanderRobert BabbAnthony BehiterChloe Combe-RivasAshley ConroyCarol CooperCornell Craig-BakerJim CulbertsonRichard DakeMarcus DanielByron DavisJames DenneyOrben DorrellRaymond EiseleChristian FergusonDesirea FerrisClay ForemanChristopher GeorgeVernold GerlerJack GirouChemelle GullyJerry HaleJaden HamiltonRory HarveyJoshua HayesCharles HeeseQuincey HillWilliam HorningSheri JohnsonRobin KerryHeather KullornSalvatore ManzoPatricia MastTimothy MckeithanElijah McreynoldsBreayn MillerRalph MorrisScott MuthJoseph NealMarcus PegelPatrick PeggRobert PetersLarry PlummerSorayda PopcallGlenda PullomJulia SaluckaVeronica SanchezChristian SanchezMichael ShackelfordCatherine SidwellCathy SmithMartha SolingiSandra SpoonHannah StewartLinda StreicherAnita TildenRobert TippitManuel VillaltaRoss VogelRodney WagnerRenate WagnerBradly WaterhouseRichard WeaseJerry WhaleyConnie WilliamsJonathan WilliamsClyde Wiser JrJohn WrightSherry WrisingerJames YarbroughMichelle YarnellBetty AlexanderRicky BrownKenneth HudsonRobert SchmidtTimothy PotterChristopher VasquezDeborah DeanFreda DenmanErma AndrewsGregory BanksTremaine BlackmanMary BrockKaren BrownDonnell CadmeyGregory CampbellRobert ClarkGale ColemanVui DaoDestiny DavisCharles HarrisAnn HayRicardo JamesWilliam KrouseKeira LawrenceMarquan LeeRichard RaineyGregory RossVernon WhitenerTimothy JohnsonJames StanfordChristopher HoeingBeverly WilliamsRacheal HaysonTymon EmilyKenneth WebbTammie WilkinsonBrandon RallsMichael WatersAmber FowlerTeresa ButlerMichael MigneryMarie MuellerJonathan FranklinPaul SmithJanice DietzRonnie BolinDicarlos HiteCraig KinnerWilliam MurphyRebecca DoisyWilma NorwoodMarion MerrittTracy PickettDONACIANO HERNANDEZ ALVAREZKelsey BergMadison WheelerGreg TilleyStephen VaporeanJohnny ThompsonRickey EnochsTheodore GarrisonJulie RossJanet KnifeEddie JohnsonDavid LuzaderMatthew HulseDavid StillwellRussell BoyleNancy BrannonMarilyn BrinsonKevin CalhounMicki WestDavid CookGwendolyn ClemonsKeith JohnsonJessica KinseyLuther BoytKimberly CarterGina ClarkLatonya HillLaura MasonTracy RamseyJohn SmithPamela DaltonMitchell HamiltonCheresa LordiRv MandrellDebbie HallMichael McAvoyJoseph CalcaterraLoyal WiensDiana BraungardtDaryl WilkesClara GrunstTammy FieldsMerecia TobiasMadison WilsonDonald HicksMarvin BakerPhyllis CorbinValerie JonesAaron DayRichard EnkKylan StublerJames MitchellCorrine PattersonAnthony MedearisAlexander SteckRobert GonzalezJames JohnsMichelle HenriJamie PankeyTheotis HudsonSebastian HustedWalter Culp, Jr.Xiang SunDaniel LambertRobert BraunJeffery CockrumJasmine HaslagJohnny KincaidRandall VoylesRobert ParrJuan Porfirio Tum TiuMaurice Harris JrCurtis Crowley Jr.Qutisha WillisTammy SurdamTracey TurnerWilliam Mellis IIIGregory SmartRosie SchlickerEarl JoggerstDavid HeitmanKevin BonineRobert HuddlesonRicky PetersonThomas FlemingFreida FranksSteven BrowderPenny WarfelHaven LiebmannDavid Potts IIJon WilliamsEmilee ShipleyDixie ForresterCleveland RichardsonEdueardo Lucas-CortezRichard SprowlLiehnia ChapinVijaykumar PatelRobert RuoffRobert Costello, JrPatricia GirouSussette BenhardtBrenda DunhamDonald FaganBarbara StofferAlex ValverdeJeffrey NewellVictoria AguekJohn WagnerKarrissa HicksJennifer ConroyCrystal KipperShirley McKeownRenee PerniceJack BradyCheryl KenneyWilliam Nesheim JrGina BrooksTammy RothgangerShawn GallagherHarold JenkinsGary McConnellLaura McMillenGloria PalmerJennifer McCoyRichard GillespieRobert PutnamJennifer DonaisRoger MillerDonald ShawShemika CoseyMichelle FennellLamont BrownGerald WillisHazel HessLisa BesteKimberly TatumWalter Asbridge IIIRoy BrandelAaron BriscoeDonald DavisShelley DillonKevin GarfieldWayne Gooch, JrNicole GrayRichard HessMarc JonesAndrew KeysVicki LourMark MatyGary McCulloughNorvel Nelson IIIRicky PhillipsJudy WardripCurtis WeatherlyMaureen WebbRene WilliamsDaniel WolfJames EdwardsJanelle JohnsonJohn VetschAmanda CaudillDonna LagermannMary WeeklySamuel ArmstrongDennis DuhartClinton RameyKenneth SextonWilliam TrainorEdmond WebsterMark PrattCrystal LayLetitia RegansLaurie SteinerCharlotte JonesCarol TateGary KaeterJames RichertThomas DarnellRobert DickeyLeah RiceMiguel VillarrealBrandon WoodChristopher LuningLinda CritesJennifer DawsonJessica Rickman