List Series: Midwest Mysteries vol. II

The following is the second installment of a new posting series: Midwest Mysteries. This list contains unsolved murder or disappearance from each state in the West North Central region of the Midwest: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Links to more detailed write-ups and tip submissions for each case are provided.

MIDWEST MYSTERIES: VOLUME TWO.
Use this link to find Volume One. 

IOWA:

The Murders of Lyric Cook-Morrisey and Elizabeth Collins (2012)

Lyric Cook Morrissey (top), Elizabeth Collins (bottom) 

Young cousins Lyric Cook-Morrissey (10) and Elizabeth Collins (8) vanished in Evansdale, Iowa on July 13th, 2012. The young girls disappeared after leaving their grandmother's house to go for a bike ride together. Family members began looking for Lyric and Elizabeth after hours passed without their return. After they were unable to locate the girls themselves, they called the police.

Hours later, the girls' bikes were found abandoned in the southeast corner of Meyers Lake. The bikes were leaned up against a fence and did not have any damage to them. Elizabeth's purse and cell phone were also found, but nothing else on the scene yielded any clues to their whereabouts. Eventually, police announced their belief that Lyric and Elizabeth had been abducted from that area.

Investigators initially received many tips in the case. However, as weeks turned into months without any sign of the girls, the tips began to dwindle. Several searches were conducted, but they ended unsuccessfully. 

Months later, on December 5th, 2012, a group of hunters called police after finding two sets of human remains in a wooded area of the Seven Bridges Wildlife Park. Days later, it was confirmed that the remains were that of Lyric and Elizabeth. An autopsy determined that they had been murdered.

Despite numerous theories, the murders of these two young girls still remain unsolved today. There is currently a $100,000 reward in place for information that leads to an arrest in the case.

If you have any information that could help solve this case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on this case.

KANSAS:

The Disappearance of Alex LaRussa (2017)

source:ksal.com

Alex LaRussa has been missing since December 8th, 2017. The then-25-year-old was last seen around the area of Iron and Ohio in Salina, Kansas. Alex never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Alex went missing just a few months after moving from Great Bend to Salina, Kansas. In July 2017, he injured his leg and ultimately ended up having it amputated. After this injury, he decided to move to Salina to be closer to his family. 

Over a month after Alex went missing, on January 14th, 2018, Alex’s car was found abandoned on a farm in New Cambria, Kansas. Many of his personal items were found inside the vehicle, including his wheelchair, clothing, and cell phone. The discovery of the vehicle did not otherwise yield any other clues as to Alex's whereabouts.

Alex remains missing today. Very few details have been revealed about the investigation. Both investigators and family members hope for someone with information to come forward.

If you have any information that could lead to Alex's whereabouts, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Alex's case.

MINNESOTA:

The Disappearance of Nevaeh Kingbird (2021)

source: Dateline

 Nevaeh Kingbird has been missing since October 23rd, 2021. The then-15-year-old was last seen running from a residence in Bemidji, Minnesota. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Nevaeh's mother initially reported her daughter missing as a runaway. Nevaeh had run away before, but usually maintained contact with her loved ones. She also frequently posted to social media. This time around, though, Nevaeh's social media went inactive, and calls and texts to her phone went unanswered. Knowing this was uncharacteristic, Nevaeh's loved ones have grown to fear that she was harmed.

Reports state that Nevaeh's brother was told that she might have gotten injured shortly before vanishing. More specifically, Nevaeh's brother was told that Nevaeh climbed out the window of a Southview Terrace Park home around 2:00 AM and hit her head. She then reportedly laid on the ground for some time before getting up and running off. 

Extensive searches have been conducted for Nevaeh, but unfortunately no sign of her has been found. She remains missing today. The FBI is involved in the search.

If you have any information that could lead to Nevaeh's whereabouts, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Nevaeh's case.

MISSOURI:

The Disappearance and Murder of Brandon Herring (2016)

source: Youtube

Brandon Herring vanished in Raytown, Missouri on November 22nd, 2016. The then-21-year-old lived with his mother and siblings at the time of his disappearance. Brandon was also an expecting father. In fact, Brandon's fiancé was just days away from giving birth when he vanished. He unfortunately never had the chance to meet his child.

Brandon's family members reported him missing after he left and never returned home. Eventually, Brandon's family spoke to someone who said that they saw him sitting on the steps of the Park Meadows Apartment complex on November 24th - two days after he was last seen. His family members subsequently went to the apartment complex, where they found several shell casings and a unit with a window that had been shot out. Police reportedly collected evidence from that area but did not find or speak to anyone inside the unit.

Months later, human remains were found in a creek at Swope Park. Days later, the body was identified as that of Brandon Herring. An autopsy determined he died from gunshot wounds. His death was subsequently labeled a homicide.

Years have passed, and Brandon's murder remains unsolved. Brandon's family has vowed to never give up on the fight for justice. There is monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to Brandon's killer(s). 

If you have any information that could solve Brandon's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Brandon's case.

NEBRASKA:

The Murder of Kelcey Fike (2008)

Source: Kearney Hub

 Kelcey Fike was murdered inside her Kearney, Nebraska home on June 17th, 2008. The 21-year-old lived in the home with her boyfriend, however he was out of town at the time of Kelcey's death. Kelcey sent her final text around 1:00 AM that morning. Just hours later, she was deceased.

Police were called around 4:30 AM after neighbors noticed that Kelcey's home had erupted into flames. After firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, they found Kelcey. It was clear that she had not survived. 

However, Kelcey's exact cause of death was not immediately clear. Due her lack of severe burns, investigators initially thought that Kelcey died from smoke inhalation - but as investigators took a closer look, they determined that was not true. Kelcey’s body was covered in bruises, her nose was broken, and she had suffered blunt-force trauma to the head. 

An autopsy determined that Kelcey was strangled by hand and by a ligature. It was then declared that Kelcey had been murdered, and her killer had set her house on fire afterwards as an attempt to cover it up. Authorities believe that Kelcey was killed by someone she knew. Her boyfriend has been cleared of suspicion, as he had an alibi working with the Nebraska National Guard. 

Police are hoping that DNA will help solve Kelcey's case. It remains opened today.

If you have any information that could solve Kelcey's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Kelcey's case.

NORTH DAKOTA:

The Suspicious Death of Olivia Lone Bear (2017)

Source: Bismarck Tribune

 Olivia Lone Bear vanished in New Town, North Dakota on October 24th, 2017. The 32-year-old woman was last seen leaving a local bar near her home on the Fort Berthold Reservation. It is believed that she made it home that night, as her wallet, cell phone, and the clothes she was wearing that night were inside her residence. However, Olivia herself and the truck she had been borrowing were both nowhere to be found. 

Nine months passed without any significant news in Olivia's case. Then, on July 27th, 2018, a group of volunteers spotted the vehicle Olivia was driving underwater in Lake Sakakawea. Authorities were notified, and a few days later, professional search teams entered the water. It was then that the pickup truck was removed from the water. Inside the vehicle was Olivia's body. She had been buckled into the front passenger seat. 

An autopsy was unable to determine the cause of Olivia's death. There were reportedly no signs of significant trauma on her body. Reports state that the medical personnel were "unable to determine a definitive traumatic, natural, or toxicological cause for her death."

At this time, foul play has not been ruled out. The exact cause and manner of Olivia's death remain unsolved. The FBI is involved in the case, but very little information about the investigation has been revealed.

If you have any information that could solve Olivia's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Olivia's case.

SOUTH DAKOTA:

The Murder of Victoria Eagleman (2006)

Source: The Criminal Mind

Victoria Eagleman was 33 years old when she vanished on July 28th, 2006. The mother-of-five spent that day swimming and drinking along the Missouri River on the Lower Brule Lakota Indian Reservation. She never returned home and was never seen alive by her family and friends again.

Weeks later, on August 22nd, 2006, a group of volunteers organized a search for Victoria with over 200 community members participating. It was during that search that Victoria's nude body was found stuffed in a culvert on a remote part of the reservation. There were obvious signs of trauma to her body, and investigators later determined that her death was likely caused by blunt force trauma to the head. 

It's been reported that Victoria was in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend at the time of her disappearance/death. She was with her boyfriend on the day of her disappearance, and according to her sister, the couple had been arguing. However, Victoria's boyfriend has never been publicly named as a suspect — nor has anyone to date.

Victoria's case remains unsolved. The FBI is involved in Victoria's murder investigation. 

If you have any information that could solve Victoria's case, please submit a tip.

Read the full write-up on Victoria's case.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this post is to spread awareness about these cases. The information provided in this post is information that was found through various sources on the internet. Sources used are provided in the full case write-ups. If any information on this post is inaccurate, please contact the author via email at truecasefiles@gmail.com or through Instagram and the errors can be corrected. Additionally, if you have any information that could improve the accuracy or quality of this post, please contact the author. We want these cases solved!