The Murder of Ashley Okland

Source: CBS News

Ashley Okland was only 27 years-old when she was shot to death during the broad daylight on April 8th, 2011. 

The day of Ashley's murder began as a regular day for the young woman. She was an employee of Iowa Realty Co., and she went to work that day on Stone Creek Court in West Des Moines. Around 2:00 PM, another realty employee heard a loud commotion coming from one of the model townhomes. The employee went to investigate and found Ashley on the floor, suffering from gunshot wounds. 

Police were called to the scene, and when they arrived, they determined that Ashley had been shot twice. Ashley was subsequently transported to the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. She unfortunately succumbed to her injuries while at the hospital.

Ashley's murder has baffled her loved ones. Ashley's brother, with whom she was very close, stated that there was no indication that Ashley was afraid of anyone or that she had any fears for her safety. A motive for her murder remains unknown; she did not have any known enemies, nor was she known to be involved in any dangerous or criminal activity. 

Several years passed without any arrests in Ashley's case. For nearly 15 years, no suspects were ever been publicly named. A search warrant was executed during the early stages of the murder investigation, but it was sealed and remains at that status today. After years ticked by without an arrest, Ashley's case was eventually passed to a cold case unit.

Family and friends remember Ashley as a kind, caring, and hardworking young woman. During her free time, she volunteered for Young Variety and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Ashley was reportedly passionate about helping young children. In 2014, the Ashley Okland Star Playground - a playground adapted for children with special needs - was opened in Ashley's honor at Ewing Park. 

Over the years, a large amount of money has been raised as a monetary incentive for anyone with information about Ashley's murder to come forward. In 2021, it was reported that "investigators assigned to the case are confident that someone has crucial knowledge about the time leading up to her death and the identities of those involved." However, the years continued to tick by without any updates.

That all changed in March 2026, when the West Des Moines Police announced that an arrest had finally been made in Ashley's case. On March 18th, 2026, a woman named Kristin Ramsey was arrested and charged with in connection with the killing of Ashley Okland. 

Ramsey is currently 53 years old. At this time, a connection between Ashley and Ramsey has not been revealed. The case is currently ongoing, and updates will be provided if/when they become available.

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Sources:
CBS News
Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa
The Des Moines Register
KCCI Des Moines
People

The Disappearance of Timothy Vincent

Source: Iowa Missing Persons

Timothy Dean Vincent has been missing since May 1st, 2017. The then-26-year-old was last seen in Des Moines, Iowa. Very little information is known about the circumstances under which Timothy vanished, and he has never been seen or heard from again.

Timothy was not reported missing until December 3rd, 2018 - over a year and a half after he was last seen. It is unknown why it took so long for his disappearance to be reported, and additional details about Timothy's life prior to vanishing are minimal. His NamUs page provides a little bit of information, such as that he typically carried around a wallet, chain, and a backpack or duffel bag that contained snacks and/or other personal items. It was also noted that Timothy often carried around some sort of protection; his family reportedly shared that he owned a sword. 

Various sources state Timothy lived in several different states throughout his life, including Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, Indiana, and possibly Illinois and Nebraska. However, it's unknown if there is any evidence that he went to any of these places after vanishing from Des Moines. Authorities in Iowa have been the only investigating agency in Timothy's disappearance.

Timothy's case has not received attention from the media. His NamUs profile was not created until February 2024, several years after he vanished. While Timothy's case remains opened, it appears it was a cold case from the onset of the investigation. 

Timothy is described as a black male with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was approximately 6'4" and 200 pounds. If you have any information that could lead to Timothy's whereabouts, please contact the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 515-725-6036.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Iowa Missing Persons
NamUs

The Disappearance and Death of Sebastian 'Ty' Husted

The above images are of Sebastian Tyrese Husted - known as Ty by family and friends - pictured at the age of 18. The image on the right is the last known image of Ty before he vanished. He went missing on January 22nd, 2018.

Ty posted the pictures to his Facebook page three days earlier, on January 19th. That same day, he also wrote “Feels good to be workin’ again” in a Facebook post. Ty was referring to a job he had recently gotten as a power washer at a hog farm in Mercer County, Missouri. The hog farm was over an hour’s drive away from his family’s home in Centerville Iowa. 

On the day Ty was last seen, he arranged to carpool with a coworker to the farm. However, after being driven there, Ty reportedly texted his brother and asked him to pick him up, as his coworker was acting strange and aggressive. His brother replied to ask for an address, but Ty never got back to him. He never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again. Ty was reported missing two days later.

Ty’s family members later learned that the co-worker returned to Centerville without him. Police inevitably questioned this man, but according to Ty’s family, nothing ever came of their questioning. Police looked at Ty’s cell phone records, which revealed that his final phone ping was near the hog farm on the day of his disappearance. 

Eventually, searches were conducted in that area, and pits at the hog farm were drained, but unfortunately no clues were found. These searches not conducted until weeks after his disappearance, so many believed that they were conducted too late. By this point, evidence could have potentially been destroyed by the hogs or other environmental factors on the farm.

Ty’s sister Ieesha Husted told reporters that she believes there was no urgency in the early stages of Ty’s disappearance because investigators thought he was missing on his own accord. However, Ty’s family members never believed this to be true. Ty had a child on the way and was reportedly looking forward to becoming a father. 

Ieesha also told reporters that their family has tried to reach out to the co-worker Ty was last seen with on many occasions. They have not received any replies from him. It is unclear if police are still investigating this man. He has not been identified in the public.

Years passed without any updates in Ty's case. Then, in April 2024, turkey hunters found human remains on a private property in northeast Mercer County. Days later, those remains were confirmed to be that of Sebastian Tyrese Husted. 

At this time, a cause/manner of death has not been revealed. It appears that the circumstances surrounding Ty's death are still being investigated. Ty's family is still hoping to find answers about what led to his disappearance and death. 

If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact Mercer County Sheriff’s Office at (660) 748-3165.

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Sources:
Charley Project

Des Moines Register
Iowa Department of Public Safety
News Press Now
Ottumwa Courier

People
Sebastian's Facebook

The Murders of Lyric Cook-Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins

Lyric Cook-Morrissey (left) and Elizabeth Collins (right)

July 13th, 2012 began as a typical summer day for young cousins Lyric Cook-Morrissey (10) and Elizabeth Collins (8). That morning, young girls were dropped off by their respective parents at their grandmother Wylma Cook's house, located in the small town of Evansdale, Iowa. Shortly before noon, Lyric and Elizabeth decided to go for a bike ride together; something they had done several times that summer. The girls typically returned from their bike rides within the hour, but this time, they never returned. 

After 2PM, Lyric's mother Misty Cook-Morrissey arrived at Wylma's house to pick Lyric up--but the girls had still not returned from their bike ride. At that point, it had been over 2 hours since Lyric and Elizabeth had left. Their family members briefly searched the area for the two girls but were unable to find any trace of them. Police were called very shortly thereafter, and a search for Lyric and Elizabeth immediately began.

Within hours, police were able to locate witnesses who saw Lyric and Elizabeth riding their bikes in the 1000 block of Lake Avenue, which is located near Meyers Lake. This prompted investigators to search the bike trails around the lake and other surrounding areas. At approximately 4 PM, their 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. 

Over the next several days, larger-scale searches were launched for Lyric and Elizabeth. The FBI joined the investigation and sent a team of divers to search Meyers Lake to see if the girls had possibly fallen into the water. Meanwhile, investigators also questioned Lyric and Elizabeth's family members and a number of registered sex offenders from the area. The interviews concluded without any suspects or persons of interest being announced. 

By July 20th, 2012, investigators ruled out drowning or any other accidental cause for their disappearances. From that point forward, it was believed that Lyric and Elizabeth had been abducted. Investigators received several tips at first, but none of them panned out. As weeks turned into months without any sign of Lyric and Elizabeth, the number of tips began to decrease. Still, both investigators and family members held out hope that the girls were alive.

On December 5th, 2012, a group of hunters found two sets of human remains in a wooded area of the Seven Bridges Wildlife Park, located over 25 miles away from Evansdale. Police were called, and the area was subsequently labeled as a crime scene. Due to the small stature of the remains, it was immediately believed that they belonged to Lyric and Elizabeth. By December 10th, 2012, forensic examination confirmed that bodies found were indeed that of the missing cousins. The case then shifted to a homicide investigation. 

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Who killed Lyric and Elizabeth?

source: cbsnews.com

The murders of Lyric and Elizabeth has haunted Evansdale for over a decade. Many questions are left unanswered. Namely, who killed these young girls? And why? 

Early suspicions about family connections.

Shortly after the girls were reported missing, it was revealed that both of Lyric's parents struggled with drug abuse. In fact, Lyric's father Dan Morrissey was facing several years in prison for felony drug charges that involved the making and manufacturing of meth. 

Daniel Morrissey (source: wcfcourier.com)

Due to this, many initially theorized that Lyric and Elizabeth were kidnapped and murdered by somebody associated with Dan. However, Lyric's Dan has repeatedly denied this, and investigators have not been able to link Dan's criminal past to Lyric and Elizabeth's case. 

2013 update: Witness information.

In June 2013, investigators announced a possible lead in the case. Three separate witnesses had come forward claiming to have seen an older model, white, SUV-type vehicle parked near Meyers Lake on the day of Lyric and Elizabeth's abduction. 

Two of the witnesses told police that they saw the car parked between two bike trail signs. The other witness reportedly saw the car in a spot just a couple hundred feet from where the girl's bikes were found. All three witnesses saw the car in that area between 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM. 

The driver of said vehicle has never been identified, but many maintain the belief that the vehicle was involved in Lyric and Elizabeth's kidnapping.

2014: FBI profile of suspect.

In August 2014, a (now-defunct) website dedicated to Lyric and Elizabeth's case posted an offender profile for a potential suspect. The profile, developed by the FBI, stated the following about a potential suspect:

• The offender is familiar with both Meyers Lake/Angels Park in Evansdale and Seven Bridges Wildlife Area in Bremer County.
  
  
• The suspect chose Seven Bridges because he or she was familiar with the area and knew it was secluded.
  
  
• The offender blends in with and may be part of the Evansdale, Bremer and surrounding communities.
  
  
• The suspect likely used “quiet coercion” to gain the girls’ compliance into leaving Meyers Lake, using a ruse or threats of violence.
  
  
• The suspect may have been experiencing stress related to legal troubles, spousal problems, employment difficulties, financial strain or mental health issues in July 2012.
  
  
• The suspect may avoid discussing the case or showing interest in the matter but is likely following developments in the media.
  
  
• The offender may have attempted to abduct children or adults in the past.
  
  
• Following the disappearance, the suspect may have altered his or her physical appearance, such as changing hair style and facial hair. The offender’s vehicle may also have been altered with a new paint job or re-upholstery.

At this point, investigators also announced that they believed that whoever killed Lyric and Elizabeth acted alone - and they are only looking for one suspect. However, in 2015, it was announced that investigators still did not have any suspects or persons of interest in the case.

2017: A similar case and a false confession.

In February 2017, an eerily similar double murder occurred in Delphi, Indiana. Two teenage girls named Liberty German (14) and Abigail Williams (13) were reported missing after they went hiking on the Monon High Bridge in Delphi.

 The girls were supposed to meet Liberty's father for a ride home at 3:15 PM, but they never showed up. The following day, their bodies were found on the north bank of the Deer River, located just half a mile from the bridge. They had been stabbed to death.

Liberty German (left) Abigail Williams (right)

Due to the similar natures of the two cases, many theorized that whoever killed Lyric and Elizabeth also killed Liberty and Abigail. In March 2017, it was announced that investigators in Delphi and Evansdale had "compared notes", but no connection between the two cases were found at that time.  

In 2022, 50-year-old Richard Allen was arrested and charged with the murders of Liberty German and Abigail Williams. As of today, Allen has not been linked to the murders of Lyric and Elizabeth.

During the same year that Liberty and Abigal were murdered, investigators announced that two people had confessed to killing Lyric and Elizabeth. Police questioned the two individuals and eventually eliminated them after it became clear that they did not know intimate details of the case. The identities of the two people who confessed have never been revealed. 

2018: 

In May 2018, a woman named Teresa Gerleman killed both herself and her 8-year-old son in a murder-suicide in Belle Plain. Prior to her death, Teresa had told someone that she knew what happened to Lyric and Elizabeth. This information was provided to police, and police subsequently obtained a search warrant for Teresa's house.

However, reports later stated the information that Teresa had was "old information" had already been obtained by investigators. It's still unclear, however, if there was any validity to said information.

Today.

As of 2022, Lyric and Elizabeth's case remains unsolved. Despite the numerous theories, investigators have still not announced any suspects in the case. There is a monetary reward for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of a suspect. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please report a tip to the FBI. 

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Sources:
CBS News
The Courier
The Gazette
Iowa Cold Cases
KCRG
KETV

The Disappearance and Death of Ethan Kazmerzak

Ethan Kazmerzak was only 22 years old when he vanished during the early morning hours of September 15th, 2013. He was last seen in Hampton, Iowa. On the evening of September 14th, Ethan was seen at a few different local pubs in the Hampton area. He later went to a party at a gravel pit pond located behind a house on 190th Street. Around 12:15am, Ethan called his mother and told her that he was on his way home. He never made it there, and was never seen or heard from again.

Ethan's vehicle vanished with him. Due to this, many theorized that Ethan might have driven his car into a body of water located in the rural area near the party. A pond near Olive Avenue was searched just days after Ethan's disappearance, but nothing was found. Divers returned to that same pond in November 2013 and still did not spot any evidence. Eventually, investigators began to separate from the that theory. In fact, during September 2019, reporters asked Hampton police Chief Bob Schaefer what he thought about the theory that Ethan had driven into water--to which he replied, "Based on what I know of that night, I don't think so."

Throughout the investigation into Ethan's disappearance, detectives chased many leads and conducted many interviews. Still, no trace of Ethan was found. Then, in October 2020, scuba diver and YouTuber Jason Leisek went diving into the pond near Olive Avenue--where searches for Ethan had previously taken place. During his dive, Leisek spotted a vehicle. The car was located about 90 feet from the edge of the water, and only approximately 8 feet from the pond's surface. All the windows on the vehicle were rolled up, but the front windshield was missing. Once the car was removed from the water, investigators discovered human remains inside. Police later announced that those remains were that of Ethan Kazmerzak.

It's unclear why the vehicle was not spotted during the professional investigative searches that occurred years earlier. The car was found relatively close to the pond's surface and was reportedly very easy for Leisek to spot. Due to this, some have theorized that the vehicle somehow entered the pond at some point after those 2013 searches were conducted. This has not been confirmed and the investigation is still ongoing. 

Investigators are encouraging anyone with information about Ethan's disappearance and death to come forward. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please go here to submit an anonymous tip. 

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[List Series: Unsolved Party Mysteries Vol. II]

The Murder of Lindsay Nichols

22 year-old Lindsay Nichols (top left) was starting a new chapter in her life when she was brutally murdered by 45 year-old Timothy Roses (top right) on March 21st, 2012.

That day, Lindsay updated her status on Facebook to announce her relationship with her new boyfriend, Chase Weber. She was finally moving on from a months-long affair she had with Timothy—a married doctor she had met while studying radiology at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Iowa. Lindsay ended the affair in February 2012, and Timothy did not take the break-up well. He allegedly sent Lindsay several text messages while trying to win her back, but Lindsay refused and the situation escalated when she updated her relationship status with Chase on March 21st.

Enraged by Lindsay’s new relationship, Timothy then decided to take matters into his own hands. He rented a truck with out-of-state license plates and watched as Chase picked Lindsay up from Waterloo to drive her to his home in Jesup, a town located approximately 15 miles away. Timothy followed Chase and Lindsay all the way to Chase’s driveway. At that point, Lindsay realized it was Timothy who was following them and she got out of the car to confront him while Chase called the police. A brief argument ensued that ended with Timothy shooting Lindsay in the head before he turned the gun on himself.

The shooting was ultimately classified as a murder-suicide. This incident was incredibly tragic not only for Lindsay’s loved ones, but Timothy’s as well. An investigation into the murder-suicide revealed that Timothy not only had a wife, but an entire family back in Plano, Texas. His wife was apparently unaware that he was having an affair, and she had recently given birth to their fourth child just nine months prior to this unfortunate event. 

Lindsay’s family has since filed a lawsuit against the Roses’ estate, which is currently pending.

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Lists including this case:
[Deadly Age Gaps]

[Love Triangles with Tragic Endings]

The Disappearance of Fredrick Workman

Fredrick Workman has been missing since August 2nd, 2013. The 15 year-old was living at a juvenile youth facility in Des Moines, Iowa at the time of his disappearance. According to Fredrick’s father, Fredrick was caught breaking into cars on several different occasions and was eventually put into this probation program. On the day he vanished, Fredrick was reportedly told by a probation officer that he could not return to his home in Fairfield until he completed the program. It is believed that Fredrick left the facility on his own accord shortly thereafter. He has never been seen or heard from again. 

Years have passed since Fredrick went missing, but unfortunately there are very few details available about his disappearance. Some sources say that he might have traveled to Newton, Iowa, but it is unclear where that information came from. As time has passed without any sign of him, fears for Fredrick's safety have significantly increased. Fredrick’s father has stayed dedicated to locating his son and is continuing to spread awareness about Fredrick’s disappearance. His father explained that Fredrick had several run-ins with the law as a teenager—and he believes that Fredrick began acting out as a result of being abused by a trusted family-friend. Fredrick’s repeated run-ins with police are what ultimately landed him in the juvenile facility. It is unclear how he was able to leave the facility undetected.

Fredrick remains missing today. The Des Moines police are investigating his disappearance. If you have any information that could lead to Fredrick’s whereabouts, please contact 1-515-283-4811.