More than two decades after 18-year-old Eric Scott Redinbo died from a single shotgun blast inside a Keokuk home, his family is still searching for answers.
On the night of February 12, 1999, police were called to the west-side residence of Susan Anderson around 8:40 p.m. Officers found Redinbo deceased from a head wound caused by a 12-gauge shotgun. Investigators quickly labeled the incident an accidental shooting, saying Redinbo may have been trying to unload the firearm when it discharged.
But just two days later — on Valentine’s Day — another shooting rocked the same neighborhood. Dolores “Toni” Hornung, 48, was discovered in her home less than 100 feet away. She had been killed by a single shot from a .30-30 rifle. Her death was immediately investigated as a homicide.
The close timing and proximity of the two deaths raised obvious concerns. One investigator described them as a “suspicious coincidence” in a February 18 article published in the Estherville Daily News. Lee County Attorney Mike Short noted at the time that the lack of clear information only added to the unease.
An autopsy revealed a bullet lodged in Hornung’s head. Her boyfriend, Lewis Ray Greer of Bonaparte, was charged with first-degree murder but later acquitted after a four-day trial. The rifle used in her killing has never been found.
For Eric Redinbo’s mother, Carolyn Redinbo Robinson, the questions have never stopped. She has long believed the two cases are connected — and that her son did not die by accident or suicide. She says the family was not allowed to identify his body, a decision that has left them without closure to this day.
Others close to Hornung also believe the deaths are linked. Becky White Feather Riney, who says she was the last person to speak with Hornung, recalls a phone call from her friend on February 12. Hornung had been told unsettling details about Redinbo’s alleged accidental shooting by someone in the same house where it occurred. Hornung took her concerns to police and shared them with friends. She was killed the very next day.
Hornung’s daughter, Jessica Raleigh, has publicly voiced her belief that the two tragedies are connected. She continues to urge anyone with information — no matter how small — to come forward.
Eric Scott Redinbo was born August 21, 1980, in Lafayette, Indiana. He grew up in Keokuk and worked for CHMI. He is remembered by his parents, sisters, stepfather, and extended family. He was laid to rest at Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk.
