Matthew John Owen, known to many as M. John Owen, was found dead on the kitchen floor of his Cedar Rapids home on the morning of January 18, 2013. The 90-year-old lived alone at 107 Gas Light Ct. SW, across from Kirkwood Community College. Police were alerted after a neighbor noticed Owen’s front door standing open and called authorities.
The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner later ruled Owen’s death a homicide, caused by multiple blunt-force injuries. Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said investigators quickly determined the killing was not random and believed Owen likely knew the person responsible.
Owen had only lived in the quarter-million-dollar home for about two months before his death, having recently moved from Washington County. In the short time between his move and the morning he was found dead, police had already been called to the home seven times. Officers investigated reports of burglaries, thefts, a suspicious person, and conducted multiple welfare checks. Jewelry, cash, and a television were reported stolen, but no arrests were ever made.
While investigators initially struggled to identify a motive, a subsequent investigation by The Gazette revealed a complicated and controversial personal life that may have placed Owen at risk. According to reporting, Owen frequently boasted about his wealth, often wore large amounts of expensive jewelry, and openly discussed his finances with people he barely knew. He was also known to spend large sums of cash at local strip clubs and was a regular at Woody’s Show Club in Cedar Rapids, where he was known by name.
In the months leading up to his death, court records and interviews indicated Owen had relationships with at least six young women between the ages of 18 and 23. Some described being financially supported by Owen, who paid for housing, phones, clothing, and even cosmetic or medical expenses. Several women said he referred to them as his “chickies” and expected companionship and personal attention in return. Others said Owen became hostile when they attempted to distance themselves or refused to comply with his demands.
Owen’s personal life had already been marked by turmoil. He married his third wife, Ruth Maxine Forinash Wells, in 1956. After more than five decades of marriage, Owen filed for divorce in 2009 while Ruth was living in a nursing home. She died roughly six months later, before the divorce was finalized. An estate dispute followed, revealing Owen had withdrawn at least $150,000 from joint accounts without Ruth’s knowledge and placed the money into an account accessible only to himself and his son.
One of the most troubling details emerged from the night before Owen’s death. A young woman told The Gazette she and her two-year-old niece were at Owen’s home when he received a call from a young man he knew. According to the woman, the caller claimed to have Owen’s stolen jewelry and said he was coming to the house to return it, instructing Owen to be home alone. The woman said Owen abruptly asked them to leave. She reported hearing nothing from him afterward and returned the next morning to find the home sealed as a crime scene.
Despite the numerous leads and the complex web of relationships surrounding Owen, the case remains unresolved. Chief Jerman acknowledged the unusual nature of the investigation but declined to discuss specific details, stating only that detectives were following the evidence wherever it led. Owen’s grandson, Brandon Owen, said police advised the family not to speak publicly and declined to comment.
Matthew John Owen was born on November 29, 1922. Private family services were held at a later date, with arrangements handled by the Jones & Eden Funeral Home in Washington, Iowa. His wife Ruth was buried at Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington following her death in 2009.
More than a decade later, Owen’s killing remains one of Cedar Rapids’ most perplexing unsolved homicide cases—marked by wealth, vulnerability, and unanswered questions.
