On November 22, 1976, 51-year-old John Robert Hill was found dead inside the Ottumwa Launderette on East Main Street.
Hill owned and operated the business. His body was discovered at approximately 5:06 that morning by two young men who had gone to the laundromat.
Hill was found face down in a small room inside the business. Investigators determined he had been stabbed 21 times and had also been shot.
A .25-caliber pistol was found on the floor near Hill’s right hand. Investigators determined the gun had been fired five times. Five bullet holes were also found near the front door, although four bullets were recovered inside the building.
The crime scene showed evidence of a lengthy and violent struggle.
Investigators also found Hill’s pockets turned inside out and believed several hundred dollars had been taken.
One of the most unusual pieces of evidence was found written in blood at the scene. Two words were discovered. One was interpreted as either “black” or “lack,” while the other appeared to be “older.” Investigators never established the meaning of the words or who wrote them.
The Ottumwa Police Department was assisted by the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation during the investigation.
Police developed two suspects. At least one of the suspects was expected to take a polygraph examination. The suspects were described in contemporary reports as residents of southeastern Iowa.
Despite the investigation, no one was arrested in connection with Hill’s death, and the case remains unsolved.
The murder was later included among Iowa’s cold cases. Investigators have continued to identify older cases where new leads or advances in forensic technology could potentially provide answers.
Nearly five decades later, John Robert Hill’s murder remains an unsolved case in Ottumwa.
Sources: Iowa Cold Cases; Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation
