Murder of James Clark Nicoll

 In 1871 James and Amelia Nicoll would come over to America from Scotland. The couple had 7 children in total 2 of which were born in Iowa where they settled. He would then establish the first baker in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It was located on the north side of Broadway across from Ogden Hotel. The family would live above the bakery. By 1884 the business would thrive allowing them to build one at 130 West Broadway, where he moved his home and business.

Around 8 pm on March 16, 1885, 52-year-old James would leave his home. at 10 the next day James body was found in a ditch that led to Indian Creek on Tenth Ave by a man passing by. He was frozen in the 15 inches of water. His hand and one shoulder were the only things seen above the ice. He was weirdly enough not wearing his hat, shoes, or stockings. It was unknown how or why he had died, but it was suspicious. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

Find a Grave

Suspicious Death of Grover Ramirez Jr

On June 3, 2001, 20-year-old Grover Ramirez Jr went out of his home and went to get his daughter's milk. That night he would meet up with two friends before returning home. The friends, Michael Burns and Marco Sandoval, stated that near Comanche Creek in Chico, California they spotted an abandoned truck. The three made a plan to strip it of parts and sell it. 

His friends stated that a group of people was also in the area and they began chasing Grover and his friends. They stated it was unknown why the group started chasing them. During the chase, they stated that they heard splashes. When his friends stopped running after about a mile they noticed Grover wasn't with them anymore.

It wasn't until June 7th it was found what happened to him. Grover's body was found in a creek under a group of overhanging bushes. It was listed that he had died from drowning and had no signs of trauma and a lack of scrapes and scratches. Which doesn't match the brushy, thorny area the men were running on that night. 

The family stated that they didn't believe the two friends. They stated that after Grover left someone had called the house threatening to kill her and Grover. It was shocking because Grover was well-liked and got along with a lot of people.  His family also believes that the police dropped the ball in this case. That they did not take the search for him seriously and that they didn't take his death seriously. They even labeled him as a gangbanger even though he was not. 

SOURCES:

Uncovered

Facebook

Enterprise-Record June 8, 2001

Enterprise-Record June 9, 2001

CN&R July 19, 2001

Suspicious Death of Michael "J.T." McGuire

On May 2, 1978, 34-year-old Michael "J.T." McGuire's body was found in a wooded area on Albuquerque Road in Litchfield, New Hampshire. It's unknown what his cause of death was, but it is suspicious. He was in a secluded part of the woods. 

J.T. was from Lowell, Massachusetts, and was believed to have been a Hells Angel. 

SOURCES: 

New Hampshire Department of Justice

Concord Monitor May 4, 1978

Suspicious Death of Henry Hults

At about 6:30 am on March 22, 1963, 62-year-old Henry Hults was found dead in his backyard about 15 feet from his house in Oxford Junction, Iowa. He had been badly burned and there were several patches of burned ground near him. It's possible this was from him trying to stop the flames. The fire had caused his death. 

It's not stated why they think it is a murder and not an accident. That is why I titled it a suspicious death. 

SOURCES:
Iowa Cold Cases
Find a Grave

Suspicious Death of Elsie Payne

 On December 7, 1923, 12-year-old Elsie Payne was out on an errand in Cardiff, Wales by one of her neighbors. Elsie was walking with a friend, 14-year-old Susie Phillips, but the two separated and Elsie proceeded down Iron St. Soon after at 8:40 pm Elsie would enter her aunt and uncle's shop on Clifton St. 

She was bleeding from the throat and said "A man asked me where Clifton Street was" before collapsing. By the time she was at the hospital she had lost too much blood and even though family members wanted to donate it was too late and she died before they could. 

There was a blood trail that led 103 years down the street across from some railings on the other side of the road in Iron St. off Clifton. Susie stated that she did not see anyone following them, and didn't notice anything when she left Elsie. 

It was stated that her injury likely was caused by a knife or piece of glass, but it was also possible that it was caused by falling on the railings or onto broken glass. The wound was up and forward. Another girl was injured similarly by slipping and landing on the railings on her chest. In several articles, it states there was no evidence of what had happened to her. 

It was believed however that she had been murdered as her last words mentioned of a man looking for directions. There seemed to be no evidence at the scene of the accident. 

One article claims that there were two witnesses of Elsie on Iron Street. One man, a painter, saw a man with his hand on a girl and ran away. This made the painter think the man had stolen something and chased after him, but lost him. The second witness stated that they saw a man and a girl and heard the girl screaming and running across the street thinking the man had hit her.

The family would receive a 3-page letter from a man claiming to kill the girl. He claimed he used a corkscrew, but evidence showed that she was not killed with one.

SOURCES:

Daily Mirror December 10, 1923

The Gloucestershire Echo December 11, 1923

The North Star December 21, 1923

Daily Mirror December 21, 1923

Evening Express December 31, 1923 

Suspicious Death of Carmel Sue Whitacre

On August 9, 1970, 26-year-old Carmel Whitacre was last seen. She was released from the NH State Hospital for a weekend visit with her husband in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She was supposed to return to the hospital to never be seen again.

On October 27, 1979 hunters were a short distance from Route. 43 in Northwood, New Hampshire. This was where they found Carmel's skeletal remains. Her cause of death is either unknown or unstated. It's unknown if she was murdered or not but her death is suspicious. 

SOURCES:
New Hampshire Department of Justice
Valley News November 2, 1979