MURDERED: Laura Van Wyhe

Laura Van Wyhe spent the evening of Friday, October 25, 1996 celebrating her recent 21st birthday with family and friends. Hours later, around 2 a.m. on Saturday, October 26, 1996, she was found critically injured along Highway 136 near Kahoka, Missouri. She later died from her injuries at an Illinois hospital.While her injuries led investigators to believe she had been struck by a vehicle, the scene as a whole suggested she had been moved, and that she might have been struck on purpose. What happened to Laura Van Wyhe? SOURCES: Smith, Steve, Mystery shrouds death, October 29, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenObituary: Laura Van Wyhe, October 29, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenCoroner issues autopsy report on Van Wyhe, October 31, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenSmith, Steve, Friends create musical event to raise money for victim's son, December 7, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenSmith, Steve, Iowa City woman’s death no mystery to family, December 13, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenSmith, Steve, Coroner’s jury unable to determine cause of death, December 14, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenLang, Craig, Mysterious death still haunts vigilgoers, December 24, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenSmith, Steve, Van Wyhe’s mom gets custody of grandson, December 31, 1996, Iowa City Press CitizenSmith, Steve, Knight appeals custody ruling, January 4, 1997, Iowa City Press CitizenSheriff’s Officials Identify Dead Woman, October 29, 1996, Omaha World Herald Bullard, Charles, Authorities in Missouri probe Iowa Citian’s roadside death, October 29, 1996, The Des Moines RegisterBullard, Charles, Rumors, questions circulating over death of Iowa City woman, October 30, 1996, The Des Moines RegisterBullard, Charles, Answers sought in death, October 31, 1996, The Des Moines RegisterBulalrd, Charles, Father, grandmother vie for custody of boy, December 13, 1996, The Des Moines RegisterBullard, Charles, Iowa Citian’s death a homicide? December 14, 1996, The Des Moines RegisterBullard, Charles, Woman’s death a homicide? December 14, 1996, The Des Moines Register Bullard, Charles, Boy will go to grandmother’s - judge, December 31, 1996, The Des Moines RegisterLaura Van Wyhe was killed in 1996, July 24, 2016, The Des Moines RegisterFerkenhoff, Eric, 10K reward offered in 25-year-old Iowa killing cold case, July 21, 2021, The Des Moines Register Muller, Lyle & Tefft, Lynn, Iowa City woman’s death suspicious, October 29, 1996, The GazetteWoman killed in Missouri had left Iowa with friends, October 30, 1996, The GazetteClues still sought in woman’s death, November 5, 1996, The GazetteTefft, Lynn, Inquest to reveal evidence in death, The Gazette, December 13, 1996Tefft, Lynn, Detective says Van Wyhe’s death treated as a homicide, December 14, 1996, The GazetteTefft, Lynn, Temporary custody awarded to grandmother, December 31, 1996, The GazetteOfficials await tests for leads on murder of Iowa City woman, March 13, 1997, The GazetteTefft, Lynn, Relatives of Iowa City woman start reward fund, April 27, 1997, The GazetteSupport the showIf you have any information on any of the cold cases covered, you can submit a tip here: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-crime-victims/iowa-cold-case/cold-case-tip-formIf you liked the show and are interested in supporting my work, check out my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CardinalCrimes?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creatorSave $20 on a Buzzsprout paid plan using this referral link!: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2372693Theme Song: Shrouded Lament by james.lfo, William Claeson