For the families of hundreds of Iowans, questions still remain surrounding the death of their loved ones. Since 1912, investigators have come up cold on 345 cases. Now, one of those cases may be a step closer to being solved.
Friday morning investigators exhumed the body of Lisa Peak. They hope to find DNA on her body that could lead them to Peak's killer. While Peak's parents are encouraged investigators continue the search for the killer, they're just not sure they will find one.
Beneath the soil of a lonely Iowa graveyard lie clues investigators believe could solve a 34-year-old murder.
"It's very encouraging to know they never gave up. They keep telling us it's still alive and that the case didn't close," says Lisa's mother Mary Peak.
In 1976, 20-year-old Lisa Peak was found lying naked in a ditch one half mile north of Waverly. Police say Peak was raped, strangled, and died after someone snapped her neck in half. Lisa was murdered just months after providing crucial information in a sex and extortion scheme that put a man named John Carmody behind bars for 40 years. Every day since then, her family wonders if her death was retaliation.
"Are you sure that man didn't have some responsibility in some way? He was in prison but he could have orchestrated something."
Questions about her daughter's death constantly swirl through Mary Peak's mind, even after nearly four decades have passed. When investigators visited Mary last week asking to exhume Lisa's body, there was no question what her decision would be.
"I do not expect success but I am hopeful. Maybe there's a five percent chance. Well, you take it."
The Bremer County Attorney says they disturbed Lisa's grave to search for DNA evidence. They believe advancements in technology since the 1970's could help them catch Lisa's killer 34 years after her death.
"There was evidence collected at the time of her death that we were able to analyze. We did have some results from that, and while they haven't dead-ended yet, we think that maybe its right time to see if there is any further evidence that can be collected from Ms. Peak's body," says Bremer County Attorney Kasey Wadding.
While Wadding warns the Peaks not to expect any CSI like results, he is hopeful they may find new clues that could crack this 34 year old cold case.
"There's a good possibility there's something there," says Mary Peak.
While time has helped heal some of the wounds from their daughter's murder, the Peaks say catching the person who ended their daughter's life would end years of unanswered questions.
"I kept saying the person might be in prison or dead. These officials don't think so."
While Lisa's body is no longer at her grave, her parents hope soon her soul will finally rest in peace.
Friday morning investigators exhumed the body of Lisa Peak. They hope to find DNA on her body that could lead them to Peak's killer. While Peak's parents are encouraged investigators continue the search for the killer, they're just not sure they will find one.
Beneath the soil of a lonely Iowa graveyard lie clues investigators believe could solve a 34-year-old murder.
"It's very encouraging to know they never gave up. They keep telling us it's still alive and that the case didn't close," says Lisa's mother Mary Peak.
In 1976, 20-year-old Lisa Peak was found lying naked in a ditch one half mile north of Waverly. Police say Peak was raped, strangled, and died after someone snapped her neck in half. Lisa was murdered just months after providing crucial information in a sex and extortion scheme that put a man named John Carmody behind bars for 40 years. Every day since then, her family wonders if her death was retaliation.
"Are you sure that man didn't have some responsibility in some way? He was in prison but he could have orchestrated something."
Questions about her daughter's death constantly swirl through Mary Peak's mind, even after nearly four decades have passed. When investigators visited Mary last week asking to exhume Lisa's body, there was no question what her decision would be.
"I do not expect success but I am hopeful. Maybe there's a five percent chance. Well, you take it."
The Bremer County Attorney says they disturbed Lisa's grave to search for DNA evidence. They believe advancements in technology since the 1970's could help them catch Lisa's killer 34 years after her death.
"There was evidence collected at the time of her death that we were able to analyze. We did have some results from that, and while they haven't dead-ended yet, we think that maybe its right time to see if there is any further evidence that can be collected from Ms. Peak's body," says Bremer County Attorney Kasey Wadding.
While Wadding warns the Peaks not to expect any CSI like results, he is hopeful they may find new clues that could crack this 34 year old cold case.
"There's a good possibility there's something there," says Mary Peak.
While time has helped heal some of the wounds from their daughter's murder, the Peaks say catching the person who ended their daughter's life would end years of unanswered questions.
"I kept saying the person might be in prison or dead. These officials don't think so."
While Lisa's body is no longer at her grave, her parents hope soon her soul will finally rest in peace.
