Human Wreckage True Crime
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Disturbing True Crime Stories, These include, murderers, kidnappings, serial killers. Solved and unsolved.
Human Wreckage True Crime
Unsolved Murder of Wilma June Nissen
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The Discovery in the Ditch
Speaker 1On October 4th 1978 , 19-year-old Steve , a telephone company worker , was out on a gravel road between Larchwood and Inwood in northwest Iowa laying cable near Rock Rapids . As he walked through the ditch , something caught his eye a figure in the weeds . At first he thought it was a mannequin , but as he got closer he realized it wasn't it was a human body . Welcome to this episode of Human Wreckage . On this episode we will be talking about the case of Wilma June Nissen . This case was brought to my attention when Wilma's daughter reached out to me to cover this case . Wilma's daughter , chrissy , is still searching for answers and closure for her mother . Let's get into it . Steve called the sheriff's department right away . When deputies arrived , they found the body , badly decomposed , lying among the tall grass . She was wearing green pants and bikini-style underwear , both wrapped around her ankle . From the waist up she was nude , except for a silver and gold ring on her right ring finger . On her feet were white patent leather zippered go-go boots that reached up to her calves . Her feet were tied together with a braided hemp rope . Investigators searched the area for any evidence that might explain what happened , but if they found anything , they never made it public . The body was taken for an autopsy where the medical examiner determined she was a woman between 20 and 30 years old . Her lower jaw was missing and only two of her teeth remained , making identification nearly impossible Due to the level of decomposition . The medical examiner couldn't determine exactly how the woman died or who she was . However , he was able to retrieve two viable
Jane Doe Investigation Begins
Speaker 1fingerprints , one of the few pieces of forensic evidence available . But in 1978 , without computerized databases , fingerprints were nearly useless unless there was something to compare them to directly . During the autopsy , the examiner also noted that her right elbow had been dislocated and there was some indication of trauma to her cervical vertebrae . It wasn't clear if these injuries happened before or after death , leaving more questions than answers .
Speaker 1Sheriff Craig Vinson took the lead on the case , starting with local missing persons reports in an effort to put a name to the victim , but without a national database . This meant sifting through physical records , contacting other agencies and following up on leads one by one , a slow and frustrating process . Two agents from the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation joined the case to assist , but progress was limited . By October 16th , sheriff Vinson had already ruled out around 40 potential matches and , with no identity and no clear leads , knowing where to start was nearly impossible . One of the only real clues was what she had been wearing . The white patent leather Go-Go boots stood out , leading Sheriff Vinson to check local Go-Go clubs in nearby Sioux Falls , hoping someone might recognize her . But the effort led nowhere . As weeks turned into months and months into years , the case stalled Without a name . There was no family to push for answers , no connections to investigate . Since there were no leads , the woman's body was eventually buried in an unmarked grave , her identity still a mystery .
Speaker 1In May 1998 , two decades after the discovery of the unidentified woman's remains , detectives thought they might finally make progress . Kevin Hammer , the Lyon County Sheriff at the time , reached out to Vicki Hartigan , an analyst at the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center in Springfield , missouri . Vicki had a background in criminal justice and art and had taken a course in facial reconstruction . Although she wasn't a full-time forensic artist , she had some experience with the technique . This case would only be the second facial reconstruction she had ever done . On March 5 , 1998 , vicki began her work .
Speaker 1The forensic anthropologist assisting in the case determined that the victim was a woman in her 20s with blonde hair . However , because she was missing her jaw and nearly all her teeth , reconstructing her face posed a significant challenge . To estimate the missing features , vicki consulted a chart developed by researchers that detailed tissue thickness measurements at specific points on the skull . Once the clay base was in place , she used her artistic skills to refine the details , gradually bringing the woman's face back to life . The process was emotionally taxing . As she shaped the clay , she couldn't help but think about the victim not just as an unidentified case but as a person who had once lived , had a story and had met an awful fate . By May 2nd the reconstruction was finally complete .
Speaker 1Looking at the finished face , vicki had no way of knowing if it would lead to an identification From the case files she knew . Investigators believed the victim was most likely a transient , someone not from the area where she was found , without connections to the local community . The chances of recognition were slim . Still , it was a step forward . After 20 years the Jane Doe had a face again . Now detectives just needed someone to recognize her . At one point .
Speaker 1Dan Moser from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Jerry Berkey , a county sheriff's detective , took on the case In 2000, . They submitted Jane Doe's fingerprints to the National Fingerprint Database , hoping for a match . When Jane Doe was found in 1978 , law enforcement didn't have a centralized system for searching fingerprints on a national scale . It wasn't until 1999 that the FBI launched the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System , a nationwide database that allowed law enforcement agencies to quickly compare fingerprints against millions of records Jane Doe's prints in 2000, . Investigators hoped that advancements in technology would finally provide an answer , but once again the search came up empty . By the mid-2000s , sheriff Blythe Blomendahl had taken over the investigation . After reviewing the case details , he developed his own theory . The investigation After reviewing the case details , he developed his own theory .
Speaker 1He believed Jane Doe had been pulled into the ditch from a nearby location , possibly from a vehicle , rather than being killed where she was found . When Sheriff Blomendahl examined the autopsy report , the dislocation of her right elbow and trauma to her cervical vertebrae stood out to him . He wondered if those injuries could have been the result of a struggle . If she had fought back , there was a chance she had left behind DNA evidence , possibly under her , stood out to him . He wondered if those injuries could have been the result of a struggle . If she had fought back , there was a chance she had left behind DNA evidence , possibly under her fingernails . There was also another troubling detail Her pants and underwear had been wrapped around one leg , which suggested the possibility of an intimate encounter before her death . Whether it had started as consensual and turned violent or whether it had never been consensual at all was impossible to say .
Speaker 1Despite his efforts , sheriff Blomendahl was frustrated that the medical examiner hadn't been able to determine an official cause of death . If he had more details on how she died , he could have used the violent criminal apprehension program VICAP to compare her case to similar unsolved homicides across the country . But without that crucial piece of information , the search for connections remained difficult . However , 27 years after Jane Doe was found in 2006 , a breakthrough
Facial Reconstruction Brings Hope
Speaker 1finally came . A lab technician matched a left thumbprint recovered from the remains to a fingerprint . In the national database the print had been entered years earlier by the Los Angeles Police Department and belonged to a woman named Wilma June Nissen , who had prior arrests for sex work . By then , sheriff Craig Benson , one of the first detectives on the case back in the 1970s , was 87 years old . Despite retiring long ago , he still visited Jane Doe's grave from time to time . Now she finally had a name . With Jane Doe now identified as Wilma Nissen , the investigation could shift to uncovering how she died and who was responsible .
Speaker 1Sheriff Blomendahl held a press conference to announce the identification . He revealed that no missing persons report had ever been filed for Wilma and that she had lived in various places across California . The last confirmed location investigators could place her in was Long Beach in 1975 . Ailes . He noted that she may have gone by the nickname Boots and urged anyone with information about her life or death to come forward .
Speaker 1Meanwhile , across the country , the news reached someone who had been searching for Wilma for years . On February 17 , 26 , in Seal Beach , california , a woman named Starla Patterson was reading the Long Beach Press-Telegram when a news bulletin caught her eye . It reported that an unidentified woman found in Iowa had been identified as Wilma June Nissen . Starla was stunned . For the past decade she had been helping her friend Chrissy search for her missing mother , wilma June Nissen . Chrissy was shocked to learn that her mother had been found , though not in the way she had hoped . She immediately contacted Sheriff Blomendahl at the Lyon County Sheriff's Department and sent over a photograph of her mother , confirming that their former Jane Doe was indeed Wilma Nissen . For Sheriff Blomendahl , this was a crucial moment . He had feared that Jane Doe was indeed Wilma Nissen . For Sheriff Blomendahl , this was a crucial moment . He had feared that Jane Doe had no living relatives , but now there was someone who could help fill in the missing pieces of Wilma's life . The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation compared Chrissy's DNA to that of Jane Doe's at the Des Moines lab and the results confirmed Chrissy was Wilma June Nissen's daughter . This breakthrough allowed Sheriff Blomendahl to uncover more details about Wilma's troubled early life .
Speaker 1Wilma was born on October 19 , 1954 . In 1962 , when Wilma was just eight years old , her mother left the family , setting off a series of tragic events . Wilma's father , struggling with unemployment , became abusive and neglectful . He would lock Wilma and her sister Mona in a unemployment . Became abusive and neglectful , he would lock Wilma and her sister Mona in a closet , leaving them confined and isolated . When the family lost their home , they were forced to live in a car and during this time , wilma's father sent her out onto the streets to find food and money . Mona , still young , was kept locked in the trunk of the car . In 1964 , just two years after their mother's departure , the state intervened and removed Wilma and Mona from their father's care . Mona was placed in an institution , while Wilma's fate was more uncertain . By 2006 , when Wilma's body was finally identified . Mona was still alive . She was living in a foster home for disabled adults in California . Sheriff Blomendahl reported that Mona was made aware of her sister's death when someone informed her of the tragic news .
Speaker 1On December 5 , 1964 , wilma was placed in the care of her first set of foster parents , maxine and Marshall Holt . When Wilma arrived at the Holt home she was severely behind in basic life skills . She couldn't read , write or even hold a fork to feed herself . In a phone interview with the Sioux City Journal , maxine recalled the early days with Wilma and said the young girl quickly grew attached to Marshall , calling him Daddy . Maxine also mentioned how Wilma was immediately smitten with their dog . She described Wilma as culturally deprived but emphasized how much love she and Marshall gave her , treating her as if she were their own child , always smiling . Wilma was a happy and enthusiastic young girl who took a strong interest in the activities of the whole family and their two other foster daughters . Maxine took on the role of teaching Wilma at home , where she learned to read , write and solve math problems . Wilma was eager to learn and Maxine fondly recalled one day when Wilma said I love you , mother , for teaching me so many things .
Speaker 1Unfortunately , maxine's diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis eventually made it too difficult for her to care for the children and in 1966 , wilma was removed from their home . Afterward Wilma moved through four different foster homes before finally settling with her last foster family . Maxine and Marshall saw Wilma one last time when she visited them at Christmas in 1975 , and a year later Wilma sent Maxine . A Mother saw Wilma one last time when she visited them at Christmas in 1975 , and a year later Wilma sent Maxine a Mother's Day card . However , after that Maxine and Marshall never heard from Wilma again . Maxine explained that for 30 years they spent their time wondering about Wilma's fate , always hoping she was well . When they learned in 1978 that she had been killed they were devastated , but Maxine said it also brought them a sense of closure , though it was not the ending they had hoped for .
Speaker 1After spending time at Ramona Mountain View School , wilma returned to live with her final foster family until she was 18 . One day she went for a walk and never returned . Her foster family did not hear from her again until 1973 , when she returned home for a brief visit with her then-husband Donald Wellington . According to news reports , wilma June Nissen gave birth to a child , donald Wellington Jr , on December 12 , 1972 , in San Diego . The child was born prematurely and the details surrounding what happened next are unclear . However , it seems from the reporting that the state took custody of the baby and placed him for adoption After marrying Donald Wellington . Authorities believe Wilma managed to escape from him .
Speaker 1A rumor surfaced that Sheriff Blomendahl heard claiming that Wilma , along with a man named Michael Pizzaro , whose real name was Michael Walker , was walking from California to Florida with a child named Michael Pizzaro Jr . Wilma allegedly gave birth to Michael Jr on May 10 , 1977 in San Diego . Like her previous child , Michael Jr was also reportedly taken by the state and placed for adoption . On August 19 , 1987 , wilma gave birth to her daughter , chrissy , in California . In 2006 , chrissy spoke to the Sioux City Journal and revealed that she was born prematurely and raised by Alice and Vince Haas , wilma's final foster parents in Seal Beach , california . Wilma had reportedly taken off shortly after Chrissy's birth .
Speaker 1Chrissy recalled that there was a large generational gap between her adopted parents and herself , and they never pushed her for success . Chrissy attended Catholic school but had a rebellious streak , staying out late , smoking cannabis , and by the time she was 15 , she was considered a ward of the state by 26, . Chrissy described herself as an employed former Vegas dancer and assistant at a drug rehab center . She reflected on her life , feeling that her mother had left her to start a new life and had moved on starting another family . Now , with the tragic discovery that Wilma had been killed when Chrissy was less than a year old , chrissy was left to wonder why Wilma left and whether she had ever intended to come back for her . Was she okay with
Finally Identified: Wilma June Nissen
Speaker 1leaving her daughter behind ? Chrissy was never angry for her mother giving her up . These questions would remain unanswered .
Speaker 1Chrissy also shared that her adopted parents never spoke much about Wilma . When she was 12 years old , she rifled through her home searching for adoption paperwork and discovered the names of her birth parents . She expressed confusion over why her adopted mother and father never wanted to talk about Wilma . When Chrissy was 15 , she found an image of her biological mother , wilma , but the Hodge family took it from her , telling her they had assumed Wilma was dead . At 17 , chrissy began a relationship with a guy whose mother , starla Patterson , took an interest in Chrissy's search for her biological family . Starla was determined to help Chrissy find her biological parents . In their search , starla helped Chrissy track down her biological father , robert Urban . He was listed in a phone book in California and , after finding him , chrissy met him in person . Robert revealed that he too had wondered what happened to Wilma but didn't have any answers . Tragically , robert passed away shortly after meeting Chrissy .
Speaker 1Chrissy's quest to learn more about Wilma and her biological family continued Around 18, . She placed her name on adoption registries and reunion websites , hoping for any leads . She even reached out to talk show host Sally Jessie Raphael , asking for assistance in locating Wilma . Chrissy shared with the Sioux City Journal that she had many questions for Wilma , the most pressing being why did you disappear ? In February 2006 , starla contacted Chrissy to inform her that Wilma had been dead for years , her body having been identified as a Jane Doe . Her body having been identified as a Jane Doe , chrissy was stunned and at that point her search shifted from wanting to understand why Wilma left to wanting to know who had taken her mother's life .
Speaker 1As the investigation into Wilma's death continued , sheriff Blomendahl discovered that Wilma had a history of criminal activity related to sex work . She had been arrested multiple times between 1973 and 1974 in locations such as Los Angeles , beverly Hills , long Beach and San Diego . Mary and Scott Gibson , owners of the Sioux Falls Monument Company family memorials by Gibson donated a pink granite headstone to replace the one that had marked Wilma's grave as a Jane Doe at Riverside Memorial Cemetery . The Gibsons felt it was important to honor Wilma's identity , and the new headstone , which is expected to last for generations , was engraved with Wilma's name , birth date and the date of her death , along with a rose .
Speaker 1On Saturday , june 4 , 2006 , a graveside memorial service was held at Riverside Cemetery , where over 70 people gathered to pay their respects to Wilma . June Nissen , although Chrissy couldn't attend , her friend Starla Patterson , who had helped with the search for Wilma , spoke on her behalf . Starla shared that Chrissy appreciated all the efforts made to honor her mother and hoped to visit Iowa one day to thank everyone in person . Many locals who had followed the case of the unidentified woman found in the gravel ditch were relieved to see some resolution after so many years of uncertainty . In September 2006 , chrissy finally made it to Riverside Cemetery . She left a mood ring with the word LOVE engraved on it in a tiny Egyptian ink which she had once worn around her neck . Chrissy told the Sioux Falls Journal that it felt like losing someone she had always wanted to meet . She expressed regret over not connecting with her mother , sharing how she wished they had the chance to know each other . With a bittersweet smile , chrissy joked that she heard her mother loved boots , just like her , as she wore a pair to the cemetery that day .
Speaker 1The investigation into Wilma's death was far from over . Investigation into Wilma's death was far from over . Sheriff Blomendahl remained focused on uncovering the details of her life after 1977 , when she gave birth to Chrissy , and determining how she ended up in Iowa in October 1978 . A significant lead came from Charles Inman Belt , who was 82 years old when cold case detectives contacted him in San Diego . Charles recalled that in early winter 1978 , when he was 54 , a sex worker asked him to drive Wilma from California to Atlanta , georgia , because someone in California had threatened her . Charles said he took Wilma to Atlanta where she stayed with his mother , juanita , for a short time . However , after just two weeks Wilma left without explanation . Evidence showed that Wilma had tried to change her last name to Belt in February 1978 . He mentioned that after her brief
Wilma's Troubled Childhood Revealed
Speaker 1stay Wilma left Atlanta , and at that point Sheriff Blomendahl wondered if she had returned to California . The question remained how did she end up dead in Iowa ?
Speaker 1Months later , in September 27 , Sheriff Blomendahl made the decision to exhume Wilma's body from Riverside Cemetery in the hope of gathering crucial DNA evidence . Chrissy was present as the exhumation process began . At 9 30 am , the team carefully raised the concrete vault , revealing a cloth coffin inside . After 20 minutes of careful work , the lid was finally removed , but what they found was unsettling A body bag and at least 40 gallons of careful work . The lid was finally removed , but what they found was unsettling A body bag , and at least 40 gallons of water had entered the coffin , making it unclear if any usable DNA could be recovered Despite the water damage . Investigators did manage to take some samples from the water to be examined by a pathologist , though they were uncertain what could be gleaned from the samples .
Speaker 1Sheriff Blomendahl , however , remained hopeful . He noticed that Wilma's fingernails , which had been carefully bagged , were not waterlogged , and he believed there was still a chance of obtaining usable DNA evidence . At the medical examiner's office , forensic anthropologists were surprised by how well-preserved Wilma's body remained , despite the water damage . They worked diligently to uncover a cause of death , though that information remained confidential . The authorities were careful to withhold certain details , hoping to keep key pieces of information that only the killer would know as they continued their investigation After the forensic examination of Wilma's remains , sheriff Blomendahl opted to preserve her body rather than proceed with reburial .
Speaker 1His reasoning was clear he wanted to leave the door open for any future advancements in forensic technology that could offer new insights into the case In 2021, . A report by Kilo TV highlighted one crucial piece of evidence that investigators were still holding onto . Waiting for technology to catch up , the Lyon County Sheriff's Office enlisted the help of a Scandinavian company specializing in cutting-edge techniques to reanalyze the evidence . They focused on items like the rope in Wilma's clothing , seeking any trace of DNA that could provide a breakthrough . Although they managed to find some DNA , it required amplification to be useful for further examination . Unfortunately , the FBI's CODIs database doesn't support amplified DNA , so the findings couldn't be entered into the system at that time . Nevertheless , investigators remained hopeful that this evidence might eventually lead them to Wilma's killer .
Speaker 1In February 2009 , the investigation took a more proactive approach when the Lyon County Sheriff's Office initiated a door-to-door canvassing effort in the vicinity where Wilma's body was found . This campaign aimed to gather new tips and uncover any information that might shed light on the mystery surrounding her death . Along with this outreach , the Sheriff's Office also offered a $10,000 reward for valuable leads launching a dedicated hotline and website to encourage the public to submit any relevant information . This community engagement seemed to yield results .
Speaker 1That summer , 82-year-old John Vangameran was arrested by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office and charged with six counts of perjury . These charges stem from his alleged false statements during interviews on June 19th and August 14th about Wilma's murder . According to court documents filed in Lyam County District Court , vangameran was accused of lying under oath by either making false claims or failing to disclose important details . He was questioned about his acquaintance with Annette Nett Jacobson after being shown two photographs of her , as well as his involvement in transporting a stripper or sex worker from Sioux Falls to his home . Vangameron was also asked about hosting dancers on several occasions and his dealings with sex workers at his residence , including incidents where his wallet was allegedly stolen by a sex worker and his role in arranging for strippers to appear at a bachelor party . Fbi agent John Moeller declined to comment on whether Vangameron was a suspect in Wilma's murder or whether Annette's connection to him had any relevance to the case . However , agent Moeller did reveal that Vangameron was brought to their attention during a canvassing operation in the Five Mile area where Wilma's body was discovered In September 2009, .
Speaker 1Vangermuren's attorney filed a motion to have the charges dismissed . Attorney Edward W Bjornstad argued that the statements made to the FBI violated Vangermuren's constitutional rights , claiming that his client couldn't receive a fair trial in the local court . Additionally , bjornstad argued that FBI agent Moeller's comments to the Sioux City Journal , where he suggested that Vangameron was involved in a big negotiation game , had undermined the presumption of innocence and violated Vangameron's right to a fair trial . He requested a change of venue and sought the unsealing of search warrants and testimony to aid in the defense . Bjorn's dad also called for state attorney Carl Peterson to recuse himself , accusing him of becoming a witness in the case due to his involvement with Vangamer and Summons . The perjury trial was set multiple times but postponed , and in February 2010
Finding Chrissy's Mother Years Later
Speaker 1, all six perjury charges were dropped . Prosecutors cited new substantial information that had emerged in the investigation and the case was dismissed without prejudice . A 2021 Kilo TV article later confirmed that Vangameran was not considered a suspect in Wilma's murder .
Speaker 1In May 2016 , the Lyon County Sheriff's Department made a startling revelation in the decades-long investigation into Wilma Nissen's murder . Investigation into Wilma Nissen's murder , for the first time , investigators released a photograph of a woman they believed could be crucial to solving the case a woman known by the stage name Sugar . In the summer of 1978 , sugar was one of the dancers , escorts and sex workers who worked at parties in and around Sioux Falls , south Dakota , and in Lyon County . The image , captured during the mid-1970s , brought the case back into the public's focus . According to Detective Jerry Berkey , both Wilma and Sugar were part of an escort service called Playgirls or Playmates . After the release of the photograph , new leads flooded in rekindling hope in a case that had grown cold over the years . While authorities knew Sugar's real name , they chose to keep it under wraps , hoping that someone would come forward to identify her . Despite being questioned multiple times , sugar never admitted to any involvement in Wilma's death , but investigators uncovered that soon after Wilma was killed , sugar had fled to Canada . There she was involved in a violent altercation where she stabbed someone , forcing her to return to the United States .
Speaker 1Beyond Sugar , another figure known only as Peaches surfaced as a potential suspect . Described as a light-skinned black woman from Canada , peaches was said to have worked as a dancer and escort in Sioux Falls and Yankton during the 1970s and 1980s . It was suspected that she may have been working alongside Sugar at the time of Wilma's murder , though investigators had yet to uncover Peach's true identity . They knew she was involved in a string of robberies targeting other dancers and sex workers during the same period . Still , the case wasn't limited to these two women . At one point , investigators even looked into the possibility that a serial killer , the infamous truck stop killer Robert Ben Rhodes , may have been responsible for Wilma's death . Robert Ben Rhodes had lived in Sioux Falls in 1978 and though he was questioned by detectives , he was eventually ruled out as a suspect .
Speaker 1The investigation moved on , but the question of who could be behind Wilma's murder lingered . For Wilma's daughter , chrissy , the quest to find her mother's killer became personal . If you know anything , no matter how small it might seem , please reach out to Chrissy or the police . I have included contact information in links below . Please share . I will be doing a follow-up episode at the end of May . Once again , thank you for joining me . Outro Music .