On August 12, 1984, 13-year-old Eugene Wade Martin vanished while delivering newspapers in Des Moines, Iowa. Just two years earlier, another paperboy, Johnny Gosch, disappeared under eerily similar circumstances only miles away. Despite extensive investigations, countless theories, and decades of speculation, neither boy has ever been found. In Part One of The Paper Boy Abductions, I walk you through the mysterious disappearance of Eugene Martin, the haunting parallels to Johnny Gosch's case, and the questions that continue to surround two of Iowa's most infamous unsolved child disappearances. Anyone with information about Eugene Martin is asked to call Det. Jeff Shannon at the https://www.dsm.city/departments/police/index.php at (515) 283-4864. You may also call Det. Larry Penland at (515) 237-1550. Connect with us on Social Media! You can find us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookofthedeadpod/ X: https://twitter.com/Bkofthedeadpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550490186243 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebookofthedeadpod Or visit our website at http://botdpod.com/ Alex, T. (1984, August 16). Branstad gives moral support to Martin family. The Des Moines Register, 15A. Alex, T. (2001, September 3). Officer who investigated missing carrier retires. The Des Moines Register, 2B. Beedle, D. (2020, September 15). Eugene Wade Martin. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/215645180/martin COLD CASE SPOTLIGHT: Johnny Gosch. (2015, June 11). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold-case-spotlight/cold-case-spotlight-johnny-gosch-n234291 D.M. police don’t know where to search. (1984, August 19). The Des Moines Register, 1B-3B. EUGENE WADE MARTIN | Missing Person Information Clearinghouse. (n.d.). https://missingpersons.iowa.gov/divisions/criminal-investigation/missing-persons/eugene-wade-martin Gene didn’t run away. . .his birthday was coming. (1984, September 2). The Des Moines Register, 1A-7A.I owa Cold Cases, Inc. (2026, March 28). Eugene Martin | Iowa Cold cases. Iowa Cold Cases. https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/eugene-martin/ Krenz, A. (2015, November 6). Eugene Martin case remains open after 31 years. weareiowa.com. https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/eugene-martin-case-remains-open-after-31-years/524-02cb76a5-43bd-4297-af0d-5275df5aee9e Mokrzycki, P. (2015). Lost in the Heartland: Childhood, Region, and Iowa’s Missing Paperboys. Annals of Iowa, 74(1), 29–69. https://doi.org/10.17077/0003-4827.12170 Santiago, F. (1997, August 27). Gosch lives, mom is told. The Des Moines Register, 2A. Santiago, F., & Alex, T. (1994, August 22). Private eye believes Martin disappearance was planned. The Des Moines Register, 2A. Sederstrom, J. (2024, August 22). Why don’t missing kids appear on milk cartons anymore? Oxygen. https://www.oxygen.com/the-girl-on-the-milk-carton/crime-news/why-dont-missing-kids-appear-on-milk-cartons-anymore Short, M. (2025, June 7). Eugene Martin: 1984 Disappearance of Iowa Paperboy Still Unsolved. Medium. https://medium.com/bizarre-unsolved-cases/eugene-martin-1984-disappearance-of-iowa-paperboy-still-unsolved-27d88991a6c1 Smith, G. (1985, August 10). Eugene Martin case no closer to solution. The Cedar Rapids Gazette, 5A. Suk, T. (1990, March 27). D.M. officers follow Martin case to Mexico. The Des Moines Register, 9. Tauscheck, M. (2017, October 9). Eugene Martin’s brother talks about hope case will be solved. KCCI. https://www.kcci.com/article/eugene-martin-s-brother-talks-about-hope-case-will-be-solved/6923136 The Associated Press. (1985, February 10). Parents heat up search. Quad City Times, 8A. The disappearance of Eugene Martin. (2025, April 14). Crime and Coffee Couple. https://crimeandcoffeecouple.wordpress.com/2024/07/11/the-disappearance-of-eugene-martin/ The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS). (n.d.). NamUs.gov. https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/6348?nav VanBaale, K. W. (2025, September 22). The Legacy of the Paperboy Abductions | A&E. AETV. https://www.aetv.com/articles/paperboy-abductions-milk-carton

In 1975, 26-year-old teacher Jane Ellen Wakefield disappeared from Iowa City just months after filing for divorce from her husband, John. She never returned home, never contacted loved ones, and was never seen again. Even after an infrmant comes forward with an alarming story of what happened, the case went cold faster than anyone could have expected. Nearly fifty years later, the mystery surrounding Jane’s disappearance remains unsolved. Anyone with information regarding Jane Wakefield's disappearance or possible murder is asked to call the Iowa City Police Department at 319-356-5451, the case number to reference is J16-75. Connect with us on Social Media! You can find us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookofthedeadpod/ X: https://twitter.com/Bkofthedeadpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550490186243 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebookofthedeadpod Or visit our website at http://botdpod.com/ "1000 Reward. (1976, September 19). The Des Moine Register, 77.Blog, A. B. (2026, April 17). Jane Ellen Hallberg-Wakefield. Another Bundy Blog. https://anotherbundyblog.com/2026/04/12/jane-ellen-hallberg-wakefield/Brandau, R. C. (1976, September 17). Reward offered in Wakefield case. The Daily Iowan.Burnham, J. (1992, March 19). Proving murder without a body: It’s not impossible. The Gazette, 8A.Clark, F. (1976, September 19). Disappearance of Iowa City Woman still being probed. The Gazette, 10.Dayton, T. (1985, September 9). Wakefield disappearance: Authorities mystified 10 years later. Iowa City Press-Citizen, 1A.File suits in Johnson deaths. (1968, October 11). The Gazette, 8.Ingalls, M., & Ingalls, M. (2015, March 13). IC History: Reexamining the cold case files. Little Village. https://littlevillagemag.com/ic-history-reexamining-the-cold-case-files/Iowa Cold Cases, Inc. (2025, December 18). Jane Ellen (Hallberg) Wakefield | Iowa Cold cases. Iowa Cold Cases. https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/jane-wakefield/Jane Ellen Hallberg marries John Wakefield in Minneapolis. (1967, October 9). The Sioux City Journal, 8.Jeff Burnham. (1992, March 19). Police suspect 3 killed but lack bodies [Newspaper; Print]. The Gazette, 70, 1A-8A. https://iowacoldcases.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/1992-3-19-MMU-2pgs.pdfKucharski, Z. (2006, December 12). Cracking cold cases. The Gazette, 1A-6A.Missing: Jane Wakefield | Iowa City, IA | Uncovered. (n.d.). https://uncovered.com/cases/jane-wakefieldNo evidence found in drained ponds. (1975, October 3). Iowa City Press-Citizen.The Associated Press. (1985, September 16). She’s been missing for 10 years. The Gazette, 5A.Two men killed in Iowa City crashes. (1967, July 20). The Gazette, 4.Two ponds are drained in search for woman. (1975, October 3). The Gazette, 4.Wakefield Reward Fund started. (1977, March 7). Iowa City Press-Citizen, 2A.

When 17-year-old Corinne Perry disappeared from Creston, Iowa, she seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving behind only an abandoned car and carefully folded clothes. The mystery of what happened in the hours before her death and just who was responsible has evaded investigators for decades. This is the story of a missing girl, which hit too close to home, so soon after another young boy went missing, leaving a community reeling.  Anyone with information about the murder of Corinne Perry is asked to contact: The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at (515) 725-6010, email mailto:dciinfo@dps.state.ia.us, or contact the Creston Police Department at (641) 782-8402. Connect with us on Social Media! You can find us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookofthedeadpod/ X: https://twitter.com/Bkofthedeadpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550490186243 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebookofthedeadpod Or visit our website at http://botdpod.com/ Cavallier, A. (2020, April 10). Decades-old murder of Iowa teen in 1983 remains unsolved. Yahoo News. https://www.yahoo.com/news/decades-old-murder-iowa-teen-171200453.htmlCorinne Elaine Perry (1965-1983) - Find a grave. . . (1965, August 28). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143319127/corinne-elaine-perryCoulter, C. (2025, June 7). She went to the laundromat alone — then a man followed her out, and she was never seen alive again. People.com. https://people.com/corrine-perry-iowa-teen-vanished-laundromat-11748033Gene “didn’t run away. . .his birthday was coming.” (1984, September 2). The Des Moines Register, 6A.Heinlein, G. (1984, November 4). Young hunters find remains of Corinne Perry. The Des Moines Register, 3B.Iowa Cold Cases, Inc. (2025, December 13). Corinne Perry | Iowa Cold cases. Iowa Cold Cases. https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/corinne-perry/National Missing Children’s Day | About Missing Children’s Day | Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (n.d.). Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/nmcd/about-missing-childrens-dayO’Brien, C. (2024, December 3). The Murder of Corinne Perry. Medium. https://medium.com/@Charlie_OBrien/the-murder-of-corinne-perry-e02aa50ff8dbOffer reward for teen. (1983, May 10). The Daily Reporter, 3.Pastor conducts prayer vigil for missing girl. (1983, May 15). The Des Moines Register, 8B.Perry, C., Creston Police Dept., & Iowa DCI. (1983). HOMICIDE VICTIM. https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/media/cms/ICC_Playing_Card_9_clubs_5DE29B15A4BA0.pdfRaffensperger, G. (1984, February 6). Search goes on for girl missing nearly 10 months. The Des Moines Register, 3A.Santiago, F. (1983, July 3). Creston folks gather to find young woman who is missing. The Des Moines Register, 5B.Santiago, F. (1984a, November 5). Officers seek death cause. The Des Moines Register, 2A.Santiago, F. (1984b, November 7). Cause of Perry death may remain a mystery. The Des Moines Register, 2A.Shaw, B. (1984, September 18). Call about missing daughter mystifies, unnerves Iowa mother. The Des Moines Register, 2M.Woman still searching for justice in sister Corinne Perry’s murder nearly 40 years after she was killed after leaving Iowa laundromat. (2020, April 11). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/woman-still-searching-justice-sister-corinne-perry-s-murder-nearly-n1181291