(Radio Iowa) – Legislators are considering creation of a Cold Case Task Force in the Iowa Department of Public Safety to investigate more than 400 unsolved murders. Representative Marti Anderson of Des Moines was director of the state’s Crime Victim Assistance program for 22 years. “I have know a lot of people who live with a cold case of a parent or child, or a sister or brother, a friend, uncle and this task force will be very helpful to them,” Anderson said.

Anderson said also “I had an employee whose father was found down by Indianola and they have never solved the case and that was 20 years ago and she still is tortured by it.” Representative Jon Thorup, a state trooper from Knoxville, says the plan calls for hiring two agents to investigate murders as well as missing person cases where the person is presumed dead. “When get to the time frame of appropriations, we need to make sure that these positions are funded,” he said, “otherwise that will be basically robbing Peter to pay Paul, by taking probably taking two agents from the Major Crimes unit.”

The bill cleared the House Public Safety Committee this (Thursday) morning. It’s now eligible for debate in the full House.

Our sister station KNOD in Harlan, reports the Earling, Defiance, Harlan and Panama Fire Departments were called to a structure fire at 501 Main Street in Earling this (Thursday) morning. More information will be released later today.

(Photos courtesy Jason Anastasi)

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports an inmate at the jail, 29-year-old Derek Carl Mullen, of Council Bluffs, was served with a warrant Wednesday afternoon, for Violation of Probation. Mullen was being held on $10,000 bond, for charges that include Burglary in the 2nd Degree, and Interference with Official Acts. An investigation into a dispatched “Unknown injury accident” Wednesday afternoon near Crescent, resulted in the arrest of 25-year-old Matthew Douglas Gilmore, of Council Bluffs. Gilmore faces charges that include Driving While License Denied/suspended, cancelled or revoked, and OWI/2nd offense. He was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a $2,000 bond for the OWI charge.

Tuesday night, 36-year-old Jeannie K. Kleymann, of Harlan, was arrested in Avoca, on a felony warrant for Theft in the 2nd degree, as well as providing false information and possession of contraband in a correctional facility. Her bond was set at $5,000. And, Tuesday morning, jail inmate 36-year-old Joseph Santos Benegas was served with a warrant for OWI/1st offense. He was later released on his Own recognizance from the Pott. County Jail, with a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 4th.