THE DARK SIDE OF IOWA
John Mulder
#0404259
Full Name: John Walter Mulder
DOB: April 26, 1961
Charge: 1st degree murder
County: Sioux
City: Alton
Current Status: Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
Date of Crime: April 23, 1976
Tentative Discharge Date: Life
Victim: Jean Marie Homan
DOB: April 26, 1961
Charge: 1st degree murder
County: Sioux
City: Alton
Current Status: Fort Dodge Correctional Facility
Date of Crime: April 23, 1976
Tentative Discharge Date: Life
Victim: Jean Marie Homan
Jean Marie Homan, 55, was shot and killed in her Alton home on Friday, April 23, 1976. The killer entered the home of Carl and Jean Homan and shot Jean while she was in bed. Carl said he was watching television shortly after returning home that night and said, “I must have dozed off.” When he awoke, he said a figure was “standing in the doorway.” At first, he said, “I thought it was my son, Dave.” After that, Carl said it sounded like a gun’s misfire, the fatal shot was fired.
In a statement Carl made, he said “I came home. The TV was on, the ‘Tonight Show’ was playing. I said my prayers, got into bed. I must have dozed off. I awoke and threw my backboard on the floor. That is when I saw a figure standing in the bedroom doorway. I thought it was my son Dave. I called out his name several times. Then I noticed what appeared to be a gun or a rifle barrel in the doorway. I called to my wife. She awoke. It then sounded as though the gun misfired. The subject then fired the gun. My wife said, ‘I’m hit,’ or ‘he hit me.’ I jumped out of bed, chased the subject through the kitchen, he ran out the west door and turned north. I then turned around and went back into the bedroom and tried to give my wife mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I saw she was hit in the side. I then tried to call the Alton police, but no one answered the phone. Then called the Orange City Hospital. Went back to my wife and tried more mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I then called Walt Henrich. Walt called the sheriff’s office.”
Within a short time, the Alton rescue squad, county sheriff deputies, a priest and the Alton Police arrived at the home. Jean died of a single gunshot wound in her right side.
John Walter Mulder, 17, was charged with stealing the rifle that was used to murder Jean. John allegedly stole the gun from the Joe Friedman farm near Alton eight days before the slaying. The .22-caliber rifle was found in a dry well in Alton about two and a half weeks after the murder. After an intensive investigation, John was then charged with the murder.
In a statement Carl made, he said “I came home. The TV was on, the ‘Tonight Show’ was playing. I said my prayers, got into bed. I must have dozed off. I awoke and threw my backboard on the floor. That is when I saw a figure standing in the bedroom doorway. I thought it was my son Dave. I called out his name several times. Then I noticed what appeared to be a gun or a rifle barrel in the doorway. I called to my wife. She awoke. It then sounded as though the gun misfired. The subject then fired the gun. My wife said, ‘I’m hit,’ or ‘he hit me.’ I jumped out of bed, chased the subject through the kitchen, he ran out the west door and turned north. I then turned around and went back into the bedroom and tried to give my wife mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I saw she was hit in the side. I then tried to call the Alton police, but no one answered the phone. Then called the Orange City Hospital. Went back to my wife and tried more mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I then called Walt Henrich. Walt called the sheriff’s office.”
Within a short time, the Alton rescue squad, county sheriff deputies, a priest and the Alton Police arrived at the home. Jean died of a single gunshot wound in her right side.
John Walter Mulder, 17, was charged with stealing the rifle that was used to murder Jean. John allegedly stole the gun from the Joe Friedman farm near Alton eight days before the slaying. The .22-caliber rifle was found in a dry well in Alton about two and a half weeks after the murder. After an intensive investigation, John was then charged with the murder.
Source: Des Moines Register
