THE DARK SIDE OF IOWA
Unsolved
Marlene Ruth "Mickey" Padfield
photo courtesy Iowa Cold Cases
On Wednesday evening, February 18, 1959, Marlene Ruth “Mickey” Padfield, 17, went to the Kozy Inn restaurant in Cedar Rapids with Arthur Scott, Jr., an 18-year-old part-time Coe College student involved in community theater. Mickey, an aspiring actress, had recently moved from Mount Vernon High School to Lisbon, and after struggling to fit in, had dropped out of school in order to pursue acting roles in Cedar Rapids. Mickey and Arthur left the restaurant sometime after midnight between 12:15 and 12:30 AM. The beautiful and talented young woman was never seen alive again.
A farmer traveling an isolated dirt road between Cedar Rapids and Mount Vernon-Lisbon discovered Mickey’s skeletal remains two months later on April 29, 1959. Investigators ruled her death as a homicide.
The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun reporter, Dave Morris, has been tracking and writing about Mickey’s case for many years, and in February 2014, the uptown Theatre at the First Street Community Center in Mount Vernon ran a two-night, sold-out play about Mickey’s life. “We know she disappeared and was found dead,” said Amy White, the writer of the play “Someone Who Knew Her,” that aired February 14, 2014. “There’s no real mystery element of it but a memory play told from the standpoint of someone who knew her.
Amy’s play included about a dozen area actors who looked inside Mickey’s brief but troubled life, focusing on her love of acting and the loneliness of not fitting in. In April 2010, Dave wrote an article for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun titled, “Cold case: More details found, more sought in 1959 death of young woman.” The article provided the following information:
The unexplained death in 1959 of 17-year-old Marlene “Mickey” Padfield of Lisbon is drawing renewed interest following publication of a story in the Sun on March 18. Beryl O’Connor and Bob Hill of Lisbon have led the push to encourage anyone with any knowledge of the case to step forward, both of preserve and honor the budding actress’ memory and to help solve the cold case.
At the time of Mickey’s death, it was investigated as a murder, but in technical terms, it is considered a “suspicious death.” An autopsy was done on Mickey’s body, but the results have never been released, because they are part of the files of what is considered an ongoing investigation.
Mickey, who left Lisbon High School before graduating to work and pursue acting roles in Cedar Rapids, was reported missing on February 18, 1959. Her partially clothed, decomposing body was found about three miles west of Mount Vernon in late April that following year. Foul play was suspected, and there were several suspects, but the case remains unsolved.
If you have any information about Marlene “Mickey” Padfield’s unsolved murder, please contact the Linn County Sheriff’s Office at 319.892.6100.
A farmer traveling an isolated dirt road between Cedar Rapids and Mount Vernon-Lisbon discovered Mickey’s skeletal remains two months later on April 29, 1959. Investigators ruled her death as a homicide.
The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun reporter, Dave Morris, has been tracking and writing about Mickey’s case for many years, and in February 2014, the uptown Theatre at the First Street Community Center in Mount Vernon ran a two-night, sold-out play about Mickey’s life. “We know she disappeared and was found dead,” said Amy White, the writer of the play “Someone Who Knew Her,” that aired February 14, 2014. “There’s no real mystery element of it but a memory play told from the standpoint of someone who knew her.
Amy’s play included about a dozen area actors who looked inside Mickey’s brief but troubled life, focusing on her love of acting and the loneliness of not fitting in. In April 2010, Dave wrote an article for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun titled, “Cold case: More details found, more sought in 1959 death of young woman.” The article provided the following information:
The unexplained death in 1959 of 17-year-old Marlene “Mickey” Padfield of Lisbon is drawing renewed interest following publication of a story in the Sun on March 18. Beryl O’Connor and Bob Hill of Lisbon have led the push to encourage anyone with any knowledge of the case to step forward, both of preserve and honor the budding actress’ memory and to help solve the cold case.
At the time of Mickey’s death, it was investigated as a murder, but in technical terms, it is considered a “suspicious death.” An autopsy was done on Mickey’s body, but the results have never been released, because they are part of the files of what is considered an ongoing investigation.
Mickey, who left Lisbon High School before graduating to work and pursue acting roles in Cedar Rapids, was reported missing on February 18, 1959. Her partially clothed, decomposing body was found about three miles west of Mount Vernon in late April that following year. Foul play was suspected, and there were several suspects, but the case remains unsolved.
If you have any information about Marlene “Mickey” Padfield’s unsolved murder, please contact the Linn County Sheriff’s Office at 319.892.6100.
Source: Iowa Cold Cases
