by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer –
“I am willing to put $1000, of my own money, If anyone has information that leads to a CONVICTION of Angela Altman’s murder,” said Cindy Henning.
Cindy, a friend of murder victim Angela Altman, is now in contact with Altman’s daughter, Jessica. She put up the reward saying, “If this Helps!! I can tell you, we will not stop and we will not give up.”
In 1981, Angela Altman was murdered at the young age of 22 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Her 4 year old daughter, Jessica, was in the home at the time of the incident, but was unharmed. (Both are pictured, at right. It is the best photo that could be provided.) At the time, there were two possible suspects in this case, but not enough evidence to prove either of them guilty. Thirty-one years later this case has still not been solved.
Angela Marie Altman was born on July 30th, 1958 in Meridian, Mississippi. She moved to Fort Dodge with her family when she was just three months old. She attended Pleasant View Elementary School and South Junior High School in Fort Dodge.
On Saturday, January 24th, 1981 at 3:20 pm, Angela was found lying on the kitchen floor of her apartment at 215 S. 7th Street. Angela was strangled and died from blood loss caused by abdominal stab wounds. No weapon was found at the scene.
After the death of her mother, Jessica was raised by her grandmother, Clarice Altman. Jessica is now 34 years old and has served in the Army, become a registered nurse and now works at a mental health facility.
Jessica is reaching out to the media and to the public for help. In Jessica’s eyes, nobody cares to get this case solved. She needs closure; she needs to know who did this to her mother.
“Throughout the years I have effortlessly tried to bring light to her (Angela’s) story only to encounter road block after road block after road block,” said Jessica. “Even though I was only 4 years old, I gave some pretty convincing responses to their (Fort Dodge Police and DCI) questions. I have been trying for 18 years to get law enforcement to look at this case again, it has been a long time since it has been reviewed and I believe that a fresh set of eyes may see something now that they didn’t see in 1981. I refuse to give up!”
Jessica contacted NIT, by recommendation of Nancy Bowers of Iowa Cold Case, to ask if we would put her story on.
Charis Paulson, Assistant Director of the DCI, stated, “To help in Angela Altman’s murder, we need the help of the public. We are still investigating the evidence we have, but with cold cases, like this, we depend on the people. The people that know anything, need to come forward with any information they may have. After this long, someone that knows anything might feel more comfortable coming forward now.”
“Angela Altman’s story has been on the radio show, Divine Intervention, and there has also been a poster made that was posted in the Messenger, a Fort Dodge newspaper,” said Paulson.
Help us bring some justice to Angela and her family. Contact the Fort Dodge Police Department with any information at 515-573-1426.
Wilbert
Does anyone no what apartment this happened in?
I want to thank everyone for their kind and supportive words. My only goal and the only purpose of this article was to make people aware of a brutal murder that happened 31 years ago in Fort Dodge, IA.
This is a sad story. I will pray for you and hope someday you find the answers that you want. I know that Angela would be very proud how her little girl turned out. I for one want to say thank you to Jessica for serving her country. Grandmother thank you stepping up and raising a fine young woman. Cindy I think you are wonderful friend.
Peter has never had to overcome anything in his life that wasn’t his own fault and he never will.
Peter..You must be full of hate for yourself. I dont feel sorry for you. You want to be hated. sad
To me, it appears that a young woman, after a personal tragedy, overcame odds, served our Country, and now works helping others. That’s gutsy, and that is what America is all about.
Thank God for women like her, we need more of them.
Yes Peter, they put their lives on the line, so you can be free to verbally belittle them. Some gratitude.
and have the FREEDOM to run out of the hospital when health care professionals want to lock you in a padded room.
It has nothing to do with dislike Peter. Comments such as “I’d feel a lot more comfortable if ex soldiers weren’t becoming nurses and mental health care workers.” [sic] beg to be questioned. In this example, you equate discipline with some sort of thuggery.
Someone from the armed forces following their training in their civilian career path is no cause for alarm. In everyone I have dealt with who went from military to civilian were outstanding from a job performance standpoint. Attention to duty, thoroughness of performance, and respectful demeanor make them ideal candidates in business.
A few years ago, when the 1133rd returned home from a deployment, the streets of Mason City were lined with people showing their gratitude for their service and welcoming them home. It was not about the organization so much as the people who served. Our motivation was support of others from our community, who made sacrifices for us.
I could not serve in the military and feel in some respects, I let my fellow citizens down. Yet that has not embittered me. Just the opposite, for my deep respect for those that have, is unending.
dam i read all these comments and now wish i had skipped this article. Lol How about those vikings?? O wait who cares
WOW, Don’t you realize that a young woman lost her life? How cruel you are so cold about all this. If it was your daughter would you want someone one to be so cold?
Does this resentment have anything to due with the time your had to run out of Mercy Hospital when the Doctor wanted you committed because of your erratic behavior. Shit you still look out your blinds every 5 minutes watching for said Doctor.
Anxiety at having an IV inserted for the first time in my life and anxiety about a serious unknown illness that attacked me? Is that the erratic behavior you speak of?
So that qualifies for heading up to the mental ward to be sedated with psyche meds by Dr. Pakistan?
If that’s not an abuse of power by medical personnel, then I don’t know what is.
When the door becomes locked and I’m not free to leave, and when the needles start filling with chemical agents, and the orderlies start amassing for their Rugby huddle, I take issue. Kick me out of your hospital and tell me not to come back…fine…i’ll live with that. Lock me up and drug me because YOU think I’m acting erratic…I’m going to spend the rest of my days writing about what fascist pigs you really are.
WOW Peter anytime you want to meet me or anyone of my friends that served in the army to say that to our faces let me know please. She served for you and everyone else in this country. You just need to shut your mouth.
What does meeting you or any of your friends have to do with anything? My point is I’ve noticed a trend of authority craving people who try and fill positions that render authority over other people. The job of corrections officer would be the next logical job for her to fill based on the other 3.
I’m going to ignore the inherent threat of your comment Jim…unless my meeting you would showcase what fine upstanding, helpful people you are.
Of course I wish this woman well in solving the unsolved murder. I have an unsolved murder of one of my family members as well, and they can re-open that anytime they like. Heck, I may call cold cases myself.
Aside from the personal experiences of this woman, my concern is a larger societal trend. And that trend is for healthcare facilities to become more and more enmeshed and intertwined with authoritarianism. Soldier, nurse, mental health worker, correctionals officer, deputy.
Wow, what a slow learner you are. I mean really slow.
Jim, I am proud of people like you and Jessica. Some people seem to forget how we got the freedoms we have. Lack of gratitude I guess.
Thank you Matt for putting this out there. This is something that I would not find in the globe and I truely appreciate it. @ Peter L who seems to be a know-it-all, your comment has NOTHING to do with this story besides finding something to B$#%# about. Instead you should be keeping your mouth shut or helping this woman to solve her mothers murder. I wish this family the best of luck and hopefully some closure.
Peter, what would you pretend to know about someone who has lived through this experience? How dare you suggest that someone who has lived through this event and then gone on to serve the Army, and THEN become a nurse is somehow defunct. People like YOU are the problem.