Winneshiek County Cold Case Closed After 40 Years: Unidentified Remains Finally Given a Name

From the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office: The DiscoveryOn March 23, 1986, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Winneshiek County Dispatch Center received a call from a rural resident, Vernon Allen, reporting the discovery of a decomposed body in his hay barn in northeast Winneshiek County. Deputy Robert Ward of the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office responded and confirmed the finding. The resident reported that while moving hay bales from the east end of his barn, he noticed a pink blanket on the ground. Upon removing the blanket, he discovered a shoe, and then a body, wedged between two large round bales stacked two high. Each bale weighed approximately 1,500 pounds and had been stored in the barn since the summer of 1984. The victim was a Caucasian male, with dark brown hair. He was wearing brown suede shoes with brown laces, blue corduroy pants, a V-neck shirt, a heavy flannel light-brown plaid western jacket, and a blue windbreaker jacket. The victim had notable dental work. Two autopsies were conducted following the removal of the body from the barn. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) assisted with the investigation. An Earlier EncounterFollowing the discovery, investigators learned of a potentially related report from nearly a year prior. On April 9, 1985, at 12:45 a.m., a nearby neighbor reported that a hitchhiker had stopped to ask for directions to Highway 44 South. The man also stated he was from Ohio but trying to get to California. The man was described as approximately 35–40 years old with dark hair, wearing dark-colored clothing, and carrying a light-colored blanket. Two deputies responded at the time but were unable to locate anyone. Records from Des Moines weather services confirmed that the temperature that April night was 23°F with a light wind from the north. The Search for IdentityIn the Spring of 1986, efforts to search for an identity of the remains were underway. Chief Deputy Floyd Ashbacher and his son, Mike Ashbacher, transported the victim's skull to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where clay facial reconstruction was completed. Photos of the clay reconstruction were generated and shared with multiple law enforcement agencies, but no identification was made. Ultimately, Winneshiek County Sheriff Mel Lee coordinated a burial of the unidentified male at the Freeport Cemetery near Decorah. At the time of burial, DNA technology was not yet available, and no DNA sample was collected. Over the next four decades, the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office worked diligently to identify the unknown male, following up on all inquiries and reports submitted regarding the case. The case remained open until a recent breakthrough. The BreakthroughWith the advancement of today's DNA technology, Deputy Cole Tweten, with the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office, secured the necessary funding, permits, and legal authorization to disinter the grave with the goal of retrieving DNA. On April 16, 2026, the vault was located and remarkably, the body was very well preserved. Forty years after first transporting the skull with his father to Mayo Clinic, Mike Ashbacher, now employed with the Winneshiek County Medical Examiner's Office, transported the remains to the Iowa DCI Crime Lab for a third autopsy and DNA retrieval. The Iowa State Medical Examiner's Office, along with Dr. Heather M. Garvin, Forensic Anthropologist with Des Moines University, examined the remains and then elements were submitted for DNA analysis. Dr. Garvin completed a detailed dental examination. On June 11, 2026, Dr. Garvin utilized the NamUs (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System) database to compare the dental x-rays against reported missing persons. The xrays matched those of Clifton Womack, who was reported missing from Ohio in 1985. DNA analysis and forensic genealogy further supported the identification, revealing a biological association with Clifton Womack's brother, Terry Womack. Deputy Tweten later learned that Terry had submitted his DNA to NamUs approximately five years earlier, creating the critical connection that ultimately helped identify the remains. While Clifton Womack's identity has now been confirmed, questions surrounding his death remain. The official autopsy report lists the manner of death as "undetermined," leaving us all with an incomplete picture of what circumstances led to his passing. About Clifton WomackClifton Todd Womack was last seen on April 5, 1985, in Eastlake, Ohio. Known to family and friends as "Todd," he was a 28-year-old white male, 5'8" tall, weighing 130 pounds, with a scar on his left forearm. At the time of his disappearance, he was living with his mother, Peggy Jo Womack. Before leaving home that day, Clifton told his mother "I'm going out to look for a job," and was never seen again. Peggy Jo reported him missing to the Eastlake Police Department. As part of that investigation, she also provided Clifton's dental records, which would prove critical nearly four decades later. Clifton was one of five children. His siblings, brothers Jay and Terry, and sisters Sherry and Amber, never gave up searching for him. On June 18, 2026, Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx, Deputy Cole Tweten, Detective Chris Wuebker, and former Chief Deputy Floyd Ashbacher met virtually with Clifton's siblings. His family all agreed that Clifton was the smartest of the siblings and, due to his natural intelligence, he never had to study in school. The siblings explained that Clifton did suffer from schizophrenia and depended on medication to manage it. Additionally, they stated that their family used to live in California prior to moving to Ohio so the story that Clifton was trying to make his way back to California made sense. Clifton's mother passed away in the late 1980's but until her last breath she never gave up hope that one day her son would be found. A Deputy's DeterminationDeputy Cole Tweten has been with Winneshiek County since 2022. Though still early in his career, one can't dismiss his resourcefulness, diligence, eagerness, and heart. Once Deputy Tweten set sights on the Womack case, there was no turning back. Sheriff Dan Marx says, "I am grateful for the unwavering persistence of Deputy Cole Tweten. He never lost sight of our ultimate mission and duty to humankind. This outcome was achieved only through tremendous coordination, dedication, and resolve. Deputy Tweten stayed the course; his hard work and relentless determination paid off in the most meaningful way possible." Sheriff Marx continues, "This breakthrough in the case represents not only the culmination of a 40-year mystery for the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office, but for our entire community. We can all empathize with the reality that losing a child is every parent's and family member's worst nightmare; grief is only compounded without ever knowing what happened to them, and proper closure seems forever out of reach. Every human life holds immeasurable value, and every person is dearly loved by someone. I am grateful that we were able to bring the Womack family the closure they have sought and hoped for over these past four decades. I am equally thankful for the diligent work performed by this office back in 1986, which gathered and preserved information and case facts that ultimately allowed us to complete this investigation all these years later." Deputy Tweten was not even born when Clifton Womack's remains were found in 1986, but he knew of the case and was determined to close it. Deputy Tweten says, "I grew up in northern Winneshiek County and was always aware of this case. After reviewing the complete case file, what began as a fascination quickly became a responsibility - a responsibility to the Winneshiek County deputies who came before me and dedicated portions of their careers to identifying this man, and, more importantly, a responsibility to a family that spent more than four decades celebrating birthdays, holidays, and milestones without their loved one." Deputy Tweten continues, "Getting to know the family of Clifton Womack has been incredibly rewarding. While we cannot erase the years of heartache they have endured, we hope we have provided them with a sense of peace and closure that will help them moveforward." Closing ThoughtsYears after Clifton Womack walked out of the door of his mother's home in Ohio and never returned, his journey finally came to an end. Because a family never gave up hope and because a deputy refused to let this case be forgotten, Clifton Womack has his name back. A son, brother, and loved one is no longer a missing person. With no evidence of criminal activity, there is no further investigation. The Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office considers this case closed. AcknowledgmentsThis recovery and identification would not have been possible without the generous support of The Elizabeth Collins Foundation, which fully funded the endeavor. The Elizabeth Collins Foundation is a non-profit organization created in the wake of the abduction of Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins on July 13, 2012 - a case that remains unsolved with no arrests. The Foundation supports cold case awareness, provides funding and resources to assist in solving cases of missing individuals, and aids families of the missing with search efforts and crisis support. To learn more, visit: www.elizabethcollinsfoundation.org. The Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office also extends its gratitude to the following individuals and organizations for their assistance:• Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Major Crime Unit (DCI-MCU) and DCI Criminalistics Laboratory• Heather M. Garvin, PhD, D-ABFA, Forensic Anthropologist and Professor of Anatomy, Des Moines University• Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner's Office (IOSME)• Kevin Locke, MD, Winneshiek County Medical Examiner• Anna Mark, MD, Winneshiek County Medical Examiner• Tom Benda, Disinterment Services• Julie Pitz, Freeport Cemetery Commission• Scott Helms, Helms Funeral Home• Mike Ashbacher, Transport Driver for Winneshiek County Medical Examiner