Rural Keosauqua woman victim...1990

FORBES, AYLOR, MILLER, ROBERTS, EVANS

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 1/10/2025 at 15:36:05

VB Reg
1990 SE 13

Rural Keosauqua woman victim of homicide in home

On Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 11, Della Ruth Forbes, 81, R.R. Keosauqua, was found dead at her residence, the victim of an apparent homicide. The manner of death was by gunshot.

No further information is available at this time, however an autopsy was set for Wednesday. The Sheriff's Dept. and DCI are investigating.

Sh lived in Center Chapel area.

According to Dorothy Aylor, Keosauqua Postmaster, Mrs. Forbes' body was found by mail carrier Wayne Miller, who became concerned after finding Monday's mail still in the box.

Aylor said that she and Wayne were on regular Route Inspection at the time. The door was unlocked and Mrs. Forbes' was found on the floor.

Wayne then went to Arthur Roberts home to contact authorities.

Mr. Arthur Roberts said that Mrs. Forbes was not feeling well on Saturday and Mrs. Roberts remembers talking to her on the phone that morning.

Apparently, the last person to see her was a neighbor who saw Mrs. Forbes Saturday afternoon.

Mrs. Roberts said she counted 10 cars driving past her house Saturday evening, but that's not unusual because there's usually alot of traffic.

"The closer you are the scarier it gets," Mrs. Roberts said.
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2A The Des Moines Register
Thursday, January 17, 1991

Randy Evans, Iowa news editor, 515-284-8065

DATELINE IOWA

Keosauqua man found guilty in death of neighbor

The Register's Iowa News Service
KEOSAUQUA, IA. - A Van Buren County District Court jury on Wednesday found a Keosauqua man guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of his 82-year-old neighbor.

The jury deliberated for three hours before convicting Jack Evans, 22, in the death of Della Forbes. Forbes was found dead in her home last Sept. 10.

In his closing argument, prosecutor Bob Glaser said Evans "executed Della Forbes," shooting her five times. Evans' lawyer, Stephen Richardson, tried to prove that Forbes was alive on Sept. 10, contradicting the prosecution's assertion that Evans killed Forbes two days earlier.

Evans faces a mandatory life prison sentence. Sentencing has not been set.
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Keosauqua man gets life for killing neighbor, 82-year-old neighbor.
The Register's Iowa News Service

KEOSAUQUA, IA. - A Keosauqua man was sentenced to life in prison to life in prison Friday in the shooting death of his 82-year-old neighbor.

Jack Evans, 22, was convicted last month of first-degree murder in the death of Della Forbes in September 1990. Forbes was found shot to death in her home.

Source: "Scrapbook 1989 - 1990", Pg. 684,
Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., IA