When a family is slaughtered inside their tent at a popular Iowa park during the summer of 2022, news of the tragedy spreads far and wide. The killer spared one lone member of the Schmidt family, a young boy. The motive behind the crime remains elusive, even to those closest to the perpetrator.
The Episode
- WHO 13 (Des Moines, IA): Triple homicide investigated at state park campground, by Dan Hendrickson.
- Iowa Department of Public Safety: UPDATE: NAMES OF MAQUOKETA TRIPLE-HOMICIDE VICTIMS RELEASED, by Mitch Mortvedt.
- NBC News: Two adults and a child fatally shot at Iowa state park campground; suspect also dead, by David K. Li.
- Our Quad Cities (Davenport, IA): Brother of Maquoketa shooting victim says it was ‘a complete random act’, by Dustin Nolan, Bryan Bobb, Trae Harris, Matt Holderman.
- AP News (New York, NY): Police: 3 fatally shot at Iowa state park; gunman also dead, by Ryan J. Foley and Margery A. Beck.
- AP News (New York, NY): Parents, 6-year-old girl fatally shot in tent at Iowa park, by Amy Forliti.
- The Courier (Cedar Falls, IA): ‘The Midwestern family that we all would want to be’: Loved ones remember family slain at Maquoketa Caves, by Donald Promnitz.
- USA Today: Maquoketa Caves State Park camper heard a scream and a loud noise near site of triple homicide, by Tyler Jett (Des Moines Register).
- Des Moines Register (Des Moines Register): ‘I can’t believe this is happening’: Family, friends mourn the Schmidts, killed at Maquoketa Caves State Park, by Francesca Block.
- Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, NE): Update: 9-year-old Cedar Falls boy survives attack at Maquoketa Caves State Park, by Molly Ashford and Ryan Hoffman.
- Des Moines Register (Des Moines, IA): What we know about the Maquoketa Caves State Park shooting in Iowa, by Des Moines Register.
- The Washington Post (Washington, D.C.): 9-year-old survived Iowa campground attack that killed family, mayor says, by Bryan Pietsch and Meena Venkataramanan.
- Our Quad Cities (Davenport, IA): Woman called 911 after alerted to Maquoketa Caves shooting by boy, by Matt Holderman.
- 3 News Now (Omaha, NE): Suspected gunman’s motive in Iowa park killings remains a mystery, by Ryan J. Foley and Margery A. Beck.
- WHO 13 (Des Moines, IA): DCI: Killer stayed in tent 75 yards away from Iowa family he later attacked, by Dave Price.
- Our Quad Cities (Davenport, IA): ‘This was completely random’: Brother of Maquoketa victims speaks out about tragedy, by Matt Holderman.
- Papillion Times (Bellevue, NE): Mother of suspected gunman from La Vista says family is ‘deeply saddened’, by Molly Ashford and Ryan Hoffman.
- AP News (New York, NY): Iowa park where man killed couple, their daughter to reopen, by Associated Press.
- Des Moines Register (Des Moines, IA): ‘Celebration of Life’ event planned for Schmidt family, victims in Maquoketa Caves shooting, by Grace Altenhofen and Francesca Block.
- KHQA (Hannibal, MO): Report: “Ghost gun” used in Maquoketa Caves State Park triple homicide, by Iowa’s News Now Staff.
- Iowa Department of Public Safety: Update: Autopsies completed in Maquoketa Caves State Park triple homicide, by Mitch Mortvedt.
- AP News (New York, NY): Autopsy: Family killed at Iowa park shot, stabbed, strangled, by Margery A. Beck.
- The Courier (Cedar Falls, IA): Motive still elusive in campground slaying, by Jeff Reinitz.
- KWWL (Waterloo, IA): Dubuque Coalition for Non-Violence organization holds rally against upcoming state gun amendment, by KWWL.
- Associated Press via US News: Iowa Voters Add Gun Rights to State Constitution, by David Pitt.
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources Website