Sheila Collins:1968, Story County, Iowa
Sheila Jean Collins was from Evanston, Illinois. She was born on August 2nd, 1949. Her father, James Collins, was a commercial artist. She was a freshman studying English at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa in 1968.
On Friday, January 26th, 1968, Sheila Jean Collins had posted a notice on the bulletin board in the student union building. She was hoping to get a ride back to Evanston, Illinois.
That evening she got a call after 8 p.m. answering her advertisement about needing a ride. The caller asked if she could be ready in 15 minutes. She said she needed 20. He agreed and they arranged a spot to meet.
She let her roommate know that she had gotten a ride. She called her parents to let them know. She did not have the name of the man who was taking her. She packed her bag and left the dorm. The man who offered her a ride asked her to meet him in 15 minutes at the corner of Lincoln Way and Beach Avenue. Quite a few fraternity houses are located along Lincoln Way there. She probably hurried in case he became impatient.
No one saw her get into the car.
On Sunday afternoon, east of Ames, Iowa between Nevada and Colo, Iowa, Jeff Hogle saw something strange on the side of the rural road. Jeff was 8 and he and his father, Roger Hogle, were fox hunting. As they drove along the rural road, Jeff said he saw something that looked like a foot. His Dad went back to take a look. Roger Hogle said he saw what he thought was a body and a coat. He drove to Nevada, Iowa to report this to the Sheriff.
The body of a young woman was slumped over in a kneeling position. She had no clothing on below the waist. Her coat had been thrown over her and was covering her head.
A length of nylon cord and a pipe had been used as a garrote to strangle her to death. The body was identified as Sheila.
Her belongings, a suitcase, handbag and her jeans, were found to the west of her body. It appeared that they had been placed over the fence.
There was no doubt that she had been murdered but by who?
The student union would have been open to the public. The murderer would not necessarily have to be a student. Unfortunately, no one knew who Sheila Collins had accepted a ride from.
It was 1968 and this could be any number of men. It could be a college student, frat boy, or someone who worked at the college.
Not far away, a serial rapist and strangler was living in Waverly, Iowa. Gary Lynn Frazer would have been about 17 in 1968. Would he have been bold enough to drive to the University and find that ride board card on a Friday night? Maybe. In 1975, we know that he abducted, assaulted and killed Sheila Foley and left her body south of Oelwein. She had been waiting in the car owned by her friend on a fairly busy street in Oelwein.
He is suspected in several other murders in the Waverly, Iowa area in the 1970's.
Did a 17 year old Gary Lynn Frazer drive to Ames, loiter around the student union and find the Ride Board? Maybe. It’s a short distance to Ames from Waverly. It was a Friday night and perhaps he drove over there. College campuses usually have quite a few parties going on and the student union would be a good place to see what was going on.
What evidence still exists in Sheila Collins’ case? Was a rape kit collected? Were her fingernails clipped? Was DNA evidence left under her nails?
Sheila Collins was not the only young woman who ended up dead that cold night in Iowa. The very same Friday night that Sheila Jean Collins left the campus of Iowa State University another young woman had gone out in a car with a young man.
Sheila Rae Harrison was out with a young man named Oca B. Will Jr. of Fort Dodge, Iowa. It seems that they had gone out on a date. Oca may have told her parents that he would bring her home safe before her curfew. But, she did not make it home that night.
Sheila Rae Harrison was found dead in the middle of the road. Oca B. Will Jr. was found in his car. He claimed they got stuck in the mud and that he fell asleep in the car while she went for help.
Sheila Rae Harrison had bruising on her face. The medical examiner said she had died of a heart attack.
Why was Sheila Rae walking “for help” by herself under a waning crescent moon in the cold? Why wasn’t Oca walking with her?
How did Sheila Rae Harrison’s face get bruised? She was a young woman. Did she even have a heart condition? How do they know it was a heart attack? A newspaper report not long after her death reported that Sheila Rae Harrison did have a rheumatic heart condition.
Often this develops in a baby or child when they get a rheumatic fever, often from strep throat, and the body mistakenly attacks its own heart tissue.
So Sheila Rae Harrison probably did die of a heart attack as she walked away from Oca Will’s car that Friday night in the cold of late January. Why he did not walk with her, or instead of her, we may never know.
Rest in Peace Sheila Collins, Sheila Harrison and Sheila Foley. You deserved long lives.
Sheila Jean Collins’ murder is still unsolved. If you have information please call (800)242-5100
Or email coldcase@ag.iowa.gov
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