MN MN - Ione Rehwinkle, 23, Rochester, 1 January 1952

[Desayama]

I think she was legally declared dead as well. Does anyone have a link to Iones husbands obituary? His name was Robert Richard Rehwinkle. He died in 1983 as stated in the information alb1on. I have searched but found nothing.

I've managed to find similar information about Robert Rehwinkle but apparently you have to be a premium member of this site to view the actual obituary. In summary, he was born on August 12, 1931 in Minnesota and died on March 1, 1983 in Minnesota (so this is the same Rehwinkle that married Ione). He died at 51... quite early??? Wonder what happened. Also found same article as alb1on about Ione and Robert's marriage in 1948, she was 19 and he was 18. Her name is also given as Irene R Growt and not Ione R Growt? Might just be a typo. Links below, not rly much new info though, but will continue to look through the newspaper articles website to see if I spot something else about Robert Rehwinkle.

Robert Rehwinkle | March 1, 1983 Obituary (Obituary?)
NewspaperArchive® | robert rehwinkle historic newspaper articles including obituaries, births, marriages, divorces and arrests. (Newspaper article about their wedding in 1948 which alb1on mentioned, third one down)

 

[Mysteries1974]

I hope the result is a positive identification

 

[Desayama]

Also, for more relative links, I found the obituary of Robert Rehwinkle's sister, Frances Stensrud (nee Rehwinkle). There are definitely a ton of Ione's relatives that are still alive. Something that attracted my attention in this obituary was that her husband, Willard Stensrud (died in 2003) was employed as a welder with the Olmsted County Highway Department from 1951 onwards (same county that Ione vanished from). Jane Doe was found off a highway and had fire damage. Might just be a coincidence though.

Frances Stensrud's Obituary on The Post-Bulletin

 

[Desayama]

I hope the result is a positive identification

I really hope so too, it seems so close to not be. How long does testing usually take?

 

[Mysteries1974]

It usually takes a week or more. You should be notified considering the fact that you were the one who gave the potential match to the doe network. I think this is her though because of the resemblance. She may have been murdered and her killer disposed of her body in Colorado so that no potential testing could ever be done. That is my theory at least.

 

[Mysteries1974]

I am sorry for the late replies my Websleuths logs me out every time I leave and I don’t check it every minute

 

[Mysteries1974]

I do not think Ione would leave on her own accord because she had a 1 year old child at the time. I suspect foul play is the cause of Iones disappearance.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Maybe she left on her own accord and hitched a ride to Colorado then she was killed. This is unlikely but it seems like a good scenario.

 

[Desayama]

I do not think Ione would leave on her own accord because she had a 1 year old child at the time. I suspect foul play is the cause of Iones disappearance.

I completely agree about foul play, however they did find a Denver tramway token near the body (according to NamUS, this info isn't on the Doe Network), perhaps Ione had been visiting someone or had been in Colorado freely? The theory about the killer leaving Ione in Colorado, more than 907.6 miles away, is the most plausible theory though, as the Denver token could have been picked up due to proximity and may have just been trash.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Yeah that is the most plausible theory as to how Ione would end up in Colorado maybe she was having an affair and than this person found out that she was married to Robert who was in the military and then he killed Ione so he wouldn’t get arrested or targeted. That is one theory because Iones husband would be gone from 1951 to 1971 when enlisted.

 

[Mysteries1974]

If she and the Jane doe are the same person then Ione would have died on September 10th 1952 because they determined the woman had died 20 days before the discovery.

Woman's charred skeleton found under funeral pyre near Black Hawk

 

[Mysteries1974]

Has the doe network said anything?

 

[Desayama]

Has the doe network said anything?

The Doe Network still hasn't sent me anything, it's only been 5 days though, don't worry by the end of this month we'll have it

Let's hope with potential identification, we could even further help in solving the murder.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Yes I am going to start looking at potential killers who killed people in the area that the Jane doe was found and I am going to look at possible reasons for Iones disappearance like if she left on her own accord and went to Denver. Thank you for all of your help! Keep up the good work!

 

[Mysteries1974]

I am confident this will result in Iones case nearing resolution.

 

[Desayama]

Yes I am going to start looking at potential killers who killed people in the area that the Jane doe was found and I am going to look at possible reasons for Iones disappearance like if she left on her own accord and went to Denver. Thank you for all of your help! Keep up the good work!

Thanks for creating the thread, the unidentified and Ione wouldn't have been connected otherwise!

 

[Mysteries1974]

Your very welcome! I created it so Ione would get more attention in her case. I felt bad because her case never received the attention that other cases have gotten.

 

[Mysteries1974]

I’ve noticed that Iones thread is so quite. Has there been any updates like a new obituary or news from Doe? I’ve been searching for serial killers but I have nor yielded any results. I am going to try to search for Iones living relatives.

 

[Desayama]

I’ve noticed that Iones thread is so quite. Has there been any updates like a new obituary or news from Doe? I’ve been searching for serial killers but I have nor yielded any results. I am going to try to search for Iones living relatives.

No news from Doe as of yet, sorry. In terms of relatives, here's a quote from Frances Stensrud's obituary - "one sister Shirley Collins of Aurora; one brother, Daniel Anderson of Rochester; and several nieces and nephews." These are the people that are still alive after Frances' death in 2015 and could still be alive today. Frances was the sister of Robert Rehwinkle, Ione's husband.

 

[Desayama]

Also, another one for living relatives directly of Ione is taken from alb1on's find of David Watterson-Rehwinkle's obituary, who is Ione's grandson. His dad is listed as Dave Rehwinkle, who is Ione's son. I can't find an obituary for Ione's son or his wife, Chris so they may still be alive. Ione's other two grandsons (James and Steven Rehwinkle) are most likely alive too, as there is no obituary for them. I found out that Ione's only granddaughter Sue Ann, died at 1 day old back in 1978.

UPDATE: Found the Facebook profiles of Chris Rehwinkle, James (Jimmy) Rehwinkle, Steven Rehwinkle and Dave Rehwinkle (who must be Ione's son.)

David R. Watterson Rehwinkle