The Disappearance
Johnny Gosch, a 12-year-old paperboy, vanished on September 5, 1982, while delivering the Des Moines Sunday Register in West Des Moines, Iowa. He left home between 6-7 am on that warm Sunday morning with his canvas delivery bag and red wagon. His abandoned wagon was later discovered at the corner of 42nd Street and Marcourt Lane with newspapers still inside, indicating he never completed his route.
The Investigation
Despite extensive searches and investigations by local and federal authorities, no trace of Johnny was found. The case generated numerous leads and theories over the years, but none provided conclusive evidence about his fate or whereabouts.
Gosch House
Gosch House
Cases near this location
Showing cases with mapped locations within 50 miles of this stop.
Location of the Abduction
The red wooden wagon was found abandoned at this intersection with Johnny's newspapers still inside, indicating he had not completed his paper route when he disappeared 8. This discovery was made when Johnny's father went looking for his son along his delivery route 5
Cases near this location
Showing cases with mapped locations within 50 miles of this stop.
Current Status
After four decades of investigation and national attention, Johnny Gosch’s disappearance remains one of Iowa’s most infamous unsolved cases. His family continues to seek answers, and the case remains open with no definitive resolution about what happened during those early morning hours in 1982.
Reader Notes
Add to the story.
Share a memory, correction, lead, or detail that helps the place come into focus.
Leave a note