Mysterious Disappearance of Johnny Gosch

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

Residence Private – View From Public Area Drive up

Gosch House

Image Taken From: 1004 45th St, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA

Latitude: 41.5956806 Longitude: -93.67906339999999

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Location of the Abduction

Crime Scene Public Drive up

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

Image Taken From: 4200 Marcourt Ln, West Des Moines, IA 50266, USA

Latitude: 41.5857863 Longitude: -93.76169589999999

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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.