Paula Oberbroeckling Unsolved Mystery: 1970 Disappearance and Mysterious Death

In the summer of 1970, Cedar Rapids resident Paula Jean Oberbroeckling was 18 years old. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes, and she worked with developmentally disabled children and at Younker’s Department Store. One night in July, she went on a date with her boyfriend Lonnie Bell, and when they returned home, they were arguing. She borrowed her roommate’s car, saying she would be right back, but she never returned.

The next day, the car was found near a store, but there were no signs of a struggle. In November, a body was discovered near the Cedar River, six miles from Paula’s apartment. The body was badly decomposed, with hands and feet bound with rope, wearing a light blue dress like the one Paula was last seen in. Foul play is suspected, but the cause of death remains unknown.

Lonnie Bell mentioned that Paula had been in contact with a man named John Strayhorn, but no one by that name was found at the location Lonnie provided. It was also mentioned that Paula had a previous boyfriend named Robert Williams, but they had broken up. Despite various theories, the case of Paula Oberbroeckling remains unsolved.