Steve Woodhouse
CNHI
Knoxville — The body of Marie Lisa Peak was exhumed today. State and Bremer County officials hope by examining the body, there may be a chance that new evidence can be discovered to help close the case. Peak was found dead outside of Waverly, Iowa, in September 1976. Her death was ruled a homicide, and the case has never been solved.
Bremer County Attorney Kasey Earl Wadding said with advancements in technology, there is a chance that an examination of her remains could lead to the discovery of new evidence. There are four unsolved homicides in the Waverly area, and Wadding says there is still a possibility that Peak's murder can be solved.
"We thought it may be worthwhile to reexamine," Wadding said. "You can recover evidence after a long period of time."
Wadding says he does not have any hard leads, and is unsure whether the examination by the Division of Criminal Investigation and State Medical Examiner's Office will provide any, but there is still the possibility evidence still exists.
"We haven't dead-ended (the case) yet," Wadding said.
