James Allan “Jim Bob” Booher, 51, was last seen on May 31, 2014, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Booher, a Marion resident and known local drug dealer, disappeared under suspicious circumstances after visiting the 5900 block of Fourth Street SW. His sister reported him missing three days later, prompting a multi-agency search effort. On June 9, 2014, Booher’s tan 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck was found abandoned in Cedar Rapids, but there was no sign of him.
Authorities quickly determined his disappearance to be both involuntary and suspicious, and the case was treated as a likely homicide.
Months of investigation followed, involving several law enforcement entities, including the Marion Police Department, Cedar Rapids Police, Linn County Sheriff's Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. By October 2014, police publicly declared Booher’s case a homicide. Subsequent searches of properties connected to persons of interest, including a rural farmhouse in Ely, Iowa, revealed forensic evidence suggesting a violent encounter had occurred. Investigators believed Booher had been lured to the property, where he was robbed and shot.
Nearly five years later, in May 2019, federal prosecutors indicted three people in connection with Booher’s death: Matthew Robbins, William L. Yancey, and Danielle Lynn Busch. All three were charged with robbery affecting interstate commerce, conspiracy, and using a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime that resulted in murder. Prosecutors stated that the group had conspired to steal drugs and drug money from Booher. Booher was allegedly shot and killed during the course of this robbery, and his body was never recovered. Evidence from Robbins’ Ely property, including Booher’s DNA and bone fragments in a burn pile, supported the prosecution’s narrative.
On July 26, 2021, almost seven years after the killing, Matthew Robbins, then 48, was convicted in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. A jury found that he used a firearm to rob Booher and that the gun was discharged during the robbery, resulting in Booher’s death. Acting U.S. Attorney Sean R. Berry stated that Robbins "used a gun to steal drugs and money," and the conviction held him accountable for the consequences. Robbins faced a sentence ranging from ten years to life in prison. Danielle Busch and William Yancey also faced federal prison terms for their roles in the conspiracy and subsequent cover-up.
Although convictions have been secured, Booher’s body has never been located. His family continues to seek closure, holding memorials and speaking publicly about their loss. Booher, a father of twin boys, was described as a dedicated craftsman and outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, mushroom hunting, and canoeing. The case remains a somber reminder of the deep and often hidden violence that can surround the illicit drug trade, and of the long road to justice when a victim vanishes without a trace.Last Seen: May 31, 2014
