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Case Description
Any updates on this case?
Mattie Lou Zabel, a 45-year-old teacher's aide from Cedar Falls, Iowa, was last seen by her family on March 21, 1978. On the day of her disappearance, Mattie had left a frozen chicken thawing in her kitchen sink for dinner and did not take any clothing or other personal items with her. The next day, her son found her car abandoned at Black Hawk Park, with her purse locked inside. This was a location Mattie frequently visited to take walks.
Authorities launched an extensive search involv ...Read More
Last Seen: Mar 21, 1978
Authorities launched an extensive search involv ...Read More
Last Seen: Mar 21, 1978
Links to Additional Sources (10)
See any mistakes?Victim Details
Aug 22, 2012
Oct 27, 2022
Mattie
Zabel
91
45
62 inches
118 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
Mar 21, 1978
Cedar Falls
Iowa
Black Hawk County
260
22173
Cedar Falls Police Department
Cedar Falls
Iowa
Black Hawk County
50613
4600 Main Street, Iowa
3192738612
Local
Law Enforcement
78-459
1978-03-21
Cedar Falls Police Department
Brown
Brown
Brown
11/29/2025
Area Last Seen:
Forum Posts (3)
I've been fascinated by the case of Mattie Lou Zabel lately. Something that stands out to me is the ... ...Read More
08/14/2024
08/14/2024
I’ve been thinking a lot about where Mattie's car was found at Black Hawk Park, and I'm trying to ... ...Read More
08/02/2023
08/02/2023
I’ve been digging into Mattie Lou Zabel’s case from 1978 lately, and something's been bugging me... ...Read More
01/22/2023
01/22/2023
