Crime Solvers Central
CSC
263 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
Mattie Zabel missing person case profile photo

Mattie Zabel Missing Person Case

Last seen in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Mar 21, 1978

Victim Details

Aug 22, 2012

Oct 27, 2022

Mattie

Zabel

93

45

62 inches

118 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Mar 21, 1978

Cedar Falls

Iowa

Black Hawk County

22173

Cedar Falls Police Department

Cedar Falls

Iowa

Black Hawk County

50613

4600 Main Street, Iowa

3192738612

Local

Law Enforcement

https://www.cedarfalls.com/

78-459

1978-03-21

Cedar Falls Police Department

Brown

Brown

Brown

07/13/2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
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 i ...
MEMBER ACCESS

Continue reading the complete case summary

Unlock the full case narrative for Mattie Zabel, all available source links, additional videos, and member discussions.

Unlock Full Case Access — $3.97/month
Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in

Last Seen: Mar 21, 1978

Links to Additional Sources (13)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Mattie Lou Zabel - Iowa Cold Cases
  • Mattie Lou Zabel - The Charley Project
    • MEMBER ACCESS

    Unlock 11 additional sources

    View the complete collection of available reporting and reference links for this case.

    View All Case Sources — $3.97/month
    Cancel anytime.
    Already a member? Log in

    Latest News

    View All

    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
    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
    I’ve been digging into Mattie Lou Zabel’s case from 1978 lately, and something's been bugging me... ...Read More
    01/22/2023
    MEMBER ACCESS

    Join the discussion for Mattie Zabel

    Read full forum posts and contribute to this case discussion.

    Unlock forum access — $3.97/month
    Already a member? Log in

    Other Missing Cases from Iowa

    Norma Maynard missing person case in Boone, Iowa

    Norma Maynard

    Missing: Feb 03, 1979
    Norma Mae Maynard, 61, was last seen in Boone, Iowa, on February 3, 1979, just weeks after the death ...Read More
    Denise Fraley missing person case in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

    Denise Fraley

    Missing: Sep 12, 1982
    Denise Ordene Fraley, aged 30, was last seen on September 12, 1982, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She and h ...Read More
    Dawn Allen missing person case in Carroll, Iowa

    Dawn Allen

    Missing: May 04, 2011
    Dawn Marlene Allen, aged 50, disappeared from her home in Carroll, Iowa, on May 4, 2011. She was las ...Read More
    Maria Francisco Martin missing person case in Ottumwa, Iowa

    Maria Francisco Martin

    Missing: Dec 01, 2021
    On December 1, 2021, a 16-year-old girl named Maria Francisco Martin vanished from her home in Ottum ...Read More
    Betty Christine Nelson missing person case in Denison, Iowa

    Betty Christine Nelson

    Missing: Oct 01, 2023
    Betty Christine Nelson was 70 years old when she was reported missing from Denison, Iowa. Publicly a ...Read More
    Crystal Arensdorf missing person case in Dubuque, Iowa

    Crystal Arensdorf

    Missing: Jul 04, 2001
    Crystal Ann Arensdorf, aged 21, was last seen in the early hours of July 4, 2001, at Knickers Saloon ...Read More