On the evening of Christmas Eve in 2014, a sense of tragedy befell a Waterloo, Iowa neighborhood. Randy Dawson, a 52-year-old Caucasian male, was fatally shot multiple times in his home at 302 East 10th Street. The incident, which is considered a homicide and robbery, cut short the life of a man known for his willingness to help others. A neighbor recalled how Dawson had once offered to change her flat tire without even being asked.
He was a self-employed home improvement worker and also worked in property maintenance after receiving his welding certification from Hawkeye Community College.
At approximately 9:25 p.m. on December 24, 2014, the sound of what a neighbor believed to be five or six gunshots pierced the night. Emergency services were promptly dispatched to the scene. Paramedics from Waterloo Fire and Rescue transported Dawson to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead. The home where Dawson lived with other relatives became an active crime scene, cordoned off with police tape and guarded by squad cars through Christmas Day as investigators began their work.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Waterloo police began searching for one or two persons of interest. One individual was briefly taken into custody at the scene and placed in a squad car but was not arrested. Despite the initial leads and the ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made in connection with Randy Dawson's murder. His case remains an unsolved homicide. Law enforcement has appealed to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the case, with the hope of bringing closure to his family and community. Six months after his death, Dawson's girlfriend gave birth to their son.
