In the winter of 1977, a family argument in Des Moines, Iowa, escalated to a fatal conclusion, leaving a family fractured and a murder officially unsolved. The life of Earl Franklin "Frank" Goff, a 36-year-old white male, was cut short on January 24, 1977, a day after a violent confrontation with his own brothers. The events of that night would haunt his children for decades to come, a cold case filled with suspicion but no legal resolution.
The conflict reportedly began with an argument
between Frank and his brothers, Jerry and George. Police believe the brothers then intentionally lured Frank to their parents' home on Southeast Jackson Avenue where a party was underway. Shortly after Frank arrived, he was shot in the neck. In the chaotic aftermath, it is believed by family, based on police accounts, that while Frank lay bleeding on the floor, his brothers worked to conceal evidence, including digging the bullet out of the wall. Frank was taken to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries the following day. His young children, a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son, were left waiting at the hospital, never to see their father alive again.
Investigators with the Des Moines Police Department quickly focused their attention on the two brothers, Jerry and George Goff. The family was told that detectives suspected Jerry was the one who pulled the trigger. During questioning, Jerry's story was reportedly inconsistent, strengthening the police's belief in his guilt. Despite having suspects, dozens of potential witnesses at the party, and even recovering the gun believed to have been used, authorities were unable to build a strong enough case to make an arrest. The lack of sufficient physical evidence proved to be a major roadblock for prosecutors.
As days turned into years, the investigation into Frank Goff's death went cold. For his children, the lack of justice was a persistent source of pain. The primary suspects, their own uncles, were never held accountable for their alleged actions. Jerry Goff died in 2002 from a respiratory illness, and his brother George, described as a career criminal, passed away years later. With the deaths of the main suspects, the possibility of ever closing the case and bringing legal justice for Frank Goff has all but vanished, leaving his family with only the lingering questions and the memory of a life taken too soon. The Des Moines police now consider the case locked and will not release any further details.
