Search Continues for Abducted Iowa Girl as Suspect is Found Dead

A massive search is underway for Kathlynn Shepard, 15, in Webster County after authorities said she and another girl were abducted Monday.

Authorities said a suspect, Michael J. Klunder, 42, was found dead Monday night at a rural property northeast of Dayton. He was on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Authorities said they suspect he offered Shepard and a 12-year-old girl a ride in his red Toyota Tundra pickup as they got off a school bus just before 4 p.m. Monday.

Investigators said the 12-year-old was able to escape and ran to a nearby home after the girls were taken to an agricultural facility southeast of Dayton.

Shepard, however, remains missing. She is 5'6" and 160 pounds. She has blond hair and blue eyes, as well as braces. She was last seen wearing jeans, a grey hooded sweatshirt and a Minnesota Vikings baseball cap.

Anyone with any information on Shepard's disappearance or who may have come in contact with Klunder between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday is asked to contact law enforcement immediately at 515-573-1410.

The search currently spans a geographic area that is 75 to 100 miles square over Webster, Boone and Hamilton Counties. Law enforcement are partnering with volunteers to search fields and wooded areas, as well as make contact with residents in the area. Airplanes equipped with FLIR technology and law enforcement K-9s are also working.

The abduction comes less than a year after Evansdale cousins and murdered while riding their bikes on a sunny July day. The search for their kidnapper is ongoing.

Patch is reprinting safety tips from Evansdale Police Chief Kent Smock in light of Monday's abduction.

Safety Tips from Evansdale Police Chief Kent Smock:

As the weather begins to change and move toward warmer temperatures, children will be spending more time outdoors and away from the immediate supervision of their parents. We would like to take this opportunity to remind parents to talk with their children about their safety, before they venture out.

A few simple rules are:

1) Remind your children to NEVER talk to or accept any gifts from strangers.

2) Play in groups of friends and avoid isolated areas where others cannot easily see them.

3) If someone approaches and asks or tries to force them to accompany them, they should refuse and resist, making as much noise as possible to draw attention to them.

4) They should keep a schedule to check in with parents or guardians on a regular basis.

5) If they feel uncomfortable about their surroundings, listen to those feelings and go to a place of safety, whether an open business, friend's house, or police or fire station. Call their parent or guardian from there as well as police, if needed.

As parents and adults, we need you to be aware of children playing around your home or place of business. Look out windows and doors frequently and watch over children in the area. If you see anything suspicious, immediately call law enforcement and give them a good description of what you see, including the license plate number of any vehicle that may be involved. Keep watching and if necessary, before police arrive, step in and ask questions.

We would like to encourage all our neighbors to take an active part in continuing to make our neighborhoods a safe place for our children to be.  Keeping our children safe is everyone's responsibility and we ask that everyone play a role to ensure everyone has a pleasant and safe spring and summer.

Kent Smock

Evansdale Chief of Police