The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Boone County Sheriff’s Department are taking a shot in the dark to try and find information on the death of an Iowa woman nearly two decades ago. D-C-I spokesman Jim Saunders says Ronnette Lynn Peterson of Madrid was found floating in a water pit in Lakeland, Florida in 1986. Polk County Florida officials at the time could not identify her body. Saunders says the case returned to Iowa just recently when a family member filed a missing persons report. Saunders says as he understands it, Peterson left the state on her own accord. He says a sister of Peterson, who had been eight years old when her sister left, hadn’t been able to find her and filed a missing persons report with Boone County. Saunders says Boone County officials came to the state and they were able to identify the body found in Florida as Peterson’s.He says they forwarded finger prints of Peterson to Florida and the body that had been unidentified for 19 years was found to be Peterson. Saunders says they believe Peterson was 22-years old when her body was found in Florida. He says now they’re trying to fill in more of the blanks in hopes of finding out what happened to Peterson. He says if there’s information from people who worked with her or went to school with her, or had any communication with her, that “would be extremely helpful.” He urges anyone with information to call the D-C-I or Boone County Sheriff. Saunders says they’re just looking for some clues to get them going. He says, “These occassions arise and they are unusual, but we’re confident that we can continue with this investigation and assist Polk County Florida and help them bring this investigation to a close. Saunders says any type of information on Peterson could help them make some headway in the case.
