The continued search for missing 21-year-old, Harry Milligan. Harry was a USMC Reservist who went missing on July 1st, 1984. Mark, Harry’s brother, joined us on our search and gave some remarkable insight to Harry’s character and disappearance. Mark has been searching for his brother for nearly four decades.

Diving On Potential Target For Harry Milligan In Albia Reservoir

On this episode, while searching the Albia Reservoir, a target was found that resembled an upside down vehicle. Wanting to ensure we checked every possibility, Eric (Ride or Dive) and Jacob dove on the object.

Brother hoping to reignite search for Harry Milligan, who disappeared 38 years ago in Albia, Iowa

The 21-year-old was last seen in the early morning of July 1, 1984, after a night out with friends, where he was dropped off at his 1977 maroon Pontiac Grand Prix.

“We were real close,” Mark said of his older brother Harry. “We were the only ones we had.”

Only two and a half years apart, Mark and Harry Milligan grew up in the small town of Avery, Iowa with their four older siblings. “They were a lot older than us,” Mark said. “When I was like two, they were 18 or 19 years old.”

Mark told Dateline that he had been raised by his grandparents since he was two years old, but he was officially adopted by them when he turned 18. “That’s how me and Harry became brothers,” Mark said. He told Dateline that Harry had been adopted by Mark’s grandparents when he was just a few months old. “We don’t know who Harry’s birth father or mother is.”

From Mark Milligan, Lori Milligan and Michele Floen

For Harry’s benefit on the 1st of July (the 38th anniversary of Harry’s disappearance) we have been receiving tons of help! We have a pastor and singers for the vigil. We have a venue and a DJ for the meet & greet. Let us know if you can volunteer food or drink or your help during the meet & greet. We’re still accepting donations for the online auction! Also if someone could design shirts for the event and get those made that would be fantastic! Things are moving right along and we can’t thank everyone enough for all of the support! Would love to have you ALL join us!!

Visit findingharrymilligan.com or the Facebook group “Harry Dennis Milligan :: Still Missing” for more information, and stay tuned for further updates about this event.

Anonymous tip line for : Finding Harry Milligan
641-933-4405

Harry Dennis Milligan, a 21-year-old Marine Corps reservist, went out with friends in Albia, Iowa, on Saturday night, June 30, 1984.

He was last seen alive in Albia’s business district between 3 and 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning, July 1, 1984, and later reported missing to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Albia.

Witnesses said Milligan was last seen traveling north on Main Street in Albia and at that time was believed to be en route to his family’s home in Avery, where he failed to show up.

Milligan owned and was driving a maroon 1977 two-door Pontiac Grand Prix, which had current 1984 Iowa license tags with plate number EIJ-244.

He was described as a 6-foot-1 white male with brown hair, blue eyes, and weighing about 160 pounds. When last seen, he was wearing a blue plaid, short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.

Harry Milligan drove a 1977 maroon Pontiac Grand Prix similar to the one shown here. The vehicle, like Milligan, has never been found.

His family posted a $500 reward for information about his whereabouts and distributed the posters nationwide.

Milligan’s father, Leonard Milligan, said in a Jan. 8, 1985 Monroe County News article that some rumors had been checked out, but nothing definite had shown up to indicate Harry’s whereabouts.

“Losing our daughter (she died the month after Harry disappeared) hurt, but we know where she is and we can’t bring her back. We’ve done all we can do to locate Harry and now we just sit back and wait. We don’t know what else to do. I don’t know what I’d do if I wasn’t working.”

Neither Milligan nor his vehicle has been seen since the night he disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety classifies Milligan’s disappearance as “Involuntary,” which defines a person of any age who is missing under circumstances indicating that the disappearance was not voluntary (i.e. an abduction or kidnapping).

Hunters on lookout for three young missing Iowans

In November 1984, as an expected 250,000 pheasant and quail hunters and some 20,000 to 22,000 trappers prepared to venture into some of the state’s streams and most remote areas, officials urged them to keep eyes open for clues to the disappearance of three young men from Iowa.

Eugene Martin disappeared a month after Harry Milligan.

In addition to Milligan, rewards totaling $125,000 had been offered for information about Eugene Martin, who disappeared from his newspaper route in south Des Moines Aug. 12, 1984, and Johnny Gosch, who vanished from his route in West Des Moines on Sept. 5, 1982, the Albia Union-Republic said in an article published Nov. 8, 1984.

Johnny Gosch went missing in 1982.

Persons with information were instructed to contact either the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office or the Des Moines Police Department.

According to the Union-Republic, officials said hunters and trappers could constitute, in effect, the largest search party ever put afield.

Additionally, wildlife biologists and Iowa Conservation Commission officers were expected to be out in force to help game wardens with law enforcement.

Experts estimates that if hunters and trappers in the five states surround Iowa were alerted to look for the three missing boys, that the potential search party could swell to more than 1 million persons.

None of the three boys has ever been found.

Harry Milligan was born Oct. 4, 1962, and in 2015 would have turned 53 years old if still alive.

Harry Milligan’s brother, Mark Milligan, has spent more than 30 years being told different stories about his brother’s disappearance. Mark Milligan — a police sergeant with the Ottumwa Police Department — has taken to social media in efforts to discover what really happened to his brother.

Courtesy The Ottumwa Courier

He is tired of the rumors. Tired of the outright lies. And tired of false assumptions.

On January, 7, 2016, Sgt. Milligan posted a message on Facebook addressing the lies, misconceptions, and his ongoing search for truth and justice. “All I know is that I will never quit looking, never quit asking, never quit hoping for an answer,” he said. “I WILL finish this so there is answers.”

Below is Sgt. Mark Milligan’s post in its entirety, courtesy Facebook:

PLEASE SHARE….I Think with the New Year and the rumors that seem to have spread rather quickly lately I need to clarify some things with my FB friends and family. Before I get into this (which may be rather long) please understand I may offend some people, I may surprise some people, but one thing I am not going to do is pull any punches or try not to hurt any feelings. So if you don’t want to know what I think, or what I am asking for then stop reading this now.

This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with and has completely torn me up for over 30 years. So I will start with what I know as of recent, and hopefully it clarifies the rumors.

What I know is that the ex-wife of Jay Owens (I believe Loria) has made claim that she has information regarding Jay Owens being involved in or committing a murder in Albia Iowa approximately 30 years ago. I know that it is being looked into by DCI agents. That is what I know as of now. Could it be my brother, yes. Could it be Tim Earney, yes. If you are familiar with this you know both of these tragic incidents happened within months of each other in Albia. I wish I could tell everyone I had an answer FINALLY, but that is not the case. I am once again left with the same thing I have held on to for years, HOPE, that someday there is an answer. 

I guess that leads to this, and the fact that I have tried several different things over the years and now with the overwhelming use of social media I thought I would reach out to everyone I know and use you and your extended friends and family to see if somehow I can get an answer. I am clearly asking for help, not opinion, not some preconceived idea of what happened, or an assumption. I am strictly asking for facts. Things that people know. 

July 1st, 1984 my Brother, Harry Milligan disappeared from existence, in Albia Iowa. A town of approximately 3000 people and it seems that no one knows what happened. At the time of his disappearance I was on active duty in the Marine Corps so I do not know the events that lead up to this Saturday night early Sunday Morning other than what I have been told. So that is why I am asking for help. I am going to put out all the information that I know or have been told. I am going to put out all the opinions and misnomers that have been told to me and see if I can obtain more useful information and also hopefully stop some of the formed opinions and rumors. So like I said If I mention a name and my opinion and it offends you, Tough. It is mine and I will own it and defend my opinion.

Here is what I think I know…. My brother was at the bar (Waterworks), owned and operated by Mike Stocker located in North Main Street in Albia. I know that he was drinking and playing poker that night at the bar. It is my understanding that he did rather well that evening, taking several hundred dollars from Mike Stocker and the others (unknown to me, but would like to know) and closed the bar.

I know he left that bar with what I have been told was Steve Rockwell and Jeff Adler. I was told that they purchased a six pack of beer to go and got into Steve Rockwell’s car and drove around finishing the beers. I was told that at approximately 3:00 am Harry was dropped off back at his car parked in front of the bar on Main Street facing north and that he was observed by at least Steve Rockwell getting in his car. It is unclear and I do not know if Jeff Adler also got out of the car or not. (It may be that I was told but I do not recall ever being told.) I know that I was told that Steve then saw Harry start his vehicle and start to drive north, which would be in the direction of home since we lived in Avery Iowa. That is the last time my Brother was ever seen that I know of other than years later an individual, Raymond Ostermeyer stated that he possibly saw Harry’s vehicle going south in town at some point that early morning.

See more at :

SO very limited information as you can see from the night’s events.

Things I would like to know:

• Who saw Harry at the bar that night and was he playing cards?

• If he was playing cards who all was playing?

• Was he winning and were there any persons that could have had hard feelings or was upset? 

• Who may have seen him leave the bar that night and was he with Steve Rockwell and Jeff Adler? 

• Did anyone see them return to the bar and where exactly was his car parked that night? 

• Did anyone see him leave in his car and was anyone with him? 

• Who was the bartender that night and did anyone stay after to clean the bar or continue to drink? 

I need to explain one thing that has always struck me as very strange since this night. First of all after I returned and began to search and ask questions I want everyone to know that Steve Rockwell has spoken with me in regards to what transpired that night. He has also stayed in contact with Mom and Dad for several years trying to help them out.

What I find strange is that JEFF ADLER has never spoken to me or my parents in regards to this night nor has he ever made himself available to speak with law enforcement that I am aware of. I know I have a copy of the case file and nothing in regards to that is in there. When I was in Albia looking and talking to people every time I entered a place where he was at he would leave. This I find very strange. 

To be very honest the entire investigation was minimal cause it was a 19-year-old male and I personally do not believe it was taken seriously at the time it happened. 

Now to rumors and such that has been told to me over the thirty years and my opinion of them. Again if you don’t want to hear my opinion now would be the time to stop reading. 

#1 My dad (Leonard) killed him and buried him and the car in the house on our property in Avery. 

*Absolutely not true. Most people don’t understand that Harry was adopted, and the life and soul of my dad’s. Just as most people don’t understand that Leonard (I refer to as dad) is actually my grandfather that raised me absolutely something he would not do. 

#2 My mother (Vicki) killed him because they argued on occasion. 

*Absolutely not true, most people don’t understand that my dad worked on the railroad and was away from home a lot because of work so mom was the disciplinarian in the house. We were teenagers arguments happened enough said. Did not happen. 

#3 Harry decided to just leave.

*Highly unlikely, if you knew his situation he had it made. He was very intelligent, going to college at NMSU in Kirksville, was in the Marine Corps reserve and came home every weekend to party etc with his friends as he was this night. 

#4 He was involved in some top secret thing in the military and they moved him away.

*Really, then I don’t think they would have declared him as a deserter at one point and made us jump through all sorts of hoops in regards to other issues. 

Those are the opinions that have been told to me personally that I absolutely know to be nothing but stupid people’s imagination running crazy. But now to things that makes more sense but has never been able to be substantiated or proven to be a part of his disappearance. 

#1 Harry was mistakenly killed by some unknown person or an individual with the nickname “Flame” that was actually intending to kill Doug Maddy. It was explained to me that there was a serious drug debt owed by Maddy and that this person was sent to collect the debt or kill Maddy and he mistook Harry as being Doug. My opinion is that this is a possibility and since Doug and Harry were friends. Harry was no angel and partook in some drug use and of course well Doug Maddy… Enough said… Him and I have a history he knows my opinion of him and what he does. However, it should be known he has never been questioned or volunteered any information. 

#2 It was rumored that during this supposed card game that night at the bar Harry took a considerable amount of money from Mike Stocker and he was very upset. I have been told that Mike or someone Mike paid was waiting on Harry to return to his car that night and that person is who killed Harry. 

I was told that the car was then buried since Stocker had family with the capability and equipment to make that happen. My Opinion is that this is a possibility. I knew Mike Stocker and I was no Angel at that time and frequented the bars myself. I knew that beer was not the only thing being sold out of the bar. Part of why I question who all worked there or was there after hours is because years later Steve Townsend made a very clear comment to my wife one night at McGee’s bar as he looked at me. “How much do you think it would cost to make someone disappear?” She really didn’t reply and he stated something to the effect “I have done it before for less than $500 dollars.” Might not be a cop now if she would have told me that comment at the time and not waited till we were home, but then again… Steve Townsend he also knows my opinion. Enough said. 

This is the information I know after thirty years and I just cannot believe that someone DOESN’T KNOW what happened to my Brother. Someone or a group of people know what happened and all I ask is for someone to come forward and let my family put this to an end with some answers.

No one can imagine the shit I have heard, been told, or even been threatened with since that day. Everyone knows I’m a cop, have been for almost twenty years. I have been told numerous times by persons I was dealing with on a professional level that they wish it had been me instead of him, (really dumb asses you don’t think I have thought that too after watching what my mom and dad have gone through), I have had my wife’s life threatened from a god dammed murderer (Mike Jespersen that killed one of my good friends Jeff Woolums) when he sent word from the prison if I didn’t quit messing with his son she would come up missing like Harry. He also made claims of knowing what happened but would never tell. I have had to listen to people Like Doug Chidester, Steve Dye and others tell me that they know exactly what happened from being in prison but would never tell me what they know. 

All I know is that I will never quit looking, never quit asking, never quit hoping for an answer. All I ask is if you know or think you know something please contact ME or the Monroe County Sheriff’s office with the information that you have. You never know how it could help. 

Thanks for caring and reading my post. 

Please share it and ask your friends to share it you never know who may hold the key to my 

Question: What happened to my Brother, Harry Milligan 

As for the current investigation that is taking place. I hope that if you know something you are smart enough to contact me or the Monroe County Sheriff with that information as soon as possible. I am not hard to find I am on Facebook and I am currently employed at the Ottumwa Police Department. Better to be part of the answer than to be implicated. I plan to NEVER let this die and now that I can reach more people easier TIME IS NOW ON MY SIDE. 

Rest in peace my BROTHER, someday I WILL finish this so there is PEACE.

~ Sgt. Mark Milligan, Jan. 7, 2016

Information Needed

If you have any information regarding Harry Milligan’s mysterious disappearance or whereabouts, please contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office at 641-932-7815, or the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse / Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 1-800-346-5507.