Paula Zahn highlights murder of Vicki Lynn Klotzbach that took 22 years to solve

This week On the Case With Paula Zahn spotlights the tragic rape and murder of Vicki Lynn Klotzbach, in a case that took over 20 years to solve.

Oct. 20, 1981, in Coralville and 22-year-old Vicki Lynn Klotzbach was reported missing after she failed to appear for her work.

Tragically just three days later her partially naked body was found in a cornfield. her arms had been tied behind her back and her eyes covered with tape. Vicki had also been raped before she was shot once in the head, in what detectives described as execution style.

The killing was reported as the first murder in the town’s history and an intensive investigation was launched. There was some initial luck when they managed to match bullets found with that of a weapon that their main suspect had, but it was not enough.

Then in 1996 DNA testing allowed them to compare samples from Vicki and this suspect, there was a match but it was not conclusive enough.

Richard Douglas Dodd was the man they suspected and in 2002 the 45-year-old’s DNA was retested, with scientific techniques having moved on. This time there was a conclusive match and Dodd was charged with Vicki’s murder.

He was already serving life for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor and the jury found him guilry of the murder as well. He received another life sentence.

On the Case With Paula Zahn airs on Sundays at 10:00 PM on Investigation Discovery.