Donald Studey dead: Authorities ‘actively investigating’ – obituary | A western Iowa sheriff reports that local, state, and federal officials are “actively investigating” claims by a lady that her deceased father handled the bodies of dozens of individuals he murdered decades ago in rural locations. “Who wouldn’t be aggressively investigating this?” Sheriff Kevin Esttrop of Fremont County told CNN affiliate KETV.
The sheriff told KETV, “We have a crime scene, but we don’t know if it’s a crime scene.” “We do not have any victims or bodies. Nothing.”
Lucy Study, who was quoted in a Newsweek piece, claimed that her father, Donald Study, killed “50 to 70 people” decades ago and that she helped dispose of the bodies in a well on his property near Thurman, Iowa.
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Susan Study, the sister of Lucy Study, subsequently told Newsweek that her sister’s accusations were false. “My father was not as she depicted him. He was tough, but a caring, protective father who cherished his children… A tough father would not readily turn into a serial killer… Lucy is two years younger than I am. I believe I’d know She told Newsweek, “Was my father murdered?”
“Only one woman came forward to tell us about the body in the well,” Esttrop explained. “We brought some dead canines. The carcass dogs looked there or about the region, and they pointed in that direction. I wouldn’t say it was immediately adjacent to the well, but they did point it out in the vicinity.”
Esttrop stated, “We will do everything possible to prove or disprove a possible murder scene.”
Local, state and federal agencies were involved, including the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the FBI, according to Esttrop. DCI Deputy Director Mitch Mortvedt stated that the Iowa DCI provides expertise, resources, and experience for these investigations, particularly when a smaller police department requests assistance.
The deputy director of the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation told KETV, “They’ve requested us and the FBI to assist in the investigation, and we’re pleased to do so and will work hard to give the necessary personnel and resources.”
DCI detectives met with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI in an effort to gather the information that could lead to the serial killer.
Mortvedt told CNN that the probe is still “in its infancy” and that there is no schedule for its progression, but that it will “take months.” Since the accused suspect’s death in 2013, Mortvedt stated that law enforcement will devote the required time to these investigations.
Mortvedt stated that detectives are currently evaluating the veracity of Lucy Studey’s statements before authorities contemplate exhuming an area where a cadaver dog suggests the presence of possible human remains. He stated that cadaver dogs cannot always be relied upon as the sole source of information, thus law enforcement will rely on additional investigation methods prior to breaking ground.
