Transient dies in NW Iowa motel - and leaves a fortune behind
Associated Press . April 29, 2008
SHELDON, Iowa - Police say a transient man who stayed at the Sheldon Motel left behind a surprising mystery - $263,000. The Sioux County sheriff's office was called to the motel on March 31 to investigate the death of a man who lived there five months of the year.
The investigation has turned into what sheriff's Sgt. Jamison Van Voorst is calling the most interesting case he's seen in his 14 years with the sheriff's office.
As Van Voorst and Sheriff Dan Altena investigated the death of John Richard Grant, they discovered some papers, the back of a gold watch, and other belongings.
Nothing they found in room 20 was too unusual they say. Then came the surprise. In two vinyl cassette tape cases was $263,000, most of it in $50 and $100 bills.
They immediately began searching for relatives. There was no reason to believe Grant got the money illegally, so it should go to his next-of-kin, they said.
Van Voorst said the sheriff's office is waiting to hear back from Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister, who may have found a brother and a couple of first cousins.
"He (McAllister) has been put in contact with them and they'll hire their legal counsel," Van Voorst said.
The brother is said to be working as a harbor master for the U.S. Navy in Japan. The late John Grant, a U.S. Navy veteran, may also have a daughter. Again, nobody seems certain, at least not yet.
Grant had documents showing he served in the Navy during World War II. He was buried April 17 at the Keokuk National Cemetery. His obituary noted he was born on Nov. 7, 1925, in Rochester, N.Y. His parents were Harold and Cora Grant.
Beyond that, there isn't much to go on.
Eatel Anil, the motel manager, said Grant spent the last two winters at the motel. He parked a white cargo van in the parking lot and kept his room tidy.
"He would go out shopping when I went in to clean," says Anil. "He was a nice and clean person. He never messed up anything. He stayed with me, that's how I knew him."
Anil said Grant paid $500 a month to stay at the motel. Officials say he had also stayed in Kansas, Minnesota and near Chicago.
"The guy kept to himself," Van Voorst says. "Part of the roadblock is that he pretty much dealt in post office boxes. He had no criminal history."
The van, Grant's possessions and the cash are being stored by the sheriff's office until a family member comes forward.
"We're getting some information, but it's difficult," says Van Voorst. "We really don't know where to start."
"Money-wise, this is the biggest case I've worked on," he said. "It's really been quite a ride."
News Article: "Transcient leaves 'blessing' for Florida woman," St. Petersburg Times (Tampa Bay Times), St. Petersburg, FL, 17 Oct 2008, p. 16A.
Associated Press . April 29, 2008
SHELDON, Iowa - Police say a transient man who stayed at the Sheldon Motel left behind a surprising mystery - $263,000. The Sioux County sheriff's office was called to the motel on March 31 to investigate the death of a man who lived there five months of the year.
The investigation has turned into what sheriff's Sgt. Jamison Van Voorst is calling the most interesting case he's seen in his 14 years with the sheriff's office.
As Van Voorst and Sheriff Dan Altena investigated the death of John Richard Grant, they discovered some papers, the back of a gold watch, and other belongings.
Nothing they found in room 20 was too unusual they say. Then came the surprise. In two vinyl cassette tape cases was $263,000, most of it in $50 and $100 bills.
They immediately began searching for relatives. There was no reason to believe Grant got the money illegally, so it should go to his next-of-kin, they said.
Van Voorst said the sheriff's office is waiting to hear back from Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister, who may have found a brother and a couple of first cousins.
"He (McAllister) has been put in contact with them and they'll hire their legal counsel," Van Voorst said.
The brother is said to be working as a harbor master for the U.S. Navy in Japan. The late John Grant, a U.S. Navy veteran, may also have a daughter. Again, nobody seems certain, at least not yet.
Grant had documents showing he served in the Navy during World War II. He was buried April 17 at the Keokuk National Cemetery. His obituary noted he was born on Nov. 7, 1925, in Rochester, N.Y. His parents were Harold and Cora Grant.
Beyond that, there isn't much to go on.
Eatel Anil, the motel manager, said Grant spent the last two winters at the motel. He parked a white cargo van in the parking lot and kept his room tidy.
"He would go out shopping when I went in to clean," says Anil. "He was a nice and clean person. He never messed up anything. He stayed with me, that's how I knew him."
Anil said Grant paid $500 a month to stay at the motel. Officials say he had also stayed in Kansas, Minnesota and near Chicago.
"The guy kept to himself," Van Voorst says. "Part of the roadblock is that he pretty much dealt in post office boxes. He had no criminal history."
The van, Grant's possessions and the cash are being stored by the sheriff's office until a family member comes forward.
"We're getting some information, but it's difficult," says Van Voorst. "We really don't know where to start."
"Money-wise, this is the biggest case I've worked on," he said. "It's really been quite a ride."
News Article: "Transcient leaves 'blessing' for Florida woman," St. Petersburg Times (Tampa Bay Times), St. Petersburg, FL, 17 Oct 2008, p. 16A.
Transient dies in NW Iowa motel - and leaves a fortune behind
Associated Press . April 29, 2008
SHELDON, Iowa - Police say a transient man who stayed at the Sheldon Motel left behind a surprising mystery - $263,000. The Sioux County sheriff's office was called to the motel on March 31 to investigate the death of a man who lived there five months of the year.
The investigation has turned into what sheriff's Sgt. Jamison Van Voorst is calling the most interesting case he's seen in his 14 years with the sheriff's office.
As Van Voorst and Sheriff Dan Altena investigated the death of John Richard Grant, they discovered some papers, the back of a gold watch, and other belongings.
Nothing they found in room 20 was too unusual they say. Then came the surprise. In two vinyl cassette tape cases was $263,000, most of it in $50 and $100 bills.
They immediately began searching for relatives. There was no reason to believe Grant got the money illegally, so it should go to his next-of-kin, they said.
Van Voorst said the sheriff's office is waiting to hear back from Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister, who may have found a brother and a couple of first cousins.
"He (McAllister) has been put in contact with them and they'll hire their legal counsel," Van Voorst said.
The brother is said to be working as a harbor master for the U.S. Navy in Japan. The late John Grant, a U.S. Navy veteran, may also have a daughter. Again, nobody seems certain, at least not yet.
Grant had documents showing he served in the Navy during World War II. He was buried April 17 at the Keokuk National Cemetery. His obituary noted he was born on Nov. 7, 1925, in Rochester, N.Y. His parents were Harold and Cora Grant.
Beyond that, there isn't much to go on.
Eatel Anil, the motel manager, said Grant spent the last two winters at the motel. He parked a white cargo van in the parking lot and kept his room tidy.
"He would go out shopping when I went in to clean," says Anil. "He was a nice and clean person. He never messed up anything. He stayed with me, that's how I knew him."
Anil said Grant paid $500 a month to stay at the motel. Officials say he had also stayed in Kansas, Minnesota and near Chicago.
"The guy kept to himself," Van Voorst says. "Part of the roadblock is that he pretty much dealt in post office boxes. He had no criminal history."
The van, Grant's possessions and the cash are being stored by the sheriff's office until a family member comes forward.
"We're getting some information, but it's difficult," says Van Voorst. "We really don't know where to start."
"Money-wise, this is the biggest case I've worked on," he said. "It's really been quite a ride."
News Article: "Transcient leaves 'blessing' for Florida woman," St. Petersburg Times (Tampa Bay Times), St. Petersburg, FL, 17 Oct 2008, p. 16A.
Associated Press . April 29, 2008
SHELDON, Iowa - Police say a transient man who stayed at the Sheldon Motel left behind a surprising mystery - $263,000. The Sioux County sheriff's office was called to the motel on March 31 to investigate the death of a man who lived there five months of the year.
The investigation has turned into what sheriff's Sgt. Jamison Van Voorst is calling the most interesting case he's seen in his 14 years with the sheriff's office.
As Van Voorst and Sheriff Dan Altena investigated the death of John Richard Grant, they discovered some papers, the back of a gold watch, and other belongings.
Nothing they found in room 20 was too unusual they say. Then came the surprise. In two vinyl cassette tape cases was $263,000, most of it in $50 and $100 bills.
They immediately began searching for relatives. There was no reason to believe Grant got the money illegally, so it should go to his next-of-kin, they said.
Van Voorst said the sheriff's office is waiting to hear back from Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister, who may have found a brother and a couple of first cousins.
"He (McAllister) has been put in contact with them and they'll hire their legal counsel," Van Voorst said.
The brother is said to be working as a harbor master for the U.S. Navy in Japan. The late John Grant, a U.S. Navy veteran, may also have a daughter. Again, nobody seems certain, at least not yet.
Grant had documents showing he served in the Navy during World War II. He was buried April 17 at the Keokuk National Cemetery. His obituary noted he was born on Nov. 7, 1925, in Rochester, N.Y. His parents were Harold and Cora Grant.
Beyond that, there isn't much to go on.
Eatel Anil, the motel manager, said Grant spent the last two winters at the motel. He parked a white cargo van in the parking lot and kept his room tidy.
"He would go out shopping when I went in to clean," says Anil. "He was a nice and clean person. He never messed up anything. He stayed with me, that's how I knew him."
Anil said Grant paid $500 a month to stay at the motel. Officials say he had also stayed in Kansas, Minnesota and near Chicago.
"The guy kept to himself," Van Voorst says. "Part of the roadblock is that he pretty much dealt in post office boxes. He had no criminal history."
The van, Grant's possessions and the cash are being stored by the sheriff's office until a family member comes forward.
"We're getting some information, but it's difficult," says Van Voorst. "We really don't know where to start."
"Money-wise, this is the biggest case I've worked on," he said. "It's really been quite a ride."
News Article: "Transcient leaves 'blessing' for Florida woman," St. Petersburg Times (Tampa Bay Times), St. Petersburg, FL, 17 Oct 2008, p. 16A.
Inscription
AMM2 US NAVY WORLD WAR II
Family Members
Parents
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
