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Twenty five years after Laura Van Wyhe’s body was found by the side of the road, prominent Manhattan attorney Anne Champion is returning to Iowa to find out what happened to her friend.
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Follow the Podcast, 'Bonaparte'
Laura Van Wyhe’s cold case story is the subject of the podcast, ‘Bonaparte,’ from Imperative Entertainment and Vespucci Group. Help us spread the word about the podcast and the grass-roots effort, “Champion for Laura,” as we seek to find justice for Laura and her family.
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Anne Champion's Insights
If you don’t know who Anne Champion is, she’s a partner in the New York law office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. An Iowa City native, she defended President Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, against her family’s effort to stop publication of her best-selling book, Too Much and Never Enough.
Laura's Van Wyhe's Story
W hen the truck driver found Laura alive but incoherent on Highway 136 near Kahoka, MO, her location next to the road was suggestive of being hit by a car. But the facts didn’t add up. According to police records, there was little blood found at the scene and no debris to suggest she had been struck by a vehicle there.
Anne and Laura: Childhood Friends
Laura and Anne knew each other growing up. “I am from Iowa City and was close to both Laura and her sister and was best friends with Laura’s sister,” Anne said. “We grew up together in Iowa City and are still in touch. Laura’s death affected me profoundly, not to mention her family.”
24 Hours. 3 States. 25 Years
The events that led to Van Wyhe’s death—and the identity of those responsible—remain unclear. Police reports indicate that in the last 24 hours of Laura’s life, she traveled from Iowa City, Iowa to Bonaparte, Iowa for her birthday party. The party was held at the home of her son’s paternal grandmother.
New Evidence is the Key
I would like to see a cold case squad from Iowa or Missouri or perhaps the FBI pick up this case. One of the things that I believe has hampered the investigation is the fact that the investigation spanned three states, so it may make sense for the FBI to get involved.
