IA IA - Johnny Gosch, 12, West Des Moines, 5 Sept 1982 #4

[DFWNF]

I lean towards it was Johnny. However, I have never met Noreen and I don't know much about her. I know people can experience hallucinations during extreme grief and depression. However, if this was a hallucination I would have expected it to have occurred closer to his disappearance such as anniversary of 1st year. I don't think she would be so convinced if it was caused by grief. She has stated she had seen JG one more time after 1997 visit. If she has found him and is able to meet with him I would think she would do this quietly. There seems like there should be a way to keep former victims safe and an opportunity for them to get treatment. Such horrible abuse.

Very vivid dreams can happen, and one can believe the encounters are 100 % real. Jme.

 

[Cupofcare]

Sam Soda lived 0.4 miles away from Marc James Warren Allen's house. 2 min drive in a straight line. From Google images...u see the situation...houses there in general are quite far from each other & it looks more like the rural countryside than a densely-packed neighborhood... meaning the perp would've felt more at ease to abduct with kind of no one looking and the street not buzzing..I knew he lived near but never realized it was that near to Marc's house. Sam would've probably literally spotted him walking when he turned out his driveway to go shopping or whatever. With Sam having taken Marc, the logical conclusion is he took Johnny & Eugene as well. I now consider this case solved

 

[dotr]

Sam Soda lived 0.4 miles away from Marc James Warren Allen's house. 2 min drive in a straight line. From Google images...u see the situation...houses there in general are quite far from each other & it looks more like the rural countryside than a densely-packed neighborhood... meaning the perp would've felt more at ease to abduct with kind of no one looking and the street not buzzing..I knew he lived near but never realized it was that near to Marc's house. Sam would've probably literally spotted him walking when he turned out his driveway to go shopping or whatever. With Sam having taken Marc, the logical conclusion is he took Johnny & Eugene as well. I now consider this case solved

Gosches LTTE Sam Soda

Clipping found in The Des Moines Register published in Des Moines, Iowa on 1991-11-18. Gosches LTTE Sam Soda

www.newspapers.com

The Des Moines Register​

Des Moines, Iowa • Mon, Nov 18, 1991Page 24

 

[FergusMcDuck]

Sam Soda lived 0.4 miles away from Marc James Warren Allen's house. 2 min drive in a straight line. From Google images...u see the situation...houses there in general are quite far from each other & it looks more like the rural countryside than a densely-packed neighborhood... meaning the perp would've felt more at ease to abduct with kind of no one looking and the street not buzzing..I knew he lived near but never realized it was that near to Marc's house. Sam would've probably literally spotted him walking when he turned out his driveway to go shopping or whatever. With Sam having taken Marc, the logical conclusion is he took Johnny & Eugene as well. I now consider this case solved

There's no evidence whatsoever that Sam Soda had anything to do with any of the abductions.

Sam Soda was a local PI and activist who glommed onto the Gosch case like so many others, initially getting along great with Noreen. And then when they began to disagree (Soda didn't think Johnny was targeted) suddenly he became a suspect in Noreen's eyes - based on nothing. Then you get Paul Bonacci, a child molester and con artist (and his skeezy lawyer DeCamp) who basically rubber-stamps whatever Noreen believes at the time. The same thing happened when Noreen and John divorced a few years later - Noreen began accusing her husband of having been a part of it all and another of the con artists (Jimmy Gibson) began to fabricate tales.

 

[Cupofcare]

True. We can't prove it by now , but this is my personal opinion of course I know I will attract disagreements. He just became a focus for me because the case is so odd & he is so odd. It seemed like , ok, that makes sense to me, he kind of wasn't going off my radar for that reason. Then I read he beat his stepson it made me even more suspicious of what he could have done to children. I believe it's possible he knew about pedo rings personally & maybe used their service at a lower level. I don't believe he sold any of those boys away into a ring...it's hard to contain a secret like that within a large group... There's a lot of people who want their face on the news & would readily sell or spill info if they knew or were part of a ring that took Johnny. I think this was Soda personal secret & that he wasn't going to share the Boys. The case gives off a very murky energy which I suppose leads back to the Soda. I do believe he had remorse for what he done later in his life. I personally think he probably strangled those boys as the crimes were probably very "hands on" , "personal" , "sexual" or whatever u want to call it .

 

[Betty P]

There's no evidence whatsoever that Sam Soda had anything to do with any of the abductions.

Sam Soda was a local PI and activist who glommed onto the Gosch case like so many others, initially getting along great with Noreen. And then when they began to disagree (Soda didn't think Johnny was targeted) suddenly he became a suspect in Noreen's eyes - based on nothing. Then you get Paul Bonacci, a child molester and con artist (and his skeezy lawyer DeCamp) who basically rubber-stamps whatever Noreen believes at the time. The same thing happened when Noreen and John divorced a few years later - Noreen began accusing her husband of having been a part of it all and another of the con artists (Jimmy Gibson) began to fabricate tales.

There were so many known child molestors living in that area, it boggles the mind that no one could figure out which one(s) kidnapped those boys. Did the FBI ever express an opinion?

 

[I Survived]

The kidnapper lived in that zone. Probably he had a hideout a few miles from the city, where he kept the kids and abused them before killing them. Rings do exist, but in this very case we can see the job of a lone wolf.

 

[Mysteries1974]

There's no evidence whatsoever that Sam Soda had anything to do with any of the abductions.

Sam Soda was a local PI and activist who glommed onto the Gosch case like so many others, initially getting along great with Noreen. And then when they began to disagree (Soda didn't think Johnny was targeted) suddenly he became a suspect in Noreen's eyes - based on nothing. Then you get Paul Bonacci, a child molester and con artist (and his skeezy lawyer DeCamp) who basically rubber-stamps whatever Noreen believes at the time. The same thing happened when Noreen and John divorced a few years later - Noreen began accusing her husband of having been a part of it all and another of the con artists (Jimmy Gibson) began to fabricate tales.

I was a part of the group on Facebook she manages for him with others. I originally believed he might’ve been alive and out there but I no longer have this sentiment. While I understand her feelings of grief and losing her son, there really isn’t much evidence against any of the people she accuses. I suspect someone took all three of these boys and their remains have yet to be found.

I definitely think Johnny and Eugene could be linked because the vehicles sound similar and the circumstances are almost spot on. As for Marc Allen, I believe he could be linked as well but there’s very minimal information and evidence in his case. I do not believe for a second he ran away, I someone abducted him at random after he left his house.

 

[Cupofcare]

Man in blue car was described as having "beady eyes, staring at the horizon". And Sam's eyes look beady to me. From some digging online I found out his father is Italian, usually Italians have darker features. The man was described as being "Latin looking".

 

[Cupofcare]

The man was also described as having "deep-set eyes". Now I removed Sam glasses in this photo...eyes look indeed very deep-set to me. You can see quite a lot of stubble down his neck / chin. The man in the car was described as "unshaven" or something like that. If he grew that stubble just a bit more I suppose it would look quite wild. I need not elaborate on the mustache. About the medals he said "I think I was entitled to them". He probably had the same philosophy about those 3 little boys

 

[Cupofcare]

Looking at Soda's birth chart I see interesting things. Pisces sun. Usually family is very important to them , family life was a big part for Soda for sure, conventional marriage life. He was loyal to his family and liked having them around. Pisces are also the most mystical sign of the zodiac. Lots of Aquarius + Gemini in his chart. That would make him very smart. We see that reflecting in his PI stuff and lecturing seemed suited to him ( referring to the SCARED lectures ). However, I can see how all that Aquarius, especially Aquarius Venus, would cause him to have a very eccentric/ quirky side. He actually described himself as calculating. I do see it.

 

[FergusMcDuck]

Man in blue car was described as having "beady eyes, staring at the horizon". And Sam's eyes look beady to me. From some digging online I found out his father is Italian, usually Italians have darker features. The man was described as being "Latin looking".

But the blue car wasn't the one that abducted Johnny. That was a silver Ford Fairmont. There's actually no indication that the blue car guy was anything but what he said he was - some guy looking for a street in Clive at 6 in the morning.

 

[Cupofcare]

But the blue car wasn't the one that abducted Johnny. That was a silver Ford Fairmont. There's actually no indication that the blue car guy was anything but what he said he was - some guy looking for a street in Clive at 6 in the morning.

No one saw Johnny in the blue car . Also no one saw Johnny in the silver car. Was the silver car really "speeding away"? Eyewitness accounts not always reliable. I see cars speeding up all the time , some drivers are reckless [ see car crash scenes in my street all the time. I saw a car in flames at 7 am up my street. The other day people actually died in a crash meters from my home ]. A speeding car doesn't mean they abducted anyone...the blue car guy, if I read correctly, was hanging around in the area 30 minutes. That seems weird to me. 30 minutes to get directions off a group of paperboys. My guess now is Sam's hair , head hair & beard, were longer & bushier back then, hence he wasn't recognized later on. As for "tall man emerging from shadows". Could this have been someone looking for his newspaper? Basically, if there is this group of men who abducted Johnny, etc, it's weird no one ever came forward. Bonacci as we know didn't want to do a polygraph so I couldn't take him seriously. To me, that put him out the equation. I wouldn't waste my time. He was also a felon telling this story from the jail, if I remember correctly,unfortunately they often provide false leads.

 

[SleutherGirl]

Bonacci as we know didn't want to do a polygraph so I couldn't take him seriously.

No sensible person should ever take a polygraph. They are junk science.

 

[Cupofcare]

You can see a workable theory here in the attached MAP of where Eugene Martin went missing..just for you, I have highlighted the QUICKEST route Sam would've taken to his PI office, I'm thinking early morning but would be lying if I said I knew...You can see he would've driven straight down SW14 Street, turned into Porter Ave, then gone down SW12 Street, directly passing Highview Drive. Now apparently Eugene went missing at Highview Drive & SW 12 Street. On his work route, he would've passed that exact spot. And most likely noticed Eugene on a regular basis, and formed an obsession or something. None of this would be so weird if Sam didn't predict the abduction. That's quite problematic for him. Not only this but he also lived 0.4 miles from where Marc Allen went missing & looked exactly like the man from the blue car when Johnny went missing. And also inserted himself in the Gosch investigation, & gave lectures on sex devices . No one is "out to get Sam"..we just trying to figure out what happened here.

 

[FergusMcDuck]

You can see a workable theory here in the attached MAP of where Eugene Martin went missing..just for you, I have highlighted the QUICKEST route Sam would've taken to his PI office, I'm thinking early morning but would be lying if I said I knew...You can see he would've driven straight down SW14 Street, turned into Porter Ave, then gone down SW12 Street, directly passing Highview Drive. Now apparently Eugene went missing at Highview Drive & SW 12 Street. On his work route, he would've passed that exact spot. And most likely noticed Eugene on a regular basis, and formed an obsession or something. None of this would be so weird if Sam didn't predict the abduction. That's quite problematic for him. Not only this but he also lived 0.4 miles from where Marc Allen went missing & looked exactly like the man from the blue car when Johnny went missing. And also inserted himself in the Gosch investigation, & gave lectures on sex devices . No one is "out to get Sam"..we just trying to figure out what happened here.

But the only source for him "predicting" the abduction is Noreen, years later. And she is not a trustworthy source. Plenty of freelance PIs inserted themselves into the investigation - it was a famous case - and saying Soda "looked exactly like" the blue car guy sketch is a huge exaggeration.

 

[Cupofcare]

Yes, it's important for Noreen to tell the truth on these things . I'm pretty much going on what she said with that one but I'm also not entirely convinced unless she can produce the tape of him saying it. We can also have a "two car" theory. Let's say Sam is so clever that , he wants the paperboys & everyone to see him talking to Johnny, knowing they will suspect him as the main abductor...but actually he had arranged for the tall man to come up, catch Johnny & put him in the silver car, speeding off. The blue car would then have followed behind the silver car to a house / apt nearby. There Johnny was then abused by a group of men , Sam, tall man & the driver of silver car. This is another scenario, also very bleak, where they would've molested him with sex toys etc in a dark apartment. And his spirit would've just given up, he would've been like a ragdoll tossed between the men , unresponsive & eventually finished off. Very dark. Eugene Martin. In our alternative theory the man from the sketch does lure him around the corner, throws him in Sam's car, they speed away to Sam's PI office around the corner. "Office" looking more like house with maybe a bed in the back. There , the black cloth sack ( imagined ) is removed off Eugene's face, his face is shocked & stunned as he lies thrown on the floor , gazing up into the eyes of the abductor. He realizes how terribly he was tricked, Sam soon arrives in the room. Also like a ragdoll, abused sexually, Eugene is eventually finished off. I think Eugene's ( presumed) slaughter makes me the maddest, because he had such soft doe eyes. Marc I can't think he was killed by a group. I'm thinking it was random, opportunist, not planned out. Probably driven out to the woods & molested & dumped there.

 

[SaintGenet]

I was a part of the group on Facebook she manages for him with others. I originally believed he might’ve been alive and out there but I no longer have this sentiment. While I understand her feelings of grief and losing her son, there really isn’t much evidence against any of the people she accuses. I suspect someone took all three of these boys and their remains have yet to be found.

I definitely think Johnny and Eugene could be linked because the vehicles sound similar and the circumstances are almost spot on. As for Marc Allen, I believe he could be linked as well but there’s very minimal information and evidence in his case. I do not believe for a second he ran away, I someone abducted him at random after he left his house.

Marc Allen’s brother is the family spokesperson now. There is a podcast where he is interviewed and he gives a bit more insight into the case, but says it wasn’t taken seriously from the beginning. This poor guy just sounds so sad and frustrated during this interview and honesty I can’t blame him.

 

[Cupofcare]

Im not particularly quick on the uptake with these cases but I have some accuracy. Remember when Cleo Smith went missing in Australia? I typed on Reddit "if Cleo were abducted she's probably living in a shack in the desert eating off metal plates". It wasn't far off, the man with the dolls was raising her as a human doll in a shabby little house, in Carnarvon, which is a desert town. Sometimes you just feel they are still alive, other times, not really. Btw I stumbled onto an article about pedophile killer Dominic McKilligan. It's heartbreaking how his victim told his mum a man approached him to help him fix the brakes on his car for a payment. After the victim's murder the police found the torn up cheque for £150 to Wesley in his apartment. Dominic also claimed he gave Wesley to a group of pedophiles but actually he had thrown Wesley's body in the woods. Police found his body in a garbage bag "with the feet sticking out" in the woods. And only because Dominic confessed his location. Reminded me of Johnny's case

 

[DeDee]

Im not particularly quick on the uptake with these cases but I have some accuracy. Remember when Cleo Smith went missing in Australia? I typed on Reddit "if Cleo were abducted she's probably living in a shack in the desert eating off metal plates". It wasn't far off, the man with the dolls was raising her as a human doll in a shabby little house, in Carnarvon, which is a desert town. Sometimes you just feel they are still alive, other times, not really. Btw I stumbled onto an article about pedophile killer Dominic McKilligan. It's heartbreaking how his victim told his mum a man approached him to help him fix the brakes on his car for a payment. After the victim's murder the police found the torn up cheque for £150 to Wesley in his apartment. Dominic also claimed he gave Wesley to a group of pedophiles but actually he had thrown Wesley's body in the woods. Police found his body in a garbage bag "with the feet sticking out" in the woods. And only because Dominic confessed his location. Reminded me of Johnny's case

Good on you for being an insightful one. I thought of Johnny's mother today when reminiscing how Noreen would not change her phone number because it was the phone number for home that Johnny knew by heart.

It has been my impression always that Johnny was abducted for the benefit of pedophiles. If true, the visitor she suspected was her son, could have been Johnny as a grown man. His lovely Mother kept his name and photo in the news as best she could. JMOO

Incidentally, two years after Johnny was reported as missing, John Walsh established the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).