Page 2 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 1-27-2016

Local NewsPage 2 • Jan. 27, 2016 Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter

from that night, what she saw, and her More Clear Lake Reporter
brother’s friends, whom she described
as a bunch of leeches. CALENDAR
“They would be at his house grab-
This is a weekly feature highlighting some of Iowa’s unsolved homicides in the hopes bing at him for all the money he had,” from page 1 reation Department has announced
that it will lead to new tips and potentially help solve cases. The project is a partner- Alicia told Brilbeck in a report that there will be no Open Gym Saturday,
ship between this newspaper and other members of the Iowa Newspaper Association. aired Feb. 4, 2011. “All the pills that Saturday con’t Jan. 30. The Open Gym program will
he had. Medication. He just wouldn’t resume its usual schedule Jan. 31 and
Cecil Travis Gaddy found happi- his wheelchair but that a fire allegedly have anything left for himself. It was CECIL GADDY will host a town hall meeting starting continue through March 6. Hours
ness in many things. started on a sofa in a room where he sad. It was horrible.” at 6 p.m. at the Clear Lake Fire De- can be found on page 5.
He worked as a farm hand and re- wasn’t present? Alicia said her brother felt he had He grew up and attended school in partment, 711 2nd Ave. N.
paired small engines. He taught him- Perhaps most telling is Gaddy’s no true friends he could count on, and Murray, and had lived in Osceola for Monday
self to play guitar and enjoyed writing death certificate (copy on file with that everybody was just taking advan- the few years prior to his death. He Poodle skirts
songs. He had a keen interest in com- Iowa Cold Cases), stating the vic- tage of him. She also recalled getting attended the Baptist Church in Mur- Caucus night
puters, and routinely fixed problems tim’s “Immediate Cause” of death as the news about her brother being ray and loved spending time with his Get ready for the Winter Dance
for those who came to him for help. “Burns — total body.” Nowhere on trapped in the blaze and rushing over niece and nephews. He was preceded Party by making your own poodle Caucus sites have been an-
Life took its first cruel turn when the the death certificate is there any men- to his home. in death by his father, Bobby Gaddy, skirt. In cooperation with the Surf nounced by each party. The Caucuses
16-year-old teen, his pregnant sister tion of smoke inhalation. The “Ap- The State Fire Marshal’s report and great-grandfather, Cecil Montelle Ballroom, the Clear Lake Arts Cen- start at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1. Cau-
and her husband and another friend proximate Interval Between Onset indicated: “Mr. Gaddy’s wheelchair Chew. ter will hold a Poodle Skirt Workshop cus sites for Clear Lake area residents
were passengers in a van and the driver and Death” — the time it took Cecil was observed outside the home’s front He was survived by his mother, with instructor Kate Christensen, can be found on page 1.
lost control. When the vehicle started Gaddy to die — is a single handwrit- door. The ground surrounding the Denise Gaddy and her friend, Kirk Saturday, Jan. 30, at 10 a.m. No
to roll, Cecil used his body to protect ten word: minutes. home was covered with deep snow Sanderson of Osceola; two sisters, Te- sewing is required. The event is for Daily
his sister, but eventually was thrown The document also states that au- averaging eight-inches.” (The snow resa Luncsford and Alicia Gaddy of young and old. Sponsored by Larson’s
through the windshield and left with topsy findings were not available prior would quickly be trampled and worn Osceola; a niece, Candace, and neph- Mercantile, the cost is $35 for Clear Hit the ice!
a broken back. to the completion of the signed Cause down by the number of responders on ews Eathan and Logan; grandparents, Lake Arts Center members and $40
Paralyzed from the waist down, of Death certificate. scene.) Russell and Beverly Roberts of Truro; for non-members, all supplies in- The Clear Lake Parks and Recre-
Cecil struggled to regain his indepen- According to Gaddy’s fam- Despite knowing where the fire great-grandmother, Mildred Chew cluded. Class size is limited. Depend- ation Department has announced that
dence and keep up with his favorite ily, there was no way he could have had started, investigators acknowl- of Osceola; several aunts, uncles and ing on the number of participants, the public ice rink is now open for the
activities. Though he couldn’t walk, he dragged himself into the home. It was edged they’d never been able to nail cousins; other relatives and a host of some skirts may need to be finished season. Open skating is permitted
could still use his hands, and his trusty the only way for him to get around down a cause. Gaddy was a smoker, friends. (seam and waist band sewn) after the anytime at the rink, which is located
wheelchair could take him nearly any- once inside — including from the liv- but his body hadn’t been found any- Information Needed workshop. To get a registration form at Marian Park on 2nd Ave. N. and
where he wanted to go. ing room to the bedroom — and he where near the sofa. If you have any information about go online to www.clartscenter.com, or N. 12 St. Warming house hours are
After high school he rented his never would have left it outside. With so much time passed since Cecil Gaddy’s unsolved murder, please stop by the Clear Lake Arts Center at nightly, 6-8:30 p.m. and Saturday
own house at 315 E. Shaw St. in Still Waiting for Answers the fire, Duffus said finding evidence contact Iowa Division of Criminal In- 17 S. 4th Street in downtown Clear and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. Monday
Osceola, Iowa and kept the place spot- Seven years after her brother’s to reopen the case was almost impos- vestigation Special Agent in Charge Lake or call 641-357-1998. A second nights are designated as high school
less. He also began hanging out with death, Alicia Gaddy — who lived in sible. Mike Motsinger at 515-725-6010 or Poodle Skirt Workshop will be held at skate nights.
the wrong people — offering them his Phoenix, Ariz. at the time — spoke Family members, however, said FBI Special Agent Jon Moeller at 712- 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3.
prescription medication and money in to Channel 13’s Aaron Brilbeck via they suspected arson from the very 258-1920.
exchange for their friendship. Some Skype about what she remembers beginning and had voiced their sus- Open gym change
“friends,” however, soon started taking picions to Osceola police and fire de-
advantage, sticking around for days partment officials before the fire was The Clear Lake Parks and Rec-
at a time and making more and more even completely extinguished.
demands. Cecil’s personal items and About Cecil Gaddy
pain medication began to disappear. Cecil Travis Gaddy was born April
In January of 2004, Cecil called 8, 1984, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Bob-
his sister, Alicia Gaddy. He told her by Gaddy and Denise Roberts Gaddy.
his friends wanted him to set up a
meth lab in his home but he’d refused
to let them do it. He told Alicia he’d
also cut them off from his money and
his pain meds, and was afraid of what
they might do.
Less than a week later on Satur-
day, Jan. 31, Osceola fire officials re-
sponded to a call stating Gaddy’s East
Shaw Street home was on fire. They
found Gaddy’s deceased body in a
back bedroom — lying face down.
Though officials were quick to
rule Gaddy’s death an “accident”
caused by a house fire, details later
emerged that showed the young man’s
fiery death was anything but acciden-
tal.
Total Body Burns;

Wheelchair Outside
State Fire Marshal inspector Da-
vid Linkletter, who investigated the
case, said the fire started on the living
room sofa, though Gaddy’s body was
found on his bed in a back bedroom.
Gaddy’s wheelchair, a necessity for
him to move from room to room, was
found outside in the snow, several feet
away from a house equipped with a
ramp.
According to the State Fire Mar-
shal’s report, there was approximately
eight inches of snow on the ground
at the time, and the wheelchair’s loca-
tion raised several questions from the
beginning:
•Why would Cecil have left his
wheelchair outside the home in the
snow?
•Paralyzed from the waist down,
how would he have crawled across
the snow-covered yard and into the
house?
•If someone had taken him out
and later brought him home, why
would they have dumped the wheel-
chair in the yard rather than taking it
into his home?
•Was it not a remarkable coinci-
dence that Cecil was never without