Clarinda Herald-Journal
Clarinda, Iowa
November 4, 2008

CLARINDA (MNS) - Authorities made a chilling discovery on Halloween morning Friday, as the body of a missing Clarinda man was found in a rural area of Ringgold County northeast of Mount Ayr.

The State Medical Examiners Office determined on Saturday the body was that of Timothy Davis RATLEY, 42, of Clarinda.

Although the exact cause of death had not been released as of Monday afternoon, Clarinda Police Chief Keith BROTHERS said there was no indication of foul play.

On Oct. 27, the Ringgold County Sheriff's Department received a report of an abandoned van stuck on 220th Street.

After it was determined on Tuesday that the vehicle had potentially been left by an individual from Clarinda, the Ringgold County Sheriff's Office started a search for an individual in the area of the abandoned vehicle.

Brothers said he received a missing person's report regarding Ratley on Oct. 30.

"A concerned individual contacted me on Oct. 30, and was concerned about the welfare of Mr. RATLEY. The individual had not seen or visited with him for approximately seven to 10 days prior to that time," BROTHERS explained.

After receiving the report, BROTHERS notified the Ringgold County Sheriff's Office that RATLEY had officially been declared missing.

As a result, Ringgold County Sheriff Mike SOBOTKA requested the Iowa State Patrol perform a flyover of the area surrounding the abandoned van.

During the flyover Oct. 31, officers with the Iowa State Patrol aircraft identified a location in Section 2 of Poe Township in Ringgold County where there appeared to be a body.

Officers conducted a foot search of the grassy area and at approximately 10 a.m. found the body of a Caucasian male that was later identified as RATLEY.

Graveside services will be held for RATLEY on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery of Red Oak.

Anyone with additional information on this incident is asked to contact the Ringgold County Sheriff's Office at (641) 464-3921.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, November 06, 2008, Pages 1 & 14

Ringgold county's second dead body mystery in under a year came to light this week when the body of Timothy Davis RATLEY, 42, of Clarinda, was found in section two of Poe township three miles west of Mount Ayr on Friday, Oct. 31.

The latest incident began when an abandoned vehicle was reported stuck on 220th Street amile north of Highway 2 on the section of road that turns from gravel to dirt on Monday, Oct. 27.

In investigating the abandoned vehicle, the Ringgold County Sheriff's Department determined that the vehicle was potentially left there by an individual from Clarinda. The county sheriff's office then began looking for the individual in the area of the abandoned vehicle.

On Thursday, Oct. 30, the Clarinda Police Department notified the Ringgold County Sheriff's Department that Timothy RATLEY of Clarinda had been reported as missing.

According to Clarinda plice chief Keith BROTHERS, a concerned person contacted him that day and said he had not seen or visited with RATLEY for a week to 10 days prior to that.

Sheriff's department officers showed neighbors in the area pictures of the vehicle and the missing man to see if any of them had information on the missing man. The sheriff's department also arranged for the Iowa State Patrol aircraft to come and fly over the area where the vehicle was abandoned to try and find RATLEY.

On Friday, Oct. 31, the officers in the Iowa State Patrol aircraft were able to identify a location in section 2 of Poe township where there was what appeared to be a body in a grassy area.

Following the directions, officers on foot were then able to locate the area and found the body of a Caucasian male. They body was taken to the state medical examiner's office for positive identification and an autopsy.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, the State Medical Examiner's Office determined the identity of the body as that of RATLEY. Exact cause of death is yet to be determined by the State Medical Examiner's Office. Foul play is not thought to be a cause of death, however.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Ringgold county sheriff Mike SOBOTKA at 641-4664-3921.

According to his obituary, RATLEY was born in Longview, TX, received a welding degree from Panola Junior College in Texas and was a Navy veteran.

He enjoyed the outdoors and was a successful welder. Funeral [Page 14] services were held Wednesday Nov. 5, at Evergreen Cemetery in Red Oak.

Work is still being done on the case of the unidentified boy discovered two miles away from the present site on December 3, 2007 along 220th Street in section 27 of Liberty township, though there is no indication that the two deaths are connected in any way.

A body of a Caucasian or Hispanic male 5'3" to 5'6" tall was discovered at that time by hunters and has still not be indentified, according to law enforcement officials.

That person was shot about May 1, 2007, according to offical reports, and his body drug to an area of trees and grass, where it was left.

The murder victim was wearing a pair of DVS shoes, Tommy Hilfiger jean shorts and a maroon hooded sweatshirt and "Lord of the Rings" ring.

Edward Eugene GRAY Jr. of College Springs had been charged in the murder, but GRAY was later released and charges dropped for the present while the investigation of that murder continues.

NOTE: Luis FERNANDEZ was later identified as the 2007 murder victim.

Transcriptions and note by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2009; updated July of 2012