KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsSiouxland 'cold case' gets boost from victim's best friend

Siouxland 'cold case' gets boost from victim's best friend

IDA GROVE, Iowa (KTIV) - It's been more than 12 years since a Siouxland woman disappeared, leaving two small children behind.

It would take two and a half years to know for a fact that 21-year-old Connie Ruddy had been taken from her Ida Grove, Iowa home and then killed.

Now, for the first time, Ruddy's best friend talks about the days leading up to the disappearance and how she made the discovery.

Still scared that whoever took and killed her best friend could come after her, Connie Ruddy's best friend still thinks of the friend she lost 12 years ago.

"I have not forgotten Connie, I will never forget her.  I will never forget what happened."

This woman we'll call "Jane" had a close connection with Connie Ruddy.

"We had girls the same age.  Our daughters were 4 days apart."

Jane describes Connie as a kind, caring but shy person, and a wonderful mother to her 2-year-old daughter and 2-month-old son.

"She was just devoted to her life at home," said Jane.  News Channel Four's Melissa Lanzourakis asks, "So she was a good mother?"  "She was a beautiful mother.  She baby-sat my daughter," said Jane.

It was Saturday night, February 8th, 1997.  Jane and Connie's sister were at her home in Ida Grove for a visit.

"It was just a normal visit.  Joked around, she was thrilled that-her boyfriend was in jail at the time-and she was thrilled he was getting out.  Joked around how he'd be scooping the snow and he was going to watch the kids for a little while," said Jane.

Jane left the house with her daughter around 10:30 that night.  As she was leaving, she noticed a car parked across the street, 2 people inside.

"They literally watched me walk out of that house," said Jane.

On Monday, February 10th, Jane arrived at Connie's house at 11.

"I walked into the house and her daughter was on the couch and there was sheer fear in that little girls eyes." said Jane.

Acting on impulse, she started taking care of the kids right when she got inside.

'"Do what you need to calm them down, figure out why mom isn't home," said Jane.

Her purse and car keys were in the house.

"What went through my mind was a state of confusion.  I didn't think instantly somebody took her.    I was thinking, why wasn't she with her kids?  Why wasn't anybody with her kids?" said Jane.

But Connie remained missing for two years, until her jawbone was eventually found 35 miles away on the banks of Boyer River.  Looking back on the day Connie disappeared, Jane has her own theories of what might have happened to her best friend.

We'll continue this story Wednesday night at ten.

If you have any information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case, you could get a reward.

The number to call is 1-800-568-4401.