Murder of Earl Fuller Jr.

Photo of Joseph Altringer

At 7:30 p.m. on October 4, 1930, 12-year-old Earl Fuller Jr. left his home in Dubuque, Iowa. He went to go play football with friends in an area near the "bottoms" along the Mississippi River. The scrimmage was done at 9:30 and some of the boys witnessed Earl going off with a man afterward.

Soon his parents became worried when Earl didn't come home before 10 p.m. They would search for him. His body would be found the next day in the bottoms in a clump of willows. He had been strangled to death It was believed that he had been sexually assaulted too as he had no clothes on him. 

They would then interview several people for the murder, but they would come across one suspect soon a 22-year-old Joseph Altringer. They would interview him for 15 hours and admit to the murder. Two of Earl's friends would confirm that Joseph was the man they saw him leave with.

Joseph would enter a plea of guilty and Judge P.J. Nelson gave him his sentencing. He would be sentenced to death. Joseph did not seem to accept his sentencing. His lawyer tried to plea on his behalf stating he was still so young, but this fell upon deaf ears.

Joseph would be hanged on November 6, 1931.


SOURCES:
Legal Executions in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri
The Daily Times October 6, 1930
Quad-City Times October 13, 1930
The Daily Times October 13, 1930
The Des Moines Register October 20, 1930
The Des Moines Register November 5, 1930
The Gazette November 9, 1930