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Man, 66, confesses to brutal double murder of elderly couple three decades ago

• Jack Wendell Pursel, 66, walked into police station and confessed to 1981 murders of Richard and Goldie Huntbach
• Case went unsolved for more than 30 years
• Police are calling confession 'once in a lifetime'

By Beth Stebner

Published: Updated:

A 66-year-old man confessed to the grisly murders of an elderly couple after keeping the secret to himself for more than 30 years.

Jack Wendell Pursel confessed to shooting Richard Huntbach, 85, and his wife, Goldie, 77, in their home in 1981 after walking into the Waterloo, Iowa police station and requesting an audience with officers.

Director of Safety Services Dan Trelka told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier that this confession was ‘once in a lifetime.’

Guilty conscience: Jack Pursel, 66, walked into the Waterloo police station and confessed to the gruesome killings of an elderly couple in 1981

Murdered: Robert and Goldie Huntbach were shot dead in their Waterloo, Iowa home in 1981; Pursel was a named a person of interest but was never charged

‘He just came in off the street and wanted to get this off his chest,’ he said.

Police said that Pursel said he went to the Huntbach’s home with the intent to rob and kill them, according to Radio Iowa.

The Huntbachs were both found bound and gagged, and dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The house had been pillaged, as well.

No arrest was ever made in the case as police looked in vain for leads.

He was named a person of interest in the case, but was never charged.

Pursel began serving a 21-year sentence after he was convicted of sexual acts with a minor, but was paroled in 1992.

The police believe Pursel has intimate knowledge of the crime and could have been dating a relative of the Huntbachs at the time of the murders.

Mystery: The murders were eventually dubbed a cold case after police ran out of leads

Booming: Waterloo had a population of around 76,000 at the 1980 Census, but its population has since declined

‘It is my understanding (Pursel) found Christ and felt this was the right thing to do,’ Mr Trelka told the Courier.

Pursel, who appeared in court Thursday wearing a grey suit and glasses, was charged with first-degree murder and is now being held on $2million bond.

According to the Courier, Black Hawk County Attorney Thomas Ferguson requested such a high bond due to the brutal nature of the killings.

The newspaper reports that the couple’s bodies were discovered by a neighbour, both with fatal gunshot wounds to the head.

According to Iowacoldcases.org, Mr Huntbach was downstairs in the living room and his wife was found in the hallway on the second floor.

He also had injuries on his wrists and chest. A cattle prod was found in the master bedroom, and may have been used on him before he was murdered.
The Gazette reported that Mr Huntbach was retired from a packing company. Neighbours described them as ‘real nice, quiet people who kept to themselves.’

Pursel’s hearing has been set for May 18.

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