Introduction

On July 13, 1988, James “Jim” F. Gossen (Aug 16, 1949 – Feb 6, 1988) went missing. At the time he disappeared, he was separated from his wife Myra Redman and their two children.

Gossen (38) was a diamond broker selling wholesale diamonds to jewelry stores. They lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His remains were found six months later.

There have been no arrests in this case. It remains unsolved.

Case

When Gossen didn’t answer Redman’s calls, she stopped by his house. “His shoes were by the bed and the front door was unlocked,” Redman said. “We found his dog. His shoes were there, his car was there — and he never went anywhere without his car. I felt frightened. I knew something was going on.” She reported him missing the next day.

Two rabbit hunters found his decomposed body on February 6, 1989, in a shallow grave off Camino La Tierra in Santa Fe, NM. He was handcuffed, wrapped in a tarp, and had a wire hanger wrapped around his neck. His death certificate listed strangulation as his cause of death. He was identified by his dental records.

James came from Wyoming. Redman describes him here as someone who “could get into things he shouldn’t get into. He knew some people that weren’t the best of character.” However, in this article Gossen is described as “known by his family for doing things by the book.” Which one is it?

He was someone you noticed, “flashy” has been mentioned, and he wore a lot of jewelry. This may have caused someone to take the opportunity to rob Gossen.

What else was found in the shallow grave? Was Gossen fully dressed or not? If the handcuffs were preserved can we trace them to the manufacturer, check them for touch DNA? The tarp and the hanger should be checked too if those were preserved. Did the tarp have a tag, logo? What kind of hanger was it? Ordinary hanger sold in retail stores or one from a dry-cleaner? Any markings on them?

Contact Information

The Gossen family is offering a $5,000 reward for information in Jim’s case. If you have any information please contact the New Mexico State Police Cold Case investigations at (505) 827-9066 or submit a tip through the online tip form. Their cold cases page is here.

Rest in peace, James “Jim” F. Gossen.