Gone Cold: Corey Wieneke, killed in 1992

Correction: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect phone number for the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office. The number is 563-263-6055.

This is a weekly feature highlighting some of Iowa’s unsolved homicides in the hopes that it will lead to new tips and potentially help solve cases. The project is a partnership between this newspaper and other members of the Iowa Newspaper Association.

Corey Wieneke was found bludgeoned to death on the bedroom floor of his rural West Liberty home on Oct. 13, 1992. The cause of death was blunt trauma to the body. A blood-stained aluminum softball bat found one mile from his home was confirmed to be the murder weapon.

Wieneke was the late shift bartender at Wink’s Tap, a downtown West Liberty tavern.

Authorities believed Wieneke knew his killer and said that there was no evidence to suggest it was a random killing, and that they believed the person responsible was not from West Liberty but possibly from Iowa City. Investigators also said they did not believe the murder was drug-related and that it could be connected to a relationship he had with a woman. Wieneke was returning home from Iowa City at about 7 a.m. the day of the murder.

Cold Case breakdown

WHO: Corey Lee Wieneke

AGE: 22

DIED: Oct. 13, 1992

LOCATION: West Liberty

How you can help: Anyone with information about Corey Wieneke’s unsolved murder is encouraged to call the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office at 563-263-6055 or 800-369-9635 or the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 515-725-6010. .

MORE: Read more stories in our series, explore the database and watch videos on Iowa's unsolved murders, at DesMoinesRegister.com/GoneCold

DATABASE: Explore an interactive map of Iowa's unsolved murders, dating back to 1847, and learn more about each case from information gathered by Iowa Cold Cases

ABOUT THE PROJECT: Gone Cold: Getting away with murder