Confession solves Moline cold case | Crime

Police say the 1988 murder of a Moline woman found stabbed to death in her home is finally solved after her husband’s killer confessed.

Laura Brown’s body was found at the bottom of the basement stairs in her home on 5^th Avenue the day after her husband was shot in the head in March 1988.  Laura had been stabbed several times.

The day before she was found, Laura’s husband, Joe Brown suffered two gunshots to the head while he was at Devil’s Glenn Park in Bettendorf.  Joe died two days later.

Paul Anderson was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with Joe’s death.  Anderson was serving life in prison without the possibility of parole at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.

Moline Police Detective Mike Griffin reviewed the unsolved case of Laura’s death.  His investigation led him to Anderson, who confessed February 19, 2013 to killing Laura Brown.

Police said out of respect for the wishes of Laura’s family, and because Anderson is already serving a life sentence without parole, the Rock Island County State’s Attorney will not pursue new murder charges against Anderson.