On February 26, 2023, Ilene Gowan was found dead in a ditch in Iowa. While authorities suspected Gowan's boyfriend, Ivan Brammer, to be the one behind her death, medical examiners determined Gowan's death as unknown. However, it was Dr. Michael Baden and a zipper that allowed authorities to charge Brammer with murder.
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Gowan was last seen on February 12, 2023, after leaving her job at Sugar's Lounge and Diner and entering Brammer's vehicle, a Ford F-150. One day later, Gowan was also seen inside the vehicle on traffic cameras, but in an awkward and unnatural position. Eventually, authorities found Gowan's lifeless body in a ditch, without her personal safe, purse, cellphone, and one shoe missing.
That safe carried $1,200, the same amount that Brammer later deposited in his bank account on February 15. Furthermore, on February 25, he destroyed his vehicle in a salvage yard. Police charged Brammer with theft and abuse of a corpse, but, as said before, couldn't find evidence that Gowan was murdered. The family, however, wanted a second opinion. That is when Dr. Baden entered the equation.
The Zipper That Changed Everything
"I was called by Ilene Gowan's [son] ... [who said] that his [mother] had been murdered and that the prosecutor was very helpful in trying to find out the cause of death and who done it," said Dr. Baden to Fox News Digital.
While reviewing pictures of Gowan's body and the ditch she was found in, Dr. Baden made a discovery that would change Gowan's cause of death from "unknown" to "homicide." "[With] my experience, I was able to see marks on [her] neck that were typical for zipper imprint, the teeth of a zipper, [that left] a certain unique imprint pattern just like a hammer might, or another solid object might leave an imprint on the skin," Dr. Baden said. "I had seen zipper imprints like this in the past."
Through Dr. Baden's findings, he was able to assess that Gowan died of strangulation via a chokehold. He would later state that in court. While this didn't prove Brammer was the one who murdered Gowan, it allowed authorities to charge Brammer with murder. Brammer was later found guilty of second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, and second-degree theft. He will spend a maximum of 65 years in prison.
A Grieving Family
Dr. Baden's discovery helped Gowan's family put to rest their uneasiness. Authorities initially deeming Gowan's cause of death as unknown took a toll on them. "It was amazing to me how close the family was and how disturbed they were that harm was done to their mom," said Dr. Baden.
On that note, and before Brammer was sentenced, Ilene Gowan's family were given the chance to speak. "I don't think you truly understand all the pain that you have not only cost my mother that you beat maliciously but also me my children my family and your own family," said Nicole Shipper, Ilene's daughter.
Kate Haden, Ilene's mother, also gave some very powerful and emotional words. "Judge this is so very difficult for me — to lose my daughter, but in such a horrible way," said Haden. "And there's something that just eats at my soul, and only he knows," she said. I wonder if she called out to me as he beat the life out of her."
