One of the problems in the criminal justice system is that we bounce from legislation that tells judges that if someone is convicted of a certain crime, they get a certain amount of time in prison. He was always proud of his family, not many knew alot about him except those closest, may he rest in peace.Īpril, thanks for the additional information on his criminal history. May his family someday get justice for him. He gave shelter to alot of people, at Hollywood Hookup, his car lots and other business ventures. He always was hustling, trying to make a dollar, make more than what he grew up with.

He will live on, through his family and friends. I know, Sugar Bear wasn’t the most examplillary person, but him and Dovey did have good advice.Īnother piece of his advice was, if I’m asking you something, I already know the answer, so yours better be right. Years later I seen Sugar Bear, he asked me why I left the family, we had a conversation, I explained and he told me no matter what, he’d always thought of me as family, I genuinely feeI the same. Sugar Bear helped me when Dovey and I had a falling out, and tried to make it right. The best advice they gave me was, you can play a victim all your life, or you can be strong and be a survivor, because life is hard. I knew this family years ago, his son Dovey, Big Earl, Earl JR, Andre.ĭovey helped me survive in 1984-1989,do to my parents kicking me out, being molested, and lots of other factors, not having anywhere to go. “Man killed in D.M.,” Associated Press/Cedar Rapids Gazette, September 30, 1996.“Murder Investigation at Des Moines ‘Juice Bar’: Exotic dancers sought for questioning,” Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, October 22, 1996.“Big Earl’s Strip Club Burns in Des Moines,” Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 11, 1999.Headless Man In Topless Bar: Studies of 725 cases of strip club related criminal homicides. WHO-TV Channel 13’s Aaron Brilbeck reports on the 14-year unsolved death of Earl Hamilton, air date August 5, 2010.“ Who killed Big Earl? 25 years later, family holds onto hope in unsolved murder of Iowa man,” by National Desk,, Thursday, Sept.If you have any information you think might help solve this case, please contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at (515) 286-3814. His case remains unsolved today, and the family has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in his case.Įarl was buried at the Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines. AugAbout Earl HamiltonĮarl “Big Earl” Hamilton is buried at the Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines.Įarl Riley Hamilton was born June 15, 1943. The book’s individual chapters covered the murders of dancers, customers, bouncers, employees and managers, and other organized crime related killings in the strip club business.Ĭhannel 13’s Aaron Brilbeck reports on the unsolved 1996 murder of “Big Earl” Hamilton. Kevlin – who holds advanced degrees in history and criminology – cited “Big Earl’s” murder in his book “ Headless Man In Topless Bar: Studies of 725 cases of strip club related criminal homicides. He was sentenced to probation and ordered to perform “100 hours of community service in fire prevention.” The case for arson was never proven and the suspect pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary. “The building is a complete loss,” Norris told the Associated Press on Thursday, March 11, adding that a preliminary investigation showed no signs of suspicious activity. Three years later, the club – then operated by Hamilton’s son – burned down on Main what appeared to be an arson fire set for personal reasons by a family acquaintance.Ĭrews from seven cities were called in to fight the early Tuesday morning blaze, which Saylor Township Assistant Fire Chief John Norris said took more than six hours to battle.

Marshall acknowledged the investigation had shifted toward Milwaukee, though no one was ever charged in Hamilton’s slaying.

“We just want to question them about their whereabouts and activities,” Polk County sheriff’s detective Dennis Marshall said in an Octotelephone interview with the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. Officials ruled out robbery as a motive, and speculation had it that Big Earl might have been slain over a dispute that had arisen over his firing of several nude dancers.įour female exotic dancers from the Milwaukee area were sought by authorities for questioning about a month after Hamilton’s death. Hamilton was flown to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. on Sunday, September 29, 1996, an unknown assailant shot Big Earl, 53, in the head outside the club. Kevlin’s 2007 book profiles more than 700 strip club related homicides, including that of “Big Earl” Hamilton.Īs he closed up at approximately 3 a.m.

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