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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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The Mt. Pleasant Murders — Up Close
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
The H. J. Nugen Library sponsored C J Williams, now a federal judge and the author of the book A Monster in Mt. Pleasant, for a book talk on Nov. 20 at the HS auditorium. Williams grew up in Mt. Pleasant and knew the places and the people involved. Murder in small town Iowa is a rare event. So the location immediately piqued my interest, plus I live only eight miles away.
Mr. Williams said of this murder, “This murder probably set me on my life’s career.” He has been both a lawyer and a judge.
I had read the book and was very interested in hearing the author’s presentation. I didn’t know the Beavers family, but I knew of their grocery store. C J’s dad’s store was Williams Clothing. Everybody my age knew what a great place it was to shop. Also I knew Dave and Carm Heaton very well. My family ate at their Iris Restaurant every Christmas Eve for years.
The crime was horrific and so senseless. On Oct. 29, 1978, two people were killed: 58-year old Clementine Beavers while watching TV in her basement and her 16-year old daughter Karol who had been in her bedroom. Both had been shot in the head and Karol had also been sexually assaulted. Max Beavers slept through the murders. He was a very early riser with less than perfect hearing. Yet even he was briefly suspected, but few believed he was capable of such a heinous crime against his own family.
Monty Seager, a troubled young man, was interviewed due to being on probation. Finding no evidence, he was released. But the weapon the police found in his possession much later helped convict him of the Beavers murders.
The story now turns to the murder of Susan Wheelock, age 32. Both she and Seager were Iris Restaurant employees. It had been six months since the still-unsolved Beavers murders. The police theorized that Wheelock surprised Seager who was intent on robbing the restaurant. He viciously beat her and she died from her injuries.
He is currently serving two life sentences without parole in Anamosa.
A riveting read, the author visited Seager in prison where he admitted to the killing of the Beavers women. Williams hopes that the book keeps the memory of Karol, Clementine, and Susan “alive” by retelling their story.
Approximately 50 people were in attendance. It was a very interesting evening. If you get chance to hear this story from Mr. Williams, take it. But read the book … you’ll not be able to put it down!
