Small Town Murder Small Town Murder

The Brutally Batted Bartender - West Liberty, Iowa - Part 1

Sep 11, 2026 · 1h 12m

Summary

This episode of Small Town Murder Express covers the 1992 murder of Corey Lee Wenke, a popular bartender in West Liberty, Iowa. Hosts James Petrigall and Jimmy Wman detail Wenke's chaotic lifestyle, including his engagement to Jody Hotz, his affair with Annette D. Hazen, and his other relationships. The narrative follows the timeline of October 12-13, 1992, highlighting Annette’s erratic behavior, her confrontation with Wenke, and her subsequent day working roofing jobs. The episode concludes with Jody discovering Wenke’s body, which showed signs of 13 blunt force trauma strikes, while poli…

Topics discussed

Intro and live show ticket announcements Patreon promotion and Crime & Sports preview Introduction to West Liberty, Iowa Town history, demographics, and resident reviews Dutchess County Fair and local events discussion Corey Wenke's background and life at Wink's Tap Corey's multiple relationships and past behavior Events of October 12, 1992: The night of the murder Discovery of the body and initial police response Forensic evidence and the murder weapon Community reaction and initial investigation theories Suspect analysis: Jody, Bob Morrison, and Annette Other suspects and the case going cold Further suspects and the 10-year anniversary update Dog witness theory and cold case unit efforts Outro, upcoming episodes, and social media plugs
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