Abduction suspected in Iowa City

NOTE: This story was originally published Sept. 23, 1997.

Police say they received no reports of suspicious activity in the neighborhood where a 57-year-old woman apparently met with foul play last weekend.

Frances Bloomfield, of 38 Wakefield Ct., was reported missing when her husband, John, arrived home Monday morning from an out-of-country trip. He called police about 7 a.m. Police said the woman's car - a red 1994 Honda Accord with Iowa Sesquicentennial license plate SO51154 - also was missing.

The condition of the house led police to believe Frances Bloomfield did not leave voluntarily, said Sgt. Jim Steffen, Iowa City police spokesman.

He would not describe the condition of the house.

Frances Bloomfield is described as white, 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds.

Steffen said she was last seen at her home late Saturday. He said he did not know if other items were missing from the home besides her car.

John Bloomfield is a researcher with the Center for Computer-Aided Design at the University of Iowa. He could not be reached for comment.

Director K.K. Choi said John Bloomfield, who has a doctorate and researches how humans interact with machines, has worked for the center for several years, having been recruited from Honeywell Corp. in Minneapolis.

John Bloomfield had been in France since Sept. 13 to present a paper about his research at a conference, Choi said. He had been expected to return on Sunday or Monday, but Choi said he had not heard from him.

"I haven't been able to reach him," he said.

Choi said he never met Frances Bloomfield.

Neighbors of the Bloomfields said the couple had lived on Wakefield Court a year or so and that they haven't seen much of the two. As for the weekend, neighbors Don Tupper, of 54 Wakefield Ct., and Jody Meyer, of 55 Wakefield Ct., said they did not notice anything unusual at the Bloomfield house.

"I'm sort of concerned," Meyer added. "When somebody on your street disappears, you're concerned."

The Iowa City Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Johnson County Attorney's Office are investigating Frances Bloomfield's disappearance. People with information are asked to call Iowa City police at 1-(319) 356-5275.