(ABC 6 News) – It has been 25 years, and the family of Gerald Best still has no answers.

“My dad was a very loving person kindhearted giving tender gentle,” said daughter Rachel Best.

Gerald Best was only 17 when he was shipped out to Vietnam and served in Army for the 173rd Airborne. While he was in Vietnam, Gerald was wounded twice and was awarded two purple hearts for his service. He was also a father to four children.

“I focus on the memories of the times that we shared, and I let that come to the forefront and I don’t think about the fact that he is gone, and that it’s been 25 years and that it is unsolved,” Rachel Best said.

On December 30, 1999, a 911 call was placed directing police to a house on the corner of State Street and Madison Avenue in Mason City, Iowa.

According to the reports filed, when the officer arrived, they observed two people outside the residence who told the officer that their friend was upstairs and pointed to the stairwell.

When the officer went up the stairs and tried the first door, it was locked and asked them how to get in. They told him to go further up the stairs. When the officer entered the apartment by walking up the stairs, he noticed 50-year-old Gerald Best laying on the floor.

According to the report, the officer noticed that there was a large amount of blood on the Best’s clothing, personal items, furniture, and the carpet around him. The officer also observed a large wound across the neck and could see all the way back into the throat.

The report also noted bloody shoe/boot prints on the floor in the living room and stairway area. The officer also noted blood on the wall and door as well a small pocketknife, antique watch broken from the chain, and a button.

The report stated that it appeared someone might have gone through the Gerald’s pants pocket, and that the living room appeared to be in disarray.

The report continued that the officer radioed for all cars responding to not enter the apartment.

The officer advised the Lieutenant that it appeared to be a homicide. Shortly thereafter, the Lieutenant came up the stairs and checked the west bedroom, but no one was in the room.

The officer said that he checked for a pulse on the left wrist but did not find one.

“My dad was fighting off multiple people, and so he would have hurt at least one of them,” said Gerald’s son, J.J. Best.

According to search warrants filed by the Mason City Police Department just days after the homicide show that police collected several key items.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Laboratory:

• Envelope: Four rolls of 35 mm film
• Paper bag: Piece of carpet with foot impression
• Paper bag: One Folding Knife, one lighter and one motel room key
• Paper bag: One pocket watch and chain
• Paper bag: One White ball cap
• Paper bag: Doorknob and plates from front door of apartment
• Paper tube: Glass door from stereo cabinet
• Paper bag: One miniature “Louisville Slugger” recovered from car
• Envelope: swab of stains at the scene

Following collected at Crime Scene:

• Paper tube: One framed poster with stains

According to Mason City Police Department Property Inventory Records:

• Paper sack: Blue Speedo shorts, Watch, Cigarette Butt
• Evidence Envelope: Victim’s address book found in Jacket Pocket – Open to the J’s
• Evidence Envelope: Kool cigarette tin containing Marijuana Leaves, $300 (2 – $100, 5 – $20) Found in a locked box in the living room
• Paper sack: Meth in plastic bag, light bulb pipe, Marijuana pipe, 2 bottles of MD 20/20 Orange Jubilee, Ash tray and contents, Ceramic Ash tray containing contents, Marijuana tray and Camel box old Gold cigarette box – torn
• Paper sack: Miscellaneous papers, small photo album, 2 small address books

In addition, the search warrants also revealed that following the items collected from Gerald Best’s autopsy.

Following the Autopsy the following items were collected:

• Envelope: Hairs recovered from the Left Hand
• Envelope: Hairs recovered from the Right Hand
• Envelope: Known Pulled head hairs
• Paper bag: One pair of brown cowboy boots and one pair of unmatched white socks
• Paper bag: One pair of jeans with brown belt and one piece of cloth and one black comb
• Paper bag: One plaid long sleeve shirt
• Paper bag: One T-shirt
• Envelope: Two swabs of tape lifts of Gerald Best’s palms and finger ridge impressions

“The people that I think did it, two of them have already died. There’s one more that is alive, and I understand that they wouldn’t want to turn themselves in but I hope they get caught and they have to pay for it,” said J.J. Best.

“We have a lot of things that most cases don’t have we had his body, he had defense wounds on his forearms which means possible DNA there were bloody footprints throughout his apartment” said Lyndie Best, Gerald Best’s granddaughter.

Mason City Criminal Investigations Division Lieutenant Brett Hollander says he was an officer when the homicide happened and says there has not been any movement on the case.

“To the best of our ability we’re always trying to solve cases that we have open and I think that anytime if someone has information or a key piece of evidence that we can use or close our cases I would hope that they would want to come forward and present that to us,” said Lieutenant Hollander.

With recent developments in other cold cases, and the new cold case unit established in Iowa, both police and Gerald’s family are holding out hope that there will be a break in his case.

“Technology changes, and as we progress, things that didn’t exist 25 years ago, with new technology now, we may have things available to help us now that did not exist back then,” Lt. Hollander said.

“Imagine your father your mother or your child suffering that violent way now imagine there are people in your community have answers knowledge or details would you want then to talk? of course you would, you would want it very badly,” said Rachel Best.

The family says that if you know anything about this case is it time to step up and speak out.

Anyone with information can reach out to CID Lieutenant Brett Hollander with the Mason City Police Department at (641) 421-3644 or by email.

You can also call the general investigations line at 641-421-3636.