Isie Toys

Background

Isie Toys was born on 03/01/1905 in Gorovice, Lomze, Poland, to Sam and Pearl Ritmand Toys. He had two siblings, Max and Mary, and Yiddish was the primary language spoken in the family.

Isie immigrated to the United States in 1912 and made Shreveport his home in 1930. He married Mary Mendelssohn on 06/21/1940, and they had three daughters: Goldy, Irma and Sharon. At the time of his death, Isie and Mary lived at 107 East Jordan Street in Shreveport and were active members of Agudath Achim Synagogue.

By 1945, Isie and his brother were operating Isie Toys Men’s Clothing Store at 526 Common Street. The business sold men’s suits, boys’ clothing and cowboy boots and also offered tailoring services. Isie continued operating the store until his death in 1970.

He was interred at Orthodox Hebrew Rest Cemetery, also known as Agudath Achim Cemetery, in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Case Summary

On 08/25/1970, Isie’s wife, Mary, and one of their daughters were at the store earlier in the day. Mary left around 1:00 pm, and their daughter left around 5:00 pm.

Shortly before 6:00 pm, 18-year-old employee Robert W. Tatum finished work for the day. He told investigators that Isie followed his usual routine of walking him to the front door and locking it after he left.

Around 6:30 pm, Mary became concerned when Isie had not returned home and was not answering the telephone. She went to the store to check on him and, at approximately 7:45 pm, found him lying on the floor behind a counter. She noticed blood but initially believed he might have been injured in a fall. Mary called an ambulance and then contacted police.

Caddo Deputy Coroner Dr. Albert Thompson determined that Isie had suffered 11 stab wounds: nine to the chest, one to the throat and one to the back.

Investigators did not disclose how the assailant or assailants entered the business. The front door was found unlocked, while the rear door, which was normally secured with a bar, was open.

Robbery was considered a possible motive, although investigators could not determine whether anything had been taken. Isie’s pockets had been turned inside out, and a .38-caliber revolver he owned was believed to be missing. However, $76 remained beneath a counter. The large outer door of the store safe was open, but the inner compartment remained locked with $233 still inside.

Suspects/Persons of Interest

No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified.

Timeline

Limited Information – Can You Help?

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Research Notes

This profile will be updated as requested public records are received.

Sources

• The Shreveport Journal, Isie Toys advertisement, December 2, 1945.
• The Times (Shreveport), “Five Firms, Two Homes Burglarized,” February 2, 1946.
• The Shreveport Journal, “Police Probe Slaying of Store Owner Here,” August 26, 1970.
• The Times (Shreveport), “Man Found Murdered in Store,” August 26, 1970.
• The Shreveport Journal, “Isie Toys,” August 27, 1970.
• The Times (Shreveport), “Holding Out Hope,” October 24, 2015.
• 1930 United States Federal Census, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana.
• U.S. World War II Draft Registration Card, Isie Toys.
• Tennessee County Marriages, 1790–1959, Isie Toys and Mory Mendelson, June 21, 1940.

rev 08/23/26