Iowa authorities announced Tuesday that four people have been charged in connection with the death of 41-year-old black man Michael Williams, Iowa officials announced Tuesday.
Officials said they believe Williams was strangled on Sept. 12, and that his death was “not a random act of violence,” as he would have been known as a suspect for at least years.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said four suspects have been charged in the Williams death: Steven Vogel, 55, Julia Cox, 57, 57, Roy Garner, and Cody Johnson, 29. Vogel, described as a “known acquaintance” of Vigliams, has been charged with first-degree murder and corpse abuse, while the other three corpses have been charged with corpse misuse, destruction of evidence and accessory after that fact. All four are currently in police custody.
“Michael was killed on or about September 12, 2020 in Greenleaf. Michael’s body was then wrapped in cloth, plastic and carpet, protected by rope and duct tape. He was then taken to the village of Kellogg on the afternoon of September 16, where he was set on fire, “Adam Deckampe, Iowa DCI’s special agent, told a news conference on Tuesday. He added that “no evidence has been found to show that the acts against Michael Williams were motivated by his race.”
While the motive behind the horrific murder is unclear, Grinnell Police Chief Dennis Rally said at least one suspect had known Williams “for years”.
“Our mission is from the beginning and it will continue, to do justice to Mike and his family,” Rally said. “I want to make it clear: this was not a random act of violence. Those responsible for this heinous act knew each other. ”
One hour outside of Des Moines, at 5:30 p.m., Sept. 16, in response to a report of a fire in a roadside ditch in Kellogg, county officials found Williams’ burning body. The medical examiner’s office ruled in favor of Williams’ death, and the evidence was “corroborated by strangulation,” Deakamppe said.
News of the four arrests came just days after Williams’ family spoke of his death, hoping for justice and a complete1-year-old homeland after their investigation was completed, expressing their desire to bury their st1-year-old home in New York.
“We wanted him to come home. Now we have to bring her home in the worst condition, “she said in an interview with her aunt, Paula Terrell. Des Moines Register. “We will fight for justice. This is our family’s mission, no matter what it is – we will fight to remember who it is for its heritage: a loving, compassionate, gentle giant who loves his family, who loved their children. “
Terrell added that Williams moved to Grinley from his native Syracuse about 12 years ago. Over the past decade, the father of five has worked in many fast food restaurants, but as diabetes worsens he has recently become unemployed.
When Williams would check in daily with his family, his aunt said he stopped calling on September 12, two days after his birthday. Four days later, authorities found Williams’ body in the 8100 block east of 67th Avenue North in Kellogg.
DeCampe said Tuesday that Williams was murdered and held for days in a building on Spring Street before being thrown about 20 minutes into a roadside ditch. According to a criminal complaint received by the Daily Beast, a witness told law enforcement on Sept. 17 that “Stephen Vogel murdered Michael Williams,” and they saw his body “wrapped in a basement” at Vogel’s mother’s home.
On Sept. 17, officers issued a search warrant on 1203 Spring Street – where Vogel, Cox and Garner live. At home, investigators found a 1999 Dodge Dakota, in which Garner admitted that he had been driving “a rural area near the bridge that had a guard rail” the day before so he could dig something into the pit.
Roy Garner said Julia Cox and Steve Vogel were with him, the complaint said. Roy Graner said Julia Cox and Steve Vogel got out of his truck and pulled the carpet roll from the bed onto the road. Roy Garner said Steve Vogen pulled the carpet roll down into the ditch. “
Garner told officers he then took Vogel to Marshalltown and left him at his sister’s home before she and Vox ate in other food items, including plywood, carpets, bottles of bleach, rubber gloves, before moving to a rural area of Tama County. , Plastic and socks.
In a police interview, Cox, who appears to be Vogel’s mother, admitted she knew there was a “long object object covered with a brown blanket” in her basement bedroom. She said Vogel loaded the baggage into Garner’s car before the trio moved west of Casey in Greenley, where the 31-year-old bought fuel in cash. The trio then went to a rural area, where he said he helped Vogel pull the off-truck out of the truck and into the pit.
“Julia Cox said the smell was making her sick,” the complaint said.
On Sept. 18, officers interviewed Johnson, who said Vogel asked him to return to his home on Sept. 13. At the time, Vogel told him “Michael Williams was in the basement,” Johns told police.
The complaint states that when the pair arrived at Vogel’s home, they went into the basement and told Johnson to “look at Michael Williams’ legs, which were wrapped in something.” Cody told John that Steve told him he had clubbed Michael Williams, the complaint said.
“Cody Johnson told law enforcement that a few days after September 15, 2020, Steven Vogel returned to his home and wanted to get drugs in exchange for help to get Michael Williams out of his cellar,” court documents claim.
Then another witness told authorities that Sept. On the 18th he went to Vogel’s house and found Williams’ body at the bottom of the lake. The witness also said that, according to the complaint, Vogel confessed to strangling the 41-year-old.
Several agencies are involved in the investigation, including the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and an officer from the Jasper County Sheriff, who asked local college leagues to raise awareness for racial injustice rather than inquire into class cancellations on Monday.
“It’s understandable that the body of an African American found burning in a small town in Iowa would raise a lot of red flags and raise concerns,” Betty Rendrews, president of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP State Area Conference Conference, said Tuesday. “There’s no indication that Mr. Williams was targeted because of his race.”
“Given the current environment where racial justice is at the forefront for many … we understand the fear of such an event,” Andrews said.
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