Homicide

Arraignment set in vehicular homicide case (08/22/08)
A Spencer man will have a chance to respond to amended charges for his possible role in a traffic fatality earlier this summer. James Owen Prather faces a charges of vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. The vehicular homicide charge is a Class B felony and carries a penalty no more than 25 years in prison...

Crash leads to vehicular homicide charge (08/07/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Assistant Clay County Attorney Chuck Borth said a Class B felony charge of vehicular homicide will be filed against a Spencer man involved in a fatal crash. The Spencer Police Department responded to a hit-and-run crash at 7:16 p.m. Monday involving a sports utility vehicle, which rear-ended a motorcycle as both vehicles were traveling east on U.S. Highway 18 near the area of Del's Garden Center...

Judge denies bond reduction in Milford murder case (05/28/08)
Judge Patrick Carr has decided to keep the bail set at $750,000 each for three men accused of a Milford murder earlier this spring. John Allen Swan, 30, of Crossett, Ark.; Scott Thomas Adair, 29, of Crossett, Ark.; and Michael James Friedrichs, 29, of Forest City, appeared in court for a bail review hearing last Monday. Judge Carr's decision reached the Clerk of Court's office this week...

Accused murderers request bond reduction (05/20/08)
Three men accused of a Milford murder this spring await a judges' decision on bond reduction after appearing before Dickinson County Court Monday morning. John Allen Swan, 30, of Crossett, Ark.; Scott Thomas Adair, 29, of Crossett, Ark.; and Michael James Friedrichs, 29, of Forest City are being held in the Dickinson County Jail on $750,000 bond...

Castillo-Alvarez files appeal (05/16/08)
Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez wants the Iowa Supreme Court to take a fresh look at convictions stemming from his involvement in the death of an Estherville teenager 11 years ago. Judge Don Courtney found the former Estherville restaurant owner guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony Jan. 25 at the Palo Alto County Courthouse in Emmetsburg. The guilty verdict came after a trial that spanned parts of three days in September...

Castillo-Alvarez receives 50-year sentence (04/26/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff A quiet and, at times, seemingly disinterested Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez received a 50-year prison sentence Friday for his role in the disappearance and death of a Estherville teenager almost 11 years ago. Castillo-Alvarez was the last of 10 people charged in the June 1997 plot to end 15-year-old Gregory Sky Erickson's life over an unpaid drug debt and his possible role as a police informant...

Hearing date set in Castillo-Alvarez case (04/03/08)
District Court Judge Don Courtney has set the hearing date for a former Estherville restaurant owner who was convicted for his role in the disappearance and death of an area teenager. Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez's attorney, Mike Williams, filed a motion on March 7 asking Courtney to vacate guilty verdicts on charges of second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. Castillo-Alvarez wants a new trial...