Iowa man allegedly fatally beat 3 people, critically injured a 4th with metal pipe

MARION, Iowa (TCD) -- A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of murder for allegedly beating three people to death and critically injuring a fourth with a metal pipe.

On the evening of Wednesday, June 5, Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call about several injured individuals at an outbuilding on East Otter Road. When deputies and other emergency officials arrived, they found four adults with "severe" injuries. Three were pronounced deceased at the scene. The fourth victim was airlifted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Deputies arrested Luke Truesdell and charged him with one count of attempted murder and three counts of first-degree murder. In an update, the sheriff’s office identified the three deceased victims as Romondus Cooper, 44, Keonna Ryan, 26, and Amanda Parker, 33. Thirty-four-year-old Brent Brown survived the attack and is in critical condition.

All four victims sustained blunt force trauma injuries caused by a metal pipe. According to the sheriff’s office, a potential motive included the "possibility of the crime being made into a movie."

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports Brown’s father owns the property where the victims were found. His father also said Brown no longer has any brain activity.

Linn County Jail records show Truesdell’s bond was set at $4 million cash.

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