Wednesday, January 13, 2016

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The trial of a man accused of killing his girlfriend’s daughter has ended in a mistrial. KCCI-TV reports the mistrial was declared by the judge due to comments made by the child’s mother, Nissa Alvarez, during testimony. Alvarez claimed 26-year-old Joe Lopez had forced her to have sexual relations. The judge said the statement was too prejudicial. Lopez is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, IA – A Fairfield man has been charged with homicide by vehicle, operating under the influence and involuntary manslaughter. KCII-radio reports on Monday 33-year-old Jon Paul Jorge Noivo of Fairfield was arrested. On July 8th, 2015, Noivo lost control of his Cadillac Escalade on Highway 218 in Washington County. The vehicle entered the median and Noivo over-corrected, causing it to roll. 24-year-old Wendy Ann Lane Littrell of Fairfield, a passenger, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. She died at the scene.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A Dubuque woman is facing a second degree murder charge for beating her ex-husband to death. KCRG-TV reports police arrested 62-year-old Delores Flynn Monday. They said she killed 72-year-old Gary Breckenridge with a baseball bat. Neighbors say they heard a series of loud “booms” and heard Breckenridge yell “she’s killing me.” If convicted, Flynn would face up to 50 years in prison.

AMES, IA (IRN) – A 20-year-old man is behind bars after sexually assaulting a woman while she was sleeping. WHO-TV reports officers with the Ames Police Department were called to an apartment about 2 a.m. Tuesday. A 23-year-old woman said she was sleeping when her neighbor, David Giera, entered through an unlocked door and sexually assaulted her. She was able to fight him off and push him out of the apartment. He’s in jail.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Falls man was arrested for strangling his cat and trying to drink its blood. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports police were called to an apartment and found the remains of the cat. Police noticed 36-year-old Justin Jacoby had blood on his face. Apparently upset over an upcoming eviction, Jacoby said he killed the cat to satisfy his blood craving and to keep the animal from having to go to an animal shelter after his eviction. Jacoby told police he had the cat for 11 years.

DES MOINES (IRN) – The longest serving governor in U.S. history gave his condition of the state address for the 22nd time Tuesday. WOI-TV reports Governor Terry Branstad covered topics that ranged from the budget, to energy, to education. Branstad received bipartisan support on a number of issues, receiving a long standing ovation for his efforts to improve fairness and equality in Iowa’s criminal justice system.