Thread: Police find weapon believed to be used in fatal home invasion

Police find weapon believed to be used in fatal home invasion

Bail hearing video at link;

Ngor Peter Makuey, 19, of Des Moines faces first-degree murder and attempted murder charges in connection with a home invasion July 2 that left 97-year-old Rupert Anderson dead and his wife Harriet Anderson, 94, injured.

Katherine Klingseis and Regina Zilbermints, July 3, 2014

(Photo: Polk County Jail)

An image of a 19-year-old suspect fleeing the scene of a deadly and brutal home invasion was captured on a police officer's in-car video camera and helped officers determine where the man lived, police told The Des Moines Register today.
The photo of Ngor Peter Makuey was pulled from the video and shown to neighbors, police Sgt. Jason Halifax said. Those interviews led police to Makuey's home, where police found the suspect with blood on him and bloody clothes nearby, Halifax said.

Makuey, who is being held at the Polk County Jail on a $1 million cash bond, is accused of entering his elderly neighbors' home in the 4400 block of East 46th Street on Wednesday evening and beating them with some sort of metal object.
Rupert Anderson, 97, was struck multiple times and died from head trauma, Halifax said. His wife, Harriet Anderson, 94, called 911. She also sustained head trauma from multiple blows, police said.

She remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition, police said.

Des Moines police detectives spent much of the day searching through tall grass and in manholes around the crime scene. This afternoon, detectives found what they believed is the weapon used by Makuey near the Anderson's home, Halifax said. Officials are not releasing what the weapon is other than to say it was a metal object that Makuey had brought with him to commit the crime.

Dispatchers, on Wednesday evening, can be heard saying the suspect was "armed with a metal bar."
Detectives today also spent time talking with the family of the suspect, who lives in a townhouse across the street from the crime scene.

A woman at Makuey's listed residence this morning talked briefly with a reporter and said she was the suspect's mother.
She told the reporter that Makuey lives at the residence. She also said she has lived at the home for three years. The woman, who did not give her name, said she did not want to talk about her son or about the previous night's incident.


Des Moines police detectives search in tall grass and down manholes on Thursday, June 3, 2014, in the area near a deadly home invasion. Ngor Makuey, 19, has been charged with murder in the case.(Photo: Katherine Klingseis/The Register)

The seemingly arbitrary nature of the incident is almost unheard of in Des Moines, where investigators can find a connection between the victim and suspect in almost all serious crimes, officials said.

"There is no known connection," Halifax said. "It has the appearance of being totally random. It's concerning."

Detectives simply don't know what brought the suspect to the Andersons' home Wednesday night.

Makuey had lived across the street from the Andersons, but there is no evidence indicating they knew one another, Halifax said. Makuey had no criminal record in Iowa and no contact with police up until this point.

The Andersons, longtime operators of Vista Boarding Kennels at the location, also had no criminal records. Halifax said operations at the kennel were not affected by the attack and that kenneled animals were safe.

Makuey apparently did not set out to steal anything.

"It doesn't appear robbery was the motive," Halifax said. "But we don't know what the motive is."
Halifax also said it did not appear that Makuey was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.


Des Moines Police Sgt. Jason Halifax describes a home invasion that resulted in a fatality in Des Moines on Wednesday night. Katherine Klingseis/The Register

All detectives know is that around 7:40 p.m., the suspect knocked on the Andersons' front door, police said. Harriet Anderson answered and the suspect went inside, where he attacked the couple.

The house, bloody and showing signs of a struggle, was not ransacked, police said.
Makuey fled as police arrived, Halifax said.

This incident marks the 28th home invasion of the year, up from 23 at this point last year.

But most, if not all, of the home invasions of the previous years have had a robbery, drug or gang motive, officials said.
"Without having a motive or a connection that we know of, this does seem like a random act," Halifax said. "We don't know if he knew they were elderly. They were not targeted for a specific item or cash."

Makuey, made his initial court appearance this morning at the Polk County Jail. He told the judge that he was from Ethiopia. He was charged with first-degree murder, a Class A felony, and attempted murder, a Class B felony.

Makuey, who indicated he was not a U.S. citizen, asked the judge to inform the Ethiopian consulate that he was being detained.

Makuey attended Southeast Polk High School for one semester this spring after coming to the district from out-of-state, Principal Steve Pettit said. Makuey did not graduate and was registered to resume classes in the fall, he said.

According to Southeast Polk's official athletics website, www.seprams.org, Makuey was listed as a junior on this spring's boys' track and field team.

The district had been "hopeful" Makuey would return to school, Pettit said.

Makuey also attended Canyon State Academy, a residential program in Queen Creek, Ariz., said Megan Masarsky, an official at the school.

Canyon State Academy focuses on assisting at-risk and disadvantaged youth. Students may come into the school through disciplinary programs.

Makuey attended the school from Oct. 29, 2012 to May 25, 2013, when he was 17. During that time, he participated in track for a semester and enrolled in classes like independent living skills, algebra and American history.

Wednesday's killing is Des Moines' sixth homicide in 2014.

Vista Boarding Kennels has operated from the East 46th Street address for decades.

Betty Stradley has taken every dog she has ever owned to Vista Kennels and has known the Andersons for decades, she said.

"They were the nicest people that I think you'd ever meet," Stradley, 84, said. "I've never heard anybody say a bad thing about them. They'd go out of your way to help you."

Once, when Stradley was told her Yorkie may have kennel cough, Harriet Anderson took the dog into her own home for the duration of its stay at the kennel, Stradley said.

Rupert Anderson enjoyed working outside. And even after the couple's son began running the kennel, Harriet Anderson would frequently go check how things were going with the business, Stradley said.

"I would have trusted them with anything," she said. "It sure won't be the same without them."

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...sion/12122861/

Mr Anerson's obituary. I feel so sorry for his family, what a horrible crime..

Rupert F. "Andy" Anderson (1916 - 2014)


Rupert F. "Andy" Anderson

Des Moines

Andy Anderson was born on July 11, 1916 to Edward and Hilda Anderson in Carney, Iowa where his father was a coal miner. He died on July 2, 2014. Andy graduated from Slater High School and attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. He was office manager of Zoller Brewing Company before joining the Navy in 1943. Upon returning to Des Moines from San Diego where he was stationed in WWII, he joined Anderson Erickson Dairy and was office manager until his retirement.

Andy married Harriet Johnson in 1937 and they celebrated their 76th anniversary in May. He is survived by his wife Harriet, their daughter Corinne Whitlatch, grandson Kirk Whitlatch and spouse Kimberly, granddaughter Amy Gillum and spouse Charles, great grandchildren Haley and Leah Whitlatch and Hunter and Rose Gillum, sister in law Ellen Miles, second cousin Marcus Anderson, and nieces and nephews.

Andy and Harriet raised and showed boxer dogs and were active in the local and national Boxer Club and American Kennel Club. They opened Vista Kennels in 1950 under Harriet's management. The kennel has operated continuously with management shifting to their grandson. Andy was a self-taught handyman; he built the original kennel from WWII wooden ammunition boxes.

He was on the West Independent school board and was involved with the consolidation that created Southeast Polk School District. A master gardener, he tended his own vegetable and flower gardens until he was 94 years old. Andy was active with The Men's Garden Club and four of his photos were selected for Men's Garden Club of America calendars. He was also a gifted wood carver of boxers and cows. Since his boyhood, Andy was an avid hunter and fisherman until his eyesight failed. He was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

Visitation will be held at Hamilton's Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street on Saturday, July 12, 2014 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. The funeral service will be on Sunday, July 13 at 2:00 p.m. at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 2600 E. Euclid. Private family burial will occur Monday at Pine Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa or to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/des....GhqnsHyM.dpuf