An Iowa man is facing a fourth murder charge after another man who was badly beaten with a metal pipe succumbed to his injuries on June 7.
The Linn County Sheriff's Office alleges that Luke Truesdell, 34, fatally injured Brett Anthony Brown, 34, in a June 5 assault. Three other individuals - Romondus Lamar Cooper, Keonna Victoria Ryan and Amanda Sue Parker - were pronounced dead at the scene of the same assault.
"Mr. Truesdell had admitted to striking the people with a metal pipe in and around the head or face. And that appears, at this point in time, to at least contributed to or led to the cause of death," said Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner, according to KCRG.
"It is my understanding that he was assuming that a movie would be made of the crime. As to my knowledge, he did not record the crime."
Deputies found the first three victims' bodies strewn around a rural property. Investigators also uncovered a pipe with blood and hair on it at the scene. Brown was transported to the hospital in critical condition, according to the Kansas City Star.
Parker's friend and coworker Lilly Creller said her heart sank when the victims were identified.
"I couldn't have even imagined that it would have been her," Creller told KCRG. "She would always go out of her way to make sure I would have a better day. And she just always had a smile on her face, like it was one of the most contagious smiles ever."
Truesdell was charged with four counts of murder in the first degree. He is expected to appear in court on Monday morning.
