News : Murder Trial begins in Linn County for Luke Truesdell

Luke Truesdell

The trial began on Wednesday afternoon for Luke Truesdell of Marion. Truesdell was arrested and charged with the beating deaths of four people in Linn County on June 5, 2024, Amanda Parker of Vinton, Romondus Cooper and Keonna Ryan of Cedar Rapids and Brent Brown of Marion.

Truesdell was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and held on a $4 million bond. 

Truesdell’s lawyers had asked the judge to throw out the confession made to detective when law enforcement arrived at the scene. Truesdell was found sitting on the sidewalk on East Otter Road, where he admitted to attacking the victims by hitting them with a metal pipe. His attorneys say that because Truesdell wasn't read his Miranda Rights, the confession should not be used in the trial. The Linn County Attorney's Office argued that Truesdell wasn't under arrest at the time of the confession, so detectives did not need to read him his rights. 

Attorneys for Truesdell also attempted unsuccessfully to move the trial out of Linn County without success.

If convicted of any of the charges, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.