Police share details of gruesome killing at Des Moines homeless camp

NOW POLICE ARE TELLING US THE TWO SUSPECTS IN THE CASE WERE ALREADY BEHIND BARS. POLICE HAVE CHARGED TWO HOMELESS MEN WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN LATE JULY, THEY’RE ACCUSED OF KILLING 23-YEAR-OLD DES MOINES RESIDENT MARSHAL AARON TERRELL JOHNSON IN A HOMELESS CAMP IN THE WOODS JUST SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN. >> WE KNOW THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISPUTE, BUT I DON’T THINK WE ARE EVER GOING TO WRAP OUR BRAINS AROUND ANYTHING THAT WOULD PROVOKE THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE. TODD: POLICE SAY THE KILLING WAS BRUTAL. THEY SAY NORRIS SHOT MARSHALL JOHNSON IN THE HEAD. THEN FREELAND SHOT HIM IN THE TORSO. THEN NORRIS CUT HIS NECK WITH A SHARP OBJECT. BOTH MEN THEN WRAPPED THE DEAD MAN IN PLASTIC AND TRIED TO BURY HIM. OVER SEVERAL DAYS THEY TRIED TO BURN THE REMAINS AND EVENTUALLY COMPLETELY BURIED THEM. >> THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE COMMITTED DURING THE CRIME, THE BURNING OF THE BODY, THE BURYING OF THE BODY AND THE FACT THAT HAD FORENSIC ARCHEOLOGISTS COME IN SO WE CAN EXCAVATE THE BODY IT’S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE UNIQUE INVESTIGATIONS WE’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN. TODD: COINCIDENTLY, NORRIS WAS THE MAN WHO IS CHARGED WITH ATTACKING POLICE LAST MONTH. THEY WERE CALLED TO A SECOND HOMELESS CAMP SOUTH OF THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION ON TERRACE DRIVE. POLICE NOW WONDER IF NORRIS THOUGHT POLICE WERE COMING TO ARREST HIM FOR THE JULY MURDER OF MARSHAL JOHNSON.

Des Moines police announced two arrests and gruesome details Tuesday in the death of a man found dead in a Des Moines homeless camp. The Des Moines Police Department charged 46-year-old Yancy Dane Freland and 26-year-old Bryan Taylor Norris, both of Des Moines, with first-degree murder in the death of 23-year-old Marshal Aaron Terrell Johnson. Police found Johnson’s body on Oct. 8 buried in a wooded area near the Raccoon River at Southwest 16th and MLK Parkway. “It is one of the more horrific crimes we've had to investigate lately,” Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said. Parizek said investigators believe Johnson died in late July after an argument with Freland and Norris. “We know there was some sort of dispute, but I don't think we are ever going to wrap our brains around anything that would provoke this type of response,” he said. According to police, Norris shot Johnson in the head and Freland shot Johnson in the torso. Authorities said Norris then cut Johnson's neck with a sharp object. Both men reportedly wrapped Johnson in plastic and tried to bury him, then attempted to burn his remains over several days. Police said the pair eventually buried the body.“The level of violence committed during the crime, the burning of the body, the burying of the body and the fact that we had forensic archeologists come in so we can excavate the body it's probably one of the more unique investigations we've been involved in,” Parizek said. Freland and Norris are both in jail for prior arrests. Freland has been in Fort Madison Prison since late August, while Norris has been in the Polk county jail since mid-September. Authories charged Norris with attacking police in September. Parizek said he wonders if Norris thought police were coming to arrest him for Johnson’s murder. “His behavior here, and what we've charged him with now, certainly indicates that he is predisposed to violence and jail is a good place for him,” Parizek said. Police say that having both murder suspects in jail and prison gave them extra time to investigate Johnson’s death. Parizek said it is never a good idea to approach a homeless camp.Police identify human remains found near homeless camp

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Des Moines police announced two arrests and gruesome details Tuesday in the death of a man found dead in a Des Moines homeless camp.

The Des Moines Police Department charged 46-year-old Yancy Dane Freland and 26-year-old Bryan Taylor Norris, both of Des Moines, with first-degree murder in the death of 23-year-old Marshal Aaron Terrell Johnson.

Police found Johnson’s body on Oct. 8 buried in a wooded area near the Raccoon River at Southwest 16th and MLK Parkway.

“It is one of the more horrific crimes we've had to investigate lately,” Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said.

Parizek said investigators believe Johnson died in late July after an argument with Freland and Norris.

“We know there was some sort of dispute, but I don't think we are ever going to wrap our brains around anything that would provoke this type of response,” he said.

According to police, Norris shot Johnson in the head and Freland shot Johnson in the torso. Authorities said Norris then cut Johnson's neck with a sharp object.

Both men reportedly wrapped Johnson in plastic and tried to bury him, then attempted to burn his remains over several days. Police said the pair eventually buried the body.

“The level of violence committed during the crime, the burning of the body, the burying of the body and the fact that we had forensic archeologists come in so we can excavate the body it's probably one of the more unique investigations we've been involved in,” Parizek said.

Freland and Norris are both in jail for prior arrests. Freland has been in Fort Madison Prison since late August, while Norris has been in the Polk county jail since mid-September.

Authories charged Norris with attacking police in September. Parizek said he wonders if Norris thought police were coming to arrest him for Johnson’s murder.

“His behavior here, and what we've charged him with now, certainly indicates that he is predisposed to violence and jail is a good place for him,” Parizek said.

Police say that having both murder suspects in jail and prison gave them extra time to investigate Johnson’s death. Parizek said it is never a good idea to approach a homeless camp.

Police identify human remains found near homeless camp

Police share details of gruesome killing at Des Moines homeless camp

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