Luerkens convicted of first-degree murder; victim’s family sheds tears of relief

CEDAR RAPIDS - Steve Donald said Monday that justice was served after a jury found Nicholas Luerkens guilty of stabbing and killing his 29-year-old daughter Lynnsey on April 21.

'We will all clearly miss her the rest of our lives,” Donald said after the hearing. 'We will remember her loving, contagious smile. She was a friendly and loving soul.”

Luerkens, 33, who didn't show any outward expression as the verdict was read, was convicted of first-degree murder and will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing Lynnsey Donald, his former girlfriend. Sentencing is set for Jan. 8 in Linn County District Court.

Both families shed tears as the verdict was read. The Donald family's tears were those of relief, after waiting for several months for justice and some closure.

As 6th Judicial District Judge Mitchell Turner polled the jury, Luerkens' mother was sobbing as her husband comforted her. His parents, brother and sister supported him throughout the trial. They told Luerkens they loved him as the deputies led him out of the courtroom.

After the hearing, Donald said the family was grateful to Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden and his team, along with Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty and the investigators, for all their hard work.

Donald added that he hoped people learn from his daughter's death regarding issues of domestic violence and stalking, and he hopes families will intervene when they are faced with similar problems.

'You saw the very best and the very worst of humanity in the parking lot that day,” Vander Sanden said later in his office.

Vander Sanden said he was grateful there were so many brave witnesses that day and didn't have to put Donald's 7-year-old son, Ashton, on the stand. The child has 'suffered enough trauma by witnessing his mother's murder.”

Vander Sanden also praised the Marion police for their investigative work.

'Some might consider the case closed after having that video that showed the entire crime and wouldn't feel the need to investigate further,” Vander Sanden said. 'But that search of Luerkens' apartment (turned up) the journal to show how long he had been planning this. It helped clarify the premeditation issue for the jury.”

Daugherty said the entire case was tough on so many - the family, Donald's child, and even his officers.

According to testimony, Luerkens plotted to kill Lynnsey after following and harassing her for the last two months of her life. He called, sent texts and showed up at her home and other places in an attempt to reconcile with her, but she refused. He finally ambushed her in the Marion Hy-Vee parking lot, as she was holding her son's hand on the way to her car.

The surveillance video viewed by the jury showed Luerkens grabbing Donald and stabbing her as he pulled her to the ground. He stabbed her multiple times and then stabbed and injured himself before a Hy-Vee employee pulled him off, according to testimony. Witnesses said Ashton yelled at him to stop hurting his 'Mommy” and then ran home. He later identified Luerkens as the killer.

A state medical examiner testified Donald was stabbed 32 times in the neck, chest, stomach and back. Many of the wounds were deep, tearing muscles and cutting through Donald's thyroid and windpipe.

Luerkens claimed diminished mental capacity, and his lawyer, Dave Grinde, asked the jury on Friday to find him guilty of second-degree murder.

Judge Turner, before closing arguments, tossed out the proposed instruction regarding a defense of insanity, saying the defense hadn't met its burden to prove Luerkens was insane at the time of the crime.