Jurors see graphic photos of slain landlord

IOWA CITY - The .38-caliber revolver used to kill John Versypt had five spent bullets and one remaining when police found it next to the landlord's body on Oct. 8, 2009, in the Broadway Condominiums, according to trial testimony Monday.

Iowa City police Sgt. David Droll displayed the .38-caliber gun found next to the body, along with Versypt's wallet, which contained $19 cash, and some signs and a drill. Droll then identified graphic photos of Versypt, which showed his face covered in blood and gunshot wounds to his head and his right hand.

Versypt's family members left the courtroom before the photos were admitted into evidence.

Charles Thompson, 19, charged with first-degree murder, showed no emotion when the photos were shown.

Thompson is accused of fatally shooting Versypt, 64, of Cordova, Ill., during a robbery attempt while the landlord was doing maintenance work at the condominiums.

Justin Marshall, 20, is also charged with first-degree murder in the case. His trial is set for Jan. 17.

Droll said he took several footwear impressions from mud by the stairs, but there was not a consistent set of prints either coming or going from the area.

“Most of them were deteriorated or on top of each other with no definition to them,” Droll said.

Tyler Johnston, Thompson's attorney, grilled Droll on items collected from the scene. He questioned the way police took up the carpeting and how they handled clothing taken from his client.

Droll said he cut out the carpet to preserve any fibers or hairs that were left behind. The carpet was folded, he said, but authorities were careful not to fold the area where the body had been.

The prosecution said components of gunshot residue were found on Thompson's clothing. Johnston asked Droll whether, if the clothing had been contaminated before he received it, Droll would have been able to tell. Droll said he would not.

Droll explained how he took the clothing from the original bags that other officers collected and separated each item into an individual bag. Droll said he always repackaged evidence in that way.

In earlier testimony, Iowa City police Officer Andrew Rich testified that he was the first officer to find Versypt on the landing in the condo building. He said Versypt didn't have a pulse and wasn't breathing when he reached him. Rich said he found a slug in the drywall where the body was found, and he cut out the area to preserve the sample for testing.

The trial continues at 9 a.m. today in Johnson County District Court. A videotaped police interview of Thompson will be played for the jury. The trial started last Monday and is expected to wrap up Thursday.

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