Marion man accused of killing 4 people files not guilty plea, plans to demand speedy trial

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Marion man charged with bludgeoning to death four people with a metal pipe this month has filed a written plea of not guilty and plans to demand a speedy trial next week at his arraignment in Linn County District Court.

Luke Wade Truesdell, 34, filed his not guilty plea Tuesday to four counts of first-degree murder. He also will demand his right to a speedy trial, meaning his trial must begin within 90 days from when prosecutors filed the trial information on June 18.

Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Lars Anderson approved the trial information and set Truesdell’s arraignment for next Tuesday. A trial date will be set at that time.

District Judge David Cox on Wednesday granted the Linn County Attorney’s Office an application for a subpoena in the investigation. The requested subpoena is to access bank information for three accounts and any video evidence of people who deposited funds and where withdrawals were made.

According to the application, filed last week by Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier, also is seeking dates when the accounts were opened. The application stated the subpoena is needed to interview “certain witnesses who possess information relative” to the murder investigation. It doesn’t say who owns the accounts.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks previously said he couldn’t provide any context for the subpoena because it’s part of an ongoing investigation.

Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner and Maybanks have declined to answer questions regarding the investigation of the four individuals who were killed June 5 in an outbuilding at 3699 East Otter Rd., near Marion.

Amanda Sue Parker, 33, of Vinton, and her boyfriend, Romondus “Roe” Lamar Cooper, 44, of Cedar Rapids, and Brent Anthony Brown, 34, and his girlfriend, Keonna Victoria Ryan, 26, of Cedar Rapids, were found with blunt force injuries to the head and neck. The outbuilding and property is owned by Lon Brown, father of Brent Brown.

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Brent Brown was the only one of the victims who was still alive when Linn County sheriff’s deputies responded just before 4 p.m. to a call from a witness who found the deadly scene. Brent Brown died from his injuries three days later on June 7. Lon Brown told The Gazette on June 6 that test results showed his son had no brain activity.

The Gazette attempted to contact other family members but they haven’t responded or declined to comment.

Amber Sangalli, a friend and co-worker of Parker, told The Gazette that Parker and her boyfriend, Cooper, had been evicted from their home last summer and started living in the outbuilding two months later.

Sangalli said she didn’t know Truesdell and didn’t know of any connection between him and Parker or the others.

According to Brent Brown’s obituary, he was in a relationship with Ryan.

A criminal complaint stated Truesdell told deputies he bludgeoned the four with a metal pipe. Video surveillance captured images of him in the area of the outbuilding, the complaint states.

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Maybanks, in the complaint, said Truesdell provided “several motives,” including he thought that a movie would be made about the killings. The other motives were not included in the complaint.

Authorities haven’t released further information regarding the investigation.

Sangalli started a gofundme.com online fundraiser for the Parker family to help with memorial expenses. Donors have contributed $10,595 as of Wednesday.

Truesdell remains in jail on a $4 million cash-only bail.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com