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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Two Linn County assistant prosecutors honored for their ‘determination and groundbreaking’ work
Both have worked on high profile murder cases
Jan. 23, 2026 10:00 am, Updated: Jan. 23, 2026 10:36 am
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Two assistant Linn County prosecutors have been recognized for their work inside and outside the courtroom to “improve the lives” of community members by holding offenders accountable for crimes and advocating for crime victims.
First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter was presented with the Staff Attorney Award of Merit in November from the Iowa County Attorney’s Association, and Assistant Linn County Attorney Molly Edwards on Thursday received the Outstanding Anti-Trafficking Service Award from Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Slaughter’s honor is known as the Assistant County Attorney of the Year award in the field of prosecution for outstanding service among all the county attorneys’ offices across the state.
Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks nominated Slaughter for her success in the courtroom and her work with community partners.
Maybanks said Slaughter in 2024 secured convictions in eight high-level felony jury trials, including one murder trial and two other homicide cases she worked on with another prosecutor. She worked with Maybanks on the McKinley Louisma murder trial and Shane Teslik manslaughter trial.
In 2025, she secured convictions in seven high-level felony jury trials, including two murder cases — Luke Truesdell and Andrew Shaw — and a homicide case.
In the community, Slaughter serves as board chairperson for Thrive Together, a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of deaf, hard of hearing and individuals with hearing loss, particularly focusing on victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, according to the Linn County Attorney’s Office.
Slaughter also is founding member and still serves on the governance committee of Stand Up for Peace, a local gun violence prevention program that includes professionals in social service, law enforcement and prosecution committed to identifying, serving and deterring youth who are at risk of being victims or offenders of gun violence.
Maybanks said his office now oversees all legal training at the Cedar Rapids Police Academy, including matters involving criminal and constitutional law, for all officers going through the academy because of the efforts of Slaughter, who does some of the training, along with the other prosecutors.
“Monica demonstrates the type of grit and determination fighting for victims and promoting public safety, that has served as a model for attorneys in our office and across our association to emulate,” Maybanks wrote in his nomination letter. “She has also gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve our community and the public. In my 25 years of experience as a prosecutor, I cannot surmise of another person with whom I’ve had the honor to work alongside more deserving of this honor.”
Reynolds’ award honored Edwards for her “groundbreaking” prosecution of Jarod Anderson, who was convicted of human trafficking of a minor, third-degree sexual abuse, pimping and two charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. Anderson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Edwards received the award in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday.
This case was the first of its kind to go to trial in Iowa. Edwards organized the extensive investigative materials into a cohesive case, including trial exhibits and jury instructions.
Edwards also helped prosecute the four teens who ambushed and fatally shot 16-year-old Michael McCune on Feb. 18, 2024. There were four separate prosecutions, which resulted in four convictions in his death.
Edwards also prosecuted Curtis Padgett, who fatally assaulted and stabbed his friend and neighbor, Dennis First, 64, in 2007 and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2024.
“Since joining our office, (Molly) has fought vigorously on behalf of the most vulnerable victims of crime … Molly’s work in this (Anderson) case has now provided a successful blueprint for future prosecutions,” Maybanks said in his nomination letter.
Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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