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Luke Truesdell confessed he ‘hit’ the four people bludgeoned with a metal pipe last year
Truesdell also told authorities he felt better after talking to them
Nov. 7, 2025 3:43 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A Linn County detective testified Friday that Luke Truesdell told him he “Hit them,” in referring to four people who were bludgeoned June 5, 2024 in an outbuilding at a property north of Marion. When asked again, Truesdell confirmed he “hit” each person.
Truesdell, in a bodycam video played during his trial this week, also said he used a metal “bar” to bludgeon the four victims, and told the detective where he could find the weapon in the outbuilding at 3699 Otter Rd. Truesdell was being interviewed next to the outbuilding, outside a house belonging to Lon Brown.
Linn County Sheriff’s Sgt. Detective Tim Payne testified Truesdell, charged with four counts of first-degree murder, also told him where the weapon could be found. Truesdell said the metal pipe was to the right of one of the building’s double garage doors, leaning against the exterior wall, which is where Payne found it.
Truesdell, 35, of Marion, is accused of bludgeoning Brent Brown, 34, and his girlfriend, Keonna Ryan, 26, of Cedar Rapids, Amanda Sue Parker, 33, of Vinton, and her boyfriend, Romondus Cooper, 44, of Cedar Rapids, with a 3-foot black metal pipe.
Testimony ended early Friday to accommodate other court proceedings and the trial will resume Monday in Linn County District Court. The trial started Tuesday and will likely wrap up Thursday.
Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier displayed the murder weapon for the jury and pointed out blood was found on one end, which Payne confirmed during his testimony.
Payne said Luke Truesdell, who was at the property that day with his father, Larry Truesdell, was asked by Lon Brown to check on the four people in the outbuilding. Luke told Payne when he went in the building he saw “a body laying there and walked out.”
On cross, Payne said Larry Truesdell had blood on his hands, but the swabs deputies collected were never tested. Defense attorney Adrian Haughton, also on cross, then asked Payne if it made sense that Luke Truesdell lacked blood on his clothing based on the bludgeoning and Payne said no.
On redirect, Payne said blood was found on Luke Truesdell's clothing, which matched Cooper's DNA, according to lab results.
Also on redirect, Payne said it wasn’t surprising that Larry Truesdell had blood on his hands because he rendered aid to Brent Brown by using his shirt to apply pressure to Brent’s wounds.
Schier asked Payne if it was possible for someone who was not standing in the direction of blood splatter to not be “hit” with the splatter. Payne agreed.
Schier asked whose blood was found on the metal pipe and Payne said the DNA matched Cooper, Ryan and Luke Truesdell.
Payne also testified that Truesdell went in the outbuilding after Cooper and Ryan entered, according to a surveillance video, and then Truesdell followed Brent Brown and Parker into the building. Larry Truesdell was by a boat at that time, the video showed.
Linn County Sheriff’s Lt. Todd Egli testified that Truesdell, after he was arrested and read Miranda rights, asked Egli to ride with him to the sheriff’s office. Truesdell then told Egli he “loves” him and asked for a hug.
During the drive, Truesdell said he had less pain and felt “a lot better” after talking to law enforcement, according to footage from Egli’s body camera, which was played during his testimony. Truesdell, in between saying many things that didn’t make sense, said after talking to law enforcement he felt “like a new person. I feel so much better. I will never do it again.”
When Egli asked why he did it, Truesdell said he did it to protect his “brother” — possibly referring to Brent Brown. Truesdell, in the video, said when he walked in, his “brother” was in front of the truck and Ryan was already on the ground. He had to protect “him.”
Truesdell also said he had smoked methamphetamine that day that he got it from someone. Egli asked if that was the “Black male you hit” and Truesdell nodded.
Truesdell also mentioned Cooper’s girlfriend, Parker, but he didn’t know her name and called her the “girl in the corner.” Truesdell said Parker told him, “No, no, no,” as she was going to the corner.
Parker was found dead in the right corner of the outbuilding, according to previous testimony.
Schier asked if Truesdell seemed paranoid and Egli said he did.
Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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