September trial set for Marion man accused of killing four people

CEDAR RAPIDS — The trial for a Marion man accused of beating four people to death with a metal pipe earlier this month has been set for Sept. 3 in Linn County District Court.

Luke Wade Truesdell, 34, pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder before his arraignment set for Tuesday and demanded a speedy trial — meaning his trial must begin within 90 days of trial information filed June 18.

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 on June 5 in an outbuilding at 3699 East Otter Rd., near Marion. The outbuilding and property is owned by Lon Brown, father of Brent Brown.

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.

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.

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

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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 had contributed $10,595 as of Monday.

Melissa Cooper, the mother of Romondus Cooper’s two sons, started a gofundme.com fundraiser for his memorial and other related expenses. Donors had contributed $2,965 as of Monday.

“Romondus Cooper has left behind his 2 very prideful beautiful boys,” Melissa Cooper stated on the fundraiser site. “They have a huge hole in their hearts and need to be able to grieve this horrible loss and tragedy without having to worry financially about how to take care of their father’s final expenses.”

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

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