17-year-old charged in Iowa City murder

IOWA CITY - A 17-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder for the October shooting death of a landlord in southeast Iowa City.

Charles W.C. Thompson made an initial appearance Thursday afternoon in Johnson County District Court. Shackled at the wrists and ankles and wearing a tan Cedar County Jail jumpsuit and denim jacket, Thompson's only words, outside of those said privately to his court-appointed attorney, were to tell Judge Stephen Gerard that he had no questions.

Gerard set Thompson's bond at $1 million and set a preliminary hearing for Feb. 22.Under Iowa law, Thompson was automatically charged as an adult.

He could ask that his case be sent back to Juvenile Court, but any such attempt likely would be unsuccessful, Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness said.

John Versypt, 64, was shot in the head Oct. 8 in an apparent robbery attempt, police said. Versypt, of Cordova, Ill., owned three units at Broadway Condominiums, 1958 Broadway St., and was in town to do some work.

His widow, Janet Versypt, said she was relieved that Thompson was in jail and “can't hurt anybody else.”“It's been rough, very tough,” she said when asked how she's been doing.

Police Sgt. Denise Brotherton said Thompson came from Holland, Mich., a year and a half ago and has lived in the Iowa City area since then but has not had a permanent address.

Brotherton said several witnesses identified Thompson as being involved in the murder and his clothing matched that of one of the people fleeing the area after Versypt was shot, although she declined to say whether police believe he was the shooter.

Investigators have connected other people of interest with the killing, and more arrests could be coming, Brotherton said.

Lab results showed that the clothes Thompson was wearing at the time of the killing contained components that make up gunshot residue, according to police. Investigators were told that Thompson was seen on two occasions with a gun that is believed to be the same as the one found at the murder scene.

Thompson has never attended a school in the Iowa City school district, Superintendent Lane Plugge said. Brotherton said Thompson has minimal family ties to Johnson County, and Lyness said she thought a cousin and maybe an aunt lived in the area.

Family for Thompson could not be immediately reached for comment.

Thompson was picked up on Oct. 12 for a drug-related charge and has been in custody since then, Brotherton said. He currently is in Cedar County jail separate from the adult population, Lyness said.

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