Iowa City police: Robberies could be connected to Jonathan Wieseler death

IOWA CITY - Iowa City police are investigating whether a series of robberies - including one that happened a block away from where Jonathan Wieseler's body was found on Sunday - are connected to his death.

Authorities said today they had arrested Coralville men Christopher L. Bertling, 20, and Joseph M. Williams, 19, for incidents alleged to have occurred on Sunday and Wednesday.

According to police and criminal complaints, Bertling and Williams entered a residence at 630 S. Capitol St. around 10 p.m. Sunday and made contact with a man. Police said both suspects were armed with knives. Police said Bertling displayed the knife to the man and Williams told him 'he was being robbed.”

Bertling and Williams then assaulted the man and stole his wallet and 'a large amount of prescription medication,” police said.

Beyond the proximity of the incident to where Wieseler's body was found Sunday morning, Iowa City police Sgt. Scott Gaarde only said that police are 'investigating to see if there's a connection” between the two crimes. Gaarde said it is premature to call Bertling or Williams suspects in Wieseler's death.

'We're not listing them as suspects or persons of interest at this time,” he said.

Wieseler's body was discovered at Lederman Bail Bonds, 518 S. Capitol St., where he worked. Police said earlier this week Wieseler was shot to death and the manner of death was determined to be a homicide.

Further investigation showed that on Wednesday, Williams came into contact with another subject 'over a money dispute,” police said in a news release. According to criminal complaints, around noon that day, Williams confronted a woman about money her boyfriend owed him for rent. Williams and Bertling reside at 953 Boston Way in Coralville. Gaarde confirmed the woman's boyfriend is Bertling.

During that incident, Williams told the woman to empty her pockets and give him her money. The woman didn't have any cash on her, so Williams demanded her phone, police said. Police said Williams tackled the woman to the ground and took her phone, telling her he would sell it.

Police said Williams then forced the woman to go to the bank and give him all the money in her checking account. Williams told the woman he would hurt Bertling if she didn't comply, the criminal complaint states.

'The victim stated she was very intimidated and scared and she believed (Williams) would harm her boyfriend, who was suffering from a physical impairment at the time,” the complaint states.

In a third incident, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office arrested Williams around 7 p.m. Tuesday after he was reported to be driving on Highway 218 'in a reckless manner,” according to criminal complaints. Police said Williams 'showed obvious of impairment” and a marijuana blunt was found in his vehicle. He faces charges of operating under the influence and possession of a controlled substance for that incident.

Bertling and Williams face charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary, both Class B felonies, for the Sunday incident. Williams faces additional charges of kidnapping, a Class B felony; second-degree robbery, a Class C felony; and third-degree theft, an aggravated misdemeanor, for the Wednesday incident.

A funeral Mass for Wieseler takes place at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 228 E. Jefferson St., Iowa City. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com