Three charged in Iowa City home invasion

Three people face charges in connection with an Iowa City home invasion last month, police said Tuesday.

Officers were called to a home in the 200 block of Haywood Drive at 3:02 a.m. April 12 at 3:02 a.m. for a reported home invasion robbery. Police said the residents were sleeping in bed when their sliding glass door was smashed open and three men and one woman entered.

The suspects were armed with sticks and one of the men, who appeared to be the leader, was wearing a white hockey mask, police said. The man wearing the mask said he had a gun and would kill them. The group then ordered the residents to lay face down on the floor before taking  a plasma TV, a PlayStation 3 game console and other items. The residents told police they believed one of the men had a gun, and that they feared for their lives.

Police said the robbery was initiated by Randon J. Hill, 20, of Marshalltown. Hill told the four suspects to go to the residence and get his belongings back, telling them to threaten or intimidate the residents into surrendering the items.

The residents identified Tyler D. Olesen, 20, of Cedar Rapids, as one of the suspects. Kristina M. Ewing, 18, of Waukon, was also charged after being questioned by investigators about her knowledge of the robbery. She refused to cooperate with police, but investigators learned that she had complete knowledge of the robbery and who was involved, but did not give information to police. As a result, the other suspects were not apprehended.

Radon and Olsen have been charged with first-degree robbery – joint criminal conduct, first-degree burglary – joint criminal conduct, and riot – joint criminal conduct. Ewing was also charged with being an accessory to a felony.