Woman charged in Interstate 80 rest stop homicide pleads not guilty

MARENGO - A woman charged with killing a Monroe truck driver last month at an Interstate 80 rest stop filed a written not guilty plea Monday in Iowa County District Court.

Mariana Lesnic, 43, is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Ernest Kummer, 60, who was found dead from a gunshot wound to his head inside his semi-trailer truck about 2:37 a.m. Sept. 6 at the westbound I-80 rest stop at Victor. Kummer's body was found in the sleeper cab of the truck, according to a search warrant affidavit.

Lesnic's address is unknown, according to police.    

Lesnic also waived her right to a speedy trial Monday, but a trial date hasn't yet been set. She remains in the Iowa County Jail under a $1 million cash-only bond.  

An affidavit shows Lesnic was the person who called 911 about the shooting. She told police she shot Kummer and was 'sick over it.” Lesnic told officers the small, semi-automatic gun was in her purse, which was found on the ground next to her at the scene, according to the affidavit.     

Investigators also requested a search warrant to examine cellphone records between Lesnic and Kummer and two thumb drives from Lesnic's purse, court documents show.

All other electronic equipment, including any Global Positioning System devices also were confiscated and examined by police to retrieve any possible evidence to determine where Kummer and Lesnic had traveled before the shooting, as well as the nature of their relationship, according to court documents. 

Police haven't released a motive in the fatal shooting.

Kummer had worked as a driver for Copeland Trucking in Des Moines since 2010, the Newton Daily News previously reported.

Copeland manager Charlie Hoag told the newspaper that in the seven years he's known Kummer, his friend never mentioned anyone named Lesnic.

According to Kummer's neighbors in Monroe, Kummer did not associate with many people in the town of 1,830. But those who did said Kummer was always friendly.

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