The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld two, first degree murder convictions for a Lake City man. In May, 2015, Thomas Guy Henderson was found guilty of the murders of 48-year old Tami DeVore and her son, 30-year old Karl DeVore. The pair were found dead May 18, 2014 at Tami DeVore’s home in Glidden. They died from blunt force trauma and, in the case of Karl DeVore, also of stabbing. Henderson was sentenced to Life in Prison for their deaths.

In his appeal, Henderson claimed ineffective counsel, that the trial court improperly admitted a hearsay statement, and the court abused its discretion in denying his motion for mistrial.

The Appeals Court said Henderson failed to show he was prejudiced, and therefore cannot maintain his ineffective-assistance claim. Additionally, they find the admitted statement was not a hearsay statement, and the court’s denial of his motion for mistrial was a proper exercise of the court’s discretion.