The Appanoose County Sheriff’s office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation have made an arrest on the homicide of Curtis Ross on November 24, 2017.  Law Enforcement personnel arrested 27-year old Ethan Landon Davis, of Promise City, Iowa.  Davis was taken into custody at the Wayne County Jail in Corydon, Iowa, where he was being held on unrelated charges.  Davis has been charged with Murder in the First Degree.

Suspect, Ethan Davis

Victim: Curtis Ross

Authorities say that on November 23rd, 2017, Ross arrived in Appanoose County to hunt and retrieve hunting equipment he had previously set out.  At approximately 1-a.m. Saturday, November 25th,  Ross was reported missing after he failed to return to the residence where he was staying. Ross’s pickup was later located in a remote part of Appanoose County near the entrance to the Rathbun Lake public hunting ground. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny, Iowa, conducted an autopsy which determined the cause of death was from multiple stab/incised wounds and multiple gunshot wounds.  The manner of death was ruled a homicide. The evidence led authorities to suspect Davis. A search warrant was then executed by Law Enforcement at his home Promise City.  A vehicle belonging to him, that was attempted to be concealed, was located about a mile north of Davis’ residence. The vehicle was transported to the Division of Criminalistics Laboratory in Ankeny for forensic examination.  Several areas inside the vehicle have tested positive for blood.

During the search of the property, Law Enforcement also found a rifle that had been concealed under farm equipment and located in a remote area of the property.  Fingerprints belonging to Ethan Davis were identified on the rifle as well as several traces of blood. A DCI criminalist firearms expert matched the casings fired from the rifle to the casings that were found near where the body of Ross was located.  Items of evidentiary value are still being processed at the DCI Criminalistics laboratory.

Law Enforcement is still asking the public for assistance.  If any hunters find anything that is out of place they are asked to not touch the items and to contact law enforcement to come and look at the items.