DES MOINES, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Public Safety said today (Monday), that after a nearly two month long investigation into the disappearance and death of 58-year old Timothy Fechter, law enforcement has charged his brother, 43-year old Creston resident Dustin Seley with one count of Murder in the First Degree.  Seley was taken into custody at the Union County Jail, where he had been since June 29 on unrelated charges. Seley was transferred to the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, where was being held without bond on the murder charge. Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater said Monday, “It is believed that a prosecution for murder has not taken place in Adair County since 1951.”

Dustin Seley

Authorities say the charge against Mr. Seley follows an investigation by the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Creston Police Department, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, and an autopsy by the Office of the State Medical Examiner. The medical examiner ruled Mr. Fechter’s cause of death as blunt force trauma and gunshot wound. The manner of death has been ruled a homicide.

Fechter was reported missing to the Creston Police Department on June 20 with his body being discovered along a rural Adair County road on July 1st. Anyone with further information concerning the investigation is asked to contact Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater at 641-743-2148.

Seley had his intial appearance with the magistrate on Tuesday and bond has been set at 1 million dollars, cash only.