(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department, today (Friday), announced an arrest in connection with a Murder investigation. The Council Bluffs Police Department (CBPD) Criminal Investigation Division arrested 30-year-old Dequanta R. Zachary, of Council Bluffs. Zachary was charged with two counts of murder in the 1st degree (class A felony) and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon (class D felony).

On April 28th at around 12:18-a.m., CBPD was notified of a man down at the 2100 block of S. 29th Street. Upon arrival, officers found 36-year-old Deonte Ivory, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. At 7:02 a.m., CBPD was notified of a second man down on the 3200 block of S. 24th Street where 25-year-old Michael Anderson was also found deceased. Subsequent autopsies revealed that both Ivory and Anderson died of gunshot wounds.

Officials say, “After a swift and extensive investigation, CBPD Detectives were able to identify a suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle was later recovered in Mills County.”  The investigation also revealed that Zachary, Ivory, and Anderson were associates. CBPD Detectives located Zachary in Blair, Nebraska, on April 29th, where he was taken into custody with the assistance of the Blair Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. At that time, Zachary was arrested for an outstanding first degree theft (class C felony) warrant, issued by the Council Bluffs Police Department.

CBPD Detectives presented the case to the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s and the aforementioned murder and weapon charges were filed. Zachary is now being held at the Pottawattamie County Jail.

The public is reminded by police, that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.” The CBPD would like to thank the community and law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation. Thank you to the members of the public who came forward with information. The public is always strongly encouraged to come forward and say something if you see something.

Thanks also go to assistance provided by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office (IA) and Omaha Police Department (NE), Blair Police Department (NE), and Washington County Sheriff’s Office (NE). Finally, the CBPD is grateful for the tireless efforts of the detectives in the Criminal Investigation Division. To any individual intending to do violence in the City of Council Bluffs, rest assured you will be identified and held accountable.”