Des Moines, IOWA — The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner with the assistance of the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation have confirmed the identification of the body discovered in Boone County on Friday, June 7th, 2013, as that of Kathlynn Shepard.

Following an autopsy on June 8th, 2013, Dr. Julia Goodin, Chief State Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be multiple sharp and  blunt forced injuries. The manner of death will be certified as homicide.

(Updated) A central Iowa woman was killed and two Adair County residents were injured during a head-on crash early this (Sunday) morning in Dallas County. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2007 Chevy Aveo driven by 24-year old Megan Wakeham, of West Des Moines was traveling east in the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 one-mile east of Earlham at around Midnight, when it collided head-on with a 1994 Pontiac Firebird driven by 20-year old Jessie Leeper, of Adair. A 2010 GMC Terrain, driven by 49-year old Lori Wallace, of Greenfield, then collided with the rear of Leeper’s car.

Wakeham died from her injuries.Wallace and Leeper were transported by Stuart E-M-S and Dallas County E-M-S to Methodist and Mercy Hospital’s in Des Moines, respectively.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A bill designed to crack down on cyberbullying failed to advance in the Legislature this year, but Gov. Terry Branstad says he plans to keep working to toughen Iowa’s anti-bullying laws.  Branstad promised Thursday that he would hold another state summit on bullying, as he did last fall, and will work to get a bill passed next year. Branstad says he “wants kids to feel safe.”
 
The bullying bill offered by Branstad this year would have updated state guidelines for school districts to include bullying that occurs outside school on social media websites like Facebook. It received subcommittee approval in the state House, but never moved forward. 
 
Matt Carver, of the group School Administrators of Iowa, says he thinks the Legislature will approve the bill once lawmakers have more information.

Two young people were cited early this (Sunday) morning for public intoxication and given a warning for being in violation of curfew. According to Red Oak Police, 16-year old Jacob Ryan Ballard, of Clarinda, and 17-year old Todd Micheal H. Rensch, of Red Oak, were cited just after 2-a.m. near the intersection of Coolbaugh Street and Highland Avenue. Both teens were released to the cutody of a parent or adult guardian.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — Residents of a small central Iowa city say they’re saddened at the discovery of a body in a river believed to be that of a 15-year-old girl who was abducted more than two weeks ago. Along streets and businesses in Dayton, purple ribbons on trees, plants and utility poles had signified hope for finding Kathylnn Shepard alive. A body in clothing that matches what she was last seen wearing was discovered Friday night in the Des Moines River near Boone, about 20 miles away.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Nebraska Agricultural Trade Representative Stan Garbacz are packing for Turkey to accompany officials from four other states and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a trade mission. Officials from Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Pennsylvania also have reserved space for the trip to be led by acting USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse next week.

DYERSVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Several former major league baseball players are scheduled to participate in a game this fall at the “Field of Dreams” movie site in eastern Iowa. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports the game is set for September 14th in Dyersville.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — The NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway has been postponed until 10 o’clock this morning due to weather. The race was set to begin at 7 p.m. yesterday, but rain began falling about 40 minutes before the scheduled start in Newton, Iowa.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County said Saturday, that two people were arrested Friday, while a third was arrested Thursday. 43-year old Jimmie Tucker, of Missouri, was arrested at around 9:10-a.m. Friday, after the Adams County Dispatch Center received a call about a suspicious man walking down the highway, waiving his arms at persons driving by. Deputies made contact with Tucker, who revealed to them he was wanted for leaving his work release program in Missouri. Tucker was arrested on a parole violation and for absconding from a work release program.

Officials say 36-year old A-J Miller, of Lorimor, IA, was arrested at around 4:55-p.m. Friday in Adams County, on a warrant associated with an incident which allegedly occurred on October 5th, 2012. He was charged with Theft in the 2nd Degree.

And on Thursday, Adams County deputies arrested 24-year old Eric Shinn, of Prescott, for Harassment in the 1st Degree. Shinn was taken into custody at around 6:40-p.m. on a warrant stemming froma previous investigation, and held in the Adams County Jail on $2,000 bond.

Tickets are still available for the 3pm Steam Engine Train ride leaving from the Rock Island Depot in Atlantic.  The ride is a round trip to Anita and back.  Proceeds from the ride go to support the Atlantic and Anita Fire Departments.  If you are interested in taking the afternoon ride just head down to the depot and firefighters will be there to get you set up with tickets as long as they last.

w/ Chris Parks

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BOONE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say they have found the body believed to be a 15-year-old Iowa girl who was kidnapped by a registered sex offender while walking home from school. Officials said early Saturday that a body believed to be that of Kathlynn Shepard was found by fishermen in an Iowa waterway Friday night. The high school freshman has been missing since May 20th. She and a 12-year-old friend were lured into a truck that police say was driven by Michael Klunder. Police said Klunder took the girls from Dayton, Iowa to a hog confinement where he worked.

The 12-year-old escaped. Klunder later committed suicide. Hundreds of people searched for Kathlynn. Hopes of finding her alive were dampened when testing confirmed that blood found on Klunder’s truck and at the hog building was Kathlynn’s.

State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds will help present two U.S. flags to the families of fallen firefighters from 2012. The ceremony at the Firefighter Memorial located north of Interstate 80 (exit 242) in Coralville, will take place 10:30-a.m. Sunday, June 9th. It will honor the following two firefighters:

Gilmore City Fire Chief Larry Nielsen, who died while on duty October 9th, 2012. The 66-year old Nielsen was responding to a barn fire when he suffered a heart attack. He was a 41 year member of the Gilmore City Fire Department.

Logan Firefighter Daniel D. Penrod, died on October 9th, 1905, responding to a house fire.  A chimney collapsed during the fire, killing the 36-year old Penrod immediately.  Penrod was buried the following day in the Logan Cemetery.  (No relatives could be located for Mr. Penrod, so his flag will be presented to the Logan Fire Department).

The State Fire Marshal’s Office officially recognizes every firefighter who dies in the line of duty over the previous year by presenting a flag that was flown over our state capitol in their honor.  The flag is carefully protected until the day of the memorial, when it is presented to the surviving family.