CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say human remains have been found buried on the property of a Cedar Rapids home, and officials believe they may be those of a missing eastern Iowa man. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that its deputies and other law enforcement agencies searched the property Thursday and found the buried remains. The body has been taken to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy.

Officials say that while no positive identification has yet been made, “it appears the body may have connection to the disappearance of Christopher Bagley, who went missing on Dec. 14.”

Christopher Bagley, who went missing on Dec. 14., 2018.

No other details of what led police to the property or how the victim may have died were released.

(Radio Iowa) — A man wanted on several warrants, including kidnapping and stalking charges, tried to escape from authorities last night in Le Mars. At about 11 o’clock Thursday night, officers saw 31-year-old Jose’ Murillo drive into a Le Mars park. Several officers tried to arrest Murillo, but he drove away at a high rate of speed.

He used a large pile of snow as a ramp, but after clearing that first hurdle, his Chevy Malibu failed to make it over a second pile of snow. Murillo got out of the car — which was hung up on the snow bank — and ran, but was quickly surrounded by a group of officers, including a police dog, and arrested.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court restored a Des Moines vicious dog ordinance on Friday that an appeals court had found to be unconstitutionally vague. The justices voted 3-3, upholding an initial, district court ruling that went in favor of the city.

The case involved a mixed breed dog named Pinky and a neighbor’s cat named Rebel, which were both allowed outside without restraints and fought. Both animals survived.
City officials blamed Pinky and she was taken away from her owner in March 2016 after the city’s chief humane officer concluded she exhibited “vicious propensities” under the city’s dangerous animal ordinance.

She was initially to be quarantined for a week but a day before release the city chose to declare her a dangerous dog and notified owner Dianna Helmers of plans keep her. She remained held without access to visits from her family for nearly two years. Pinky was released to Helmers last April when the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled 3-2 that the city’s definition of a dangerous dog was too vague.

The state Supreme Court’s order offered no details of the court’s deliberation. It simply stated that three justices would affirm the district court ruling and three would reverse it and pointing out that in such cases, the district court’s ruling stands. Pinky has been living at Helmers’ pet rescue facility near Reinbeck, about 90 miles northeast of Des Moines.

Helmers’ attorney, Jamie Hunter said the city can seek custody of Pinky again, although the dog is now 11 years old and at the upper end of her life expectancy.
City officials said in a statement Friday they were talking with Helmers about allowing Pinky to remain with her if terms can be reached “that protect the dog and the public.”

City Manager Scott Sanders said in the statement that he never intended to euthanize the dog and if an agreement cannot be reached to keep her with Helmers, the city will pay to have Pinky adopted out of state. Hunter, who has other court challenges to the city’s animal ordinance pending in court, said it continues to be an ongoing issue for dog owners. “The best way to address that is the city can amend its ordinance to make it clear and fairer for its residents so we’re not constantly litigating it,” she said.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified three people killed in an eastern Iowa house fire as a mother and her two daughters. The Quad-City Times reports that the Muscatine County Medical Examiner’s Office issued a news release Friday identifying those killed as 35-year-old Amy Wentz and her daughters, 17-year-old Andreah Schroeder and 6-year-old Lily Wentz.

The three died in the Monday night fire that destroyed their Muscatine home and critically injured another person, who has not been named. Officials say the injured person, who was found by firefighters outside the home, is in a coma at an Iowa City hospital.

Authorities say the cause of the fire is currently listed as undetermined. The investigation into the fire and deaths continues.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) officials have used the state’s safe haven procedures for the 33rd time since the law went into effect. Officials say a boy was born February 2, 2019, at an Iowa hospital and the infant was released to the custody of DHS. A court hearing to terminate parental rights is held within a month. Specific details are withheld in order to protect the identity of the parents and the child.

Through Iowa’s safe haven law, parents have the option to safely hand over custody of babies age 30 days or younger without fear of prosecution for abandonment. The parent, or their authorized representative, can leave the newborn at a hospital or health care facility, and can remain anonymous.

The safe haven law was approved in the wake of a high-profile case in 2001 involving a teen mother in eastern Iowa who killed her home-delivered newborn. Infants who are safe haven babies are placed with currently-approved foster or adoptive families.

If you are interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please visit www.iowafosterandadoption.org. For more information on the safe haven procedure: http://dhs.iowa.gov/safe-haven

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is planning to attend events in the Des Moines area next week. The State Department announced Friday that Pompeo would be in the Des Moines area on Sunday and Monday to discuss agriculture issue and about how the agency serves U.S. interests by promoting American exports. Pompeo plans to speak at a Future Farmers of America event, tour an agriculture research center and attend an event at the World Food Prize headquarters in Des Moines. He also will meet with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

The State Department says former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, now the ambassador to China, will accompany Pompeo. The department is expected to provide more details about the visit later.