Compiled by Andrew Brink andrew@dmcityview.com

On the clock
Des Moines Police — April 18

1:27 a.m.
Robbery of an individual in the parking lot located at 3912 E. 23rd St. After getting out of his car, the victim was approached by a black male, who was described as being approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, of average build and wearing a baseball cap. The suspect told the victim to “get on the ground,” at which point the victim noticed that the suspect possessed a semi-automatic handgun. The suspect again told the victim to get on the ground and put the gun to the victim’s head. The victim obeyed the suspect and was then approached by a second black male, who was also described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall and “almost fat.” After searching the victim, the suspects took his wallet. The victim stated that the suspects ran off and got into a car parked 20-25 yards north of the parking lot. The victim believed there might have been a third suspect involved, who was driving the vehicle.

4:20 p.m.
Suspicious device in the 5300 block of Southeast 1st Court. The victim reported that while attempting to garden in his back lot, he located what he believed was a grenade. Upon arrival, police officers determined that the device was indeed a grenade. The grenade was described as being a “round, rusty ball-type grenade with an improvised pin.” The bomb squad was called to the scene. As a precaution, residents living near the lot were evacuated.

Busted

Name: John Edward Smart III
The story: Smart was busted during an alleged burglary attempt — but not by the police. Smart was caught trying to enter a Des Moines residence by the homeowner. When the homeowner noticed Smart trying to enter his house through a side door, he picked up a landscaping brick and told Smart to lie on the ground, “or he would hit him.” Smart complied, and stayed on the ground until Des Moines Police officers arrived. As it turned out, Smart had a warrant out for his arrest stemming from assault charges in Warren County. Smart is currently being held for attempted burglary and assault in Bethany, Mo.

6 : the number of unidentified bodies currently being held by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Docket Diving

The following is from a recent posting by the Iowa Court of Appeals regarding the case of the State of Iowa vs. Rex Alan Cousins:

“Police officers were called to Rex Cousins’ residence to investigate a suspicious odor reported by neighbors. When officers arrived on the scene, they noticed the smell of ether coming out of the dryer vent. While some of the officers were knocking at the front door, others remained near the dryer vent. The officers knocked at the front door for approximately five minutes before anyone answered. During that time, the officers stationed by the dryer vent noticed the smell began to diminish quickly and the fumes were gone by the time the front door was opened.

Pete Peters, a friend of Cousins, answered the door. The officers requested permission to enter the house and Peters refused. A few minutes later, Cousins appeared and started yelling at the police officers to leave the premises. Both Cousins and Peters denied smelling anything. The officers decided to evacuate the house because of the potential danger presented by the ether fumes.

During their search, officers found a number of methamphetamine-related items. Officers discovered three homemade glass methamphetamine pipes in a jacket in Cousins’ closet. The pipes contained burn residue, which tested positive for methamphetamine. While searching for the source of an ether smell in the kitchen, an officer found a can wrapped in a yellow plastic bag underneath the garbage bag in the trashcan. [The] can had been punctured at the bottom; wrapped first in coffee filters, then in clear plastic and then taped. The coffee filters were wet and contained fresh, grey sludge consistent with the appearance of by-product produced by the metal-ammonia method of methamphetamine production. The sludge tested positive for methamphetamine residue. … A second empty can was also found in the garbage outside Cousins’ house. This can was also punctured in the bottom and wrapped three times. All the components of a hydrogen chloride gas generator, which is used to convert methamphetamine base to methamphetamine hydrochloride were found near the washer and dryer.”

Cousins was later convicted for possession of methamphetamine, second offense, and manufacturing methamphetamine, second offense, and is serving a 20-year sentence at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.

911 call
Dispatcher: Sheriff’s office.

C: Hi… I have a lady, her name is [name redacted] and she is out at mile marker 74 on Highway 65 in the southbound lane.

D: Uh-huh.

C: They will be in a white Dodge pickup. She wants to make a theft report because she left her vehicle on the highway all night. When she came back today, all four of her tires were stolen.

D: Hmmm.

C: So…

D: OK.

C: Thanks.

D: Uh-huh. Goodbye.

Officer’s report: I was dispatched to mile marker 74 on Highway 65 in reference to a theft. I talked with [the victim] and she said that she had wrecked her Trailblazer Friday, and now someone had stolen all four tires and wheels. [The victim] stated that the wheels were there [when she left the scene].

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