State v. Hamilton

SCHULTZ, Justice.

Late -in the afternoon on January 25, 1978, Nick Pappas, Jr., a dealer in illicit drugs, and Cathy Larson were found dead in separate rooms of Pappas’s residence in Des Moines. Both deaths were caused by wounds from a .38 caliber gun. On February 2, 1978, defendant was charged by separate trial informations with murder in the first degree in violation of sections 707.1-.2, The Code, for each death. The informa-tions were consolidated for trial.

The matter came to trial in Union District Court on a change of venue. Defendant was found guilty by jury verdict of first-degree…