State v. Cuevas

ALLBEE, Justice.

Defendant Phillip Benito Cuevas stands convicted by a jury of murder in the first degree, in violation of sections 690.1 and 690.2, The Code 1977; he was sentenced to imprisonment for life. The charge arose out of the brutal slaying of William Turk, which occurred in Des Moines on October 5, 1977. On appeal, defendant assigns a number of errors for reversal of his conviction, which we will consider in the order presented to us in his brief.

The victim’s body was discovered on October 6, in the late afternoon. When found, Turk’s hands and feet were bound behind his back. He was…