Jeremy Ray Showalter, a 45-year-old male from Ottumwa, Iowa, died on the morning of April 21, 2026, after a shooting at his home on Evergreen Street. Police said the first call came in at about 5:35 a.m., when someone reported that a man had been shot at 333 Evergreen in Ottumwa. Officers with the Ottumwa Police Department and deputies from the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office responded and found Showalter suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to Ottumwa Regional Health Center for treatment, but he later died from the injuries he sustained.
The killing unfolded inside the home where Showalter lived. Online reports identified him as a resident of the Evergreen address, and court-document summaries reported by local media said he had been dating the suspect’s cousin and living with her at the time of his death. Investigators alleged that the suspect, Michael Joe Johnson of Sigourney, had previously planned to move into the home and had moved some of his belongings there. According to those reports, Johnson was later kicked out after an argument and claimed he had gone back to the house multiple times trying to retrieve his possessions but had not been able to get them.
Authorities said the investigation quickly turned toward Johnson. The Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation sent agents and crime scene technicians to help process evidence, and tactical officers from the Iowa State Patrol assisted in the search for the suspect. Later that same day, at about 4:22 p.m., officers arrested Johnson, 24, in connection with the shooting.
Johnson was charged with first-degree murder, a Class A felony, and first-degree burglary, a Class B felony. Police and local reports said investigators believed Johnson entered the home intending to assault Showalter. He was being held in the Wapello County Jail after his arrest. Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the public, but the investigation remained ongoing and police asked anyone with information to contact the Ottumwa Police Department.
Outside of the criminal case, Showalter was remembered in obituary notices as someone who had grown up in Ottumwa, graduated from Cardinal High School in 1999, and worked as a journeyman welder for Quality Mechanical. He had also worked for Overhead Door, including several years as a manager. His obituary described him as charismatic and kind, with interests that included riding motorcycles, competing on BMX bikes, playing guitar, music, hiking, mushroom hunting, and rock hunting. His death left his family and community mourning a life that ended suddenly in what authorities described as a fatal early-morning shooting.
