On a December evening in Des Moines, Iowa, a confrontation at a local bar escalated into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of Tyrone Livon Hutchins. The 35-year-old Black man was at Rico's bar near Drake University on December 10, 2022, when two armed brothers, James Mikale Wiggins and Marcell Navell Wiggins, entered with the intent to confront him.
The situation quickly intensified as Marcell Wiggins and another individual initiated a dispute with Hutchins.
As Hutchins attempted to leave the establishment to de-escalate the conflict, James Wiggins opened fire, inflicting a fatal gunshot wound. First responders found Hutchins on the sidewalk outside the bar and transported him to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The incident was recorded as the 17th homicide in Des Moines for 2022.
Following the shooting, the Wiggins brothers fled the state and were later located and apprehended in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. In February 2024, Des Moines police announced charges against both men. James Mikale Wiggins, 35, faced a charge of first-degree murder. His 38-year-old brother, Marcell Navell Wiggins, was charged with going armed with intent and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The legal proceedings brought a measure of justice for Hutchins's death. In August 2024, a Polk County jury found James Mikale Wiggins guilty of second-degree murder. Prosecutors presented evidence that the attack was premeditated, stating that Wiggins and his associates had planned to confront Hutchins after learning of his whereabouts from social media posts. Though Wiggins claimed self-defense, the jury's verdict determined otherwise after more than a day of deliberation. His sentencing was scheduled for October 14. Court documents also indicated that a warrant was issued for the arrest of Marcell Wiggins after he failed to appear for a plea hearing in June.
