Ty John Casey, a 39-year-old Asian man known for his bear hugs and loud laughter, was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who took pride in his work. Born in Pusan City, South Korea, he was adopted at a young age and grew up in Shellsburg, Iowa. At the time of his death, he was a valued employee at a local restyling company, where he had recently earned new responsibilities and was excited about his future.
On the evening of Friday, May 13, 2022, police in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, responded to
a 911 call reporting gunfire at a residence on Northwood Drive NE. Officers arrived around 9 p.m. to find Ty Casey inside the home, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation led police to James Siegel, a 42-year-old Cedar Rapids man who was present during the incident. Siegel told investigators that he had shot Casey twice. According to his account, he fired the first shot into Casey’s upper chest after Casey threw a glancing punch at him. Siegel stated that Casey then threw a second punch, which missed, and Siegel fired again at point-blank range.
Authorities arrested Siegel and initially charged him with first-degree murder. He was held at the Linn County Jail on a $1 million cash bond. The charge was later downgraded to voluntary manslaughter. However, in November 2022, the Linn County Attorney’s Office filed a motion to dismiss the case. Prosecutors cited Iowa’s “Stand Your Ground” law, stating they lacked sufficient evidence to disprove that Siegel had acted in self-defense. An Iowa District Court judge ordered the case dismissed on November 20, 2022, and James Siegel was freed.
