In the late hours of a Friday night in Des Moines, Iowa, tragedy struck, marking a somber first for the city in 2021. On February 26, 2021, Darrell Merriwether, a 52-year-old Black man from the nearby city of Clive, was found with a fatal gunshot wound. The incident unfolded in a residential area situated several blocks southeast of Drake University. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene around 11:20 p.m. following reports of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, officers and firefighters discovered Merriwether grievously injured. He was rushed to a local hospital for medical attention but succumbed to his injuries, passing away in the early hours of Saturday. His death was officially ruled as the first homicide in Des Moines for that year.
The investigation into the shooting death of Darrell Merriwether led Des Moines police to two local men. Less than a week after the incident, on the following Wednesday, authorities announced the arrests of Columbus Plum Lewis, 51, and Virgil Alva See, 55, both residents of Des Moines. The investigation determined that Lewis was present at the scene when Merriwether was shot and had fled before help arrived. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in connection with Merriwether's death. Lewis had been taken into custody on unrelated warrants prior to the murder charge being filed.
The second suspect, Virgil Alva See, was identified as a witness to the shooting. Initially, he was uncooperative with the police investigation. However, he later confirmed to investigators that Lewis was at the residence when the shooting occurred. Further investigation revealed that See was also implicated in a crime following the homicide. A witness reported seeing See put his hand in Merriwether's pocket after he had been shot. Supporting this claim, authorities discovered Merriwether's identification card, as well as his debit and credit cards, at See's home. Consequently, Virgil Alva See was charged with first-degree theft and accessory after the fact for his actions following the fatal shooting.
