In the summer of 2020, the life of Miranda Arlene Stierwalt, a 27-year-old female, was tragically cut short in her Des Moines, Iowa, home. On the afternoon of July 15th, a distressing 911 call was made by her young son, who reported that his mother had been injured. First responders were dispatched to the residence on East Diehl Avenue, where they made a grim discovery.
Inside the home, they found Miranda and a man, later identified as 33-year-old Daniel Francis Dooley, both deceased.
It was apparent that both individuals had sustained traumatic injuries. Investigators from the Des Moines Police Department began to piece together the events that had transpired. Their preliminary examination of the evidence at the scene pointed towards a violent and final confrontation.
The investigation concluded that Daniel Dooley, who resided in the home with Miranda, was the sole suspect in her death. Authorities determined that Dooley had shot and killed Miranda before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide. Fortunately, Miranda's child was not inside the house when the tragic incident occurred. The case was closed with the identification of Dooley as the perpetrator, leaving friends and family to mourn the sudden and devastating loss of a young mother.
