On May 11, 2020, 51-year-old Kevin Leroy Juzek, a male, died in what was determined to be a homicide in his rural Merrill, Iowa, home. The chain of events leading to his death began when authorities received a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute at the residence he shared with his mother and his 81-year-old stepfather, Thomas Knapp. While deputies were on their way, they were informed that a firearm had been discharged and someone had been shot.
Upon their arrival at the home, law
enforcement discovered Mr. Juzek's body inside the residence; he had sustained gunshot wounds. An autopsy conducted by the Iowa State Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that the cause of death was gunshots to the abdomen and upper torso. Thomas Knapp was taken into custody at the scene without incident after he exited the house.
The investigation revealed that Knapp had allegedly fired a 20-gauge shotgun through a bedroom door, striking Juzek. Juzek then moved to a living room area where Knapp is accused of firing a second shot that struck him in the chest. Initially, Knapp was charged with Aggravated Domestic Assault While Displaying or Use of a Weapon. However, following the investigation and the final autopsy report, the charge was upgraded to first-degree murder. Thomas Knapp was subsequently held in the Plymouth County Jail without bond.
Kevin Juzek was born on June 11, 1968, in Sioux City, Iowa, and was a graduate of Le Mars High School. He was described as a family man with a strong faith who was a loving son, father, brother, and uncle. He had worked for various companies as a painter for over a decade and had previously been employed at the Jolly Time Popcorn Factory. He is survived by his son, mother, wife, and siblings.
