On a Saturday afternoon in December 2019, a domestic dispute escalated into a fatal shooting in a residence on the 1100 block of Fenno Drive in Riverdale, Iowa. Terry Warner, a 32-year-old Caucasian male, was shot and killed on December 7, 2019. The incident began as a verbal altercation over household chores between Warner and his uncle, Brian Duque, with whom he lived.
The argument took a tragic turn when Duque fatally shot his nephew. Scott County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call of shots fired at approximately 1:26 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Warner had sustained a gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene to provide immediate treatment, but Warner ultimately succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy later determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the left shoulder, with the bullet fragmenting and causing fatal damage to his left lung.
Brian Duque was promptly arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder. He was subsequently held at the Scott County Jail without bond. During the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings, Duque claimed he acted in self-defense, stating that he had been threatened by Warner. However, it was noted by investigators that Warner was unarmed at the time of the shooting, and there were no signs of a physical struggle at the scene.
Ultimately, a jury found Brian Duque guilty of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. The court's decision was later affirmed upon appeal, with the court concluding that there was substantial evidence to support the conviction.
