On a summer day in Bancroft, Iowa, the life of 22-year-old Mason Alrik Cederwall, a White/Caucasian male, was tragically cut short. On July 12, 2019, law enforcement responded to a 911 call reporting two deceased individuals at a residence on South Morehouse Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered a grim scene with three bodies, including that of Mason Cederwall.
The ensuing investigation, conducted by the Bancroft Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, would uncover a story of domestic violence that culminated in a devastating double homicide and suicide.
The investigation revealed that Mason Cederwall and a 30-year-old woman named Amy Lynn Manna were the victims of a shooting. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed that both Cederwall and Manna died from gunshot wounds and their deaths were ruled as homicides. The third individual found at the scene was identified as 30-year-old Austin James Bernhard. Investigators determined that Bernhard, Manna's ex-boyfriend, was the perpetrator who had shot and killed both Cederwall and Manna before taking his own life with a single gunshot wound.
The events leading up to the tragic incident shed light on a volatile situation. Just eight days prior, on July 4, 2019, Bernhard had been arrested on charges of assault and burglary in an incident that also involved both Manna and Cederwall. This prior altercation underscored the history of violence that preceded the fatal encounter. With the identification of Austin James Bernhard as the shooter who then committed suicide, the investigation into the deaths of Mason Alrik Cederwall and Amy Lynn Manna was concluded, as the sole suspect was also deceased, leaving no arrests to be made.
