In the cold of a Des Moines, Iowa winter, the life of 27-year-old Black / African American male Gerald Bonner was tragically cut short on December 29, 2012. His body was discovered by a group of children near a trash dumpster at an apartment complex. Their mother, upon learning that his body was cold to the touch, promptly called the police.
Upon their arrival, law enforcement officials determined that Bonner's death was a homicide, the result of a gunshot wound to his torso.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death began swiftly. The day following the discovery of Bonner's body, authorities made an arrest in connection with the case.
Twenty-seven-year-old John D. Edwards of Des Moines was taken into custody and faced a series of serious charges. These included first-degree murder, robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of their investigation, police also seized a gun that they believed to be the weapon used in the commission of the crime.
