On a tragic afternoon in October of 2008, the lives of two young people were violently cut short on the side of a rural Iowa highway. Bryce Lee Mercer, a 24-year-old White male from West Des Moines, was shot and killed alongside his companion, 24-year-old Jessica Dawn Deemer of Waukee. The incident, which began as a pursuit, ended in a horrifying double homicide that stunned the community.
The events of October 17, 2008, unfolded as Jessica Deemer's estranged husband, 27-year-old Kyle
Gene Deemer, pursued the vehicle carrying Jessica and Bryce. In a desperate call to relatives, Jessica reported that they were being chased and had been run off the road along Highway 14 in Marshall County. Witnesses would later recount a grisly scene, having seen Kyle Deemer exit his truck and shoot Mercer with a 20-gauge shotgun.
Following the initial shooting, a terrified Jessica Deemer ran for her life, attempting to seek refuge behind a van that had stopped at the scene. Her estranged husband followed her. As she cowered and screamed into her phone during a 911 call, Kyle Deemer shot her as well. The driver of the van, fearing for the safety of the children inside, drove away from the horrific event.
After the murders, Kyle Deemer fled the scene, sparking a manhunt. He was later apprehended by the Iowa State Patrol, on foot in southern Hamilton County. He was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities later recovered the shotgun believed to be the murder weapon in a ditch along Highway 14. During his trial, it was revealed that Kyle Deemer had been upset about his separation from Jessica and had previously threatened to kill her if she dated someone else. Evidence also suggested the possibility of methamphetamine use by Deemer. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
