Four Osceola residents charged in double homicide investigation

Four Osceola residents have been charged in connection with a double homicide that occurred in the Osceola area.

On Saturday, Jan. 24, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Osceola Police Department received a report of two persons who had gone missing during the evening hours on Friday, Jan. 23.

After further investigation, the two missing persons were located in a vehicle at 1305 255th Ave., Osceola, in rural northern Clarke County, deceased. It appears both victims died of gunshot wounds.

The following people have been charged in this case:

• Richard Ryan Lamb Carson, 38, Osceola — two counts of first-degree murder.

• Lynn Ranean Sutton, 47, Osceola — one count of accessory after the fact.

• Tracy Kay Johnson, 43, Osceola — one count of accessory after the fact.

• Christopher Martin Elben, 42, Osceola — one count of accessory after the fact.

Accessory after the fact is a result of the suspects helping the perpetrator after the crime had occurred.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notifications of the family. An autopsy is being planned for Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny.

The victims were identified as Erick Reyna, 22, and Noe Flores Rascon, 27, both of Osceola.

The investigation is ongoing, however, it appears this is an isolated incident and the public is not in danger.

Press conference

A press conference was held 11 a.m Monday, Jan. 26, at Clarke County Law Enforcement Center. It was led by Osceola Police Chief Marty Duffus, Clarke County Sheriff Bill Kerns and Michael Motsinger, a special agent in charge of Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.

Osceola Police Department is being assisted by Clarke County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Duffus said Carson and the victims are acquaintances. The victims were also acquaintances with each other.

Two of the suspects charged are boyfriend and girlfriend and the others were acquaintances. Duffus said Carson and Johnson are the suspects who are in a relationship with each other.

“They’re all known to us,” Duffus said about the suspects’ past criminal history.

Duffus said the investigation is still working on a motive for the homicide.

The victims were located Sunday night. Duffus said it’s unknown at this time if drugs were involved.

“A friend of theirs reported them missing, and then one of their sisters followed up with that report Saturday,” Duffus said.

DCI report

Motsinger said the suspects were taken into custody without incident or resistance. He said he wouldn’t give many details about the murder weapon, other than to say it has been recovered.

The DCI has been investigating many locations in connection with the double homicide.

“So, being around town, different parts of the area, it’s just part of the investigation and gathering the evidence that we need to prosecute the people responsible,” Motsinger said.

He said there was a residence at the location of the main crime scene on 255th Avenue, but it isn’t occupied at this time.

Motsinger said law enforcement has interviewed many people about the crime, which has led them to charging the suspects involved in the case.

“Any time you have a tragedy like this, I mean, you have a double homicide, luckily, for Iowa, that’s not a common occurrence,” he said. “So, we do, obviously, take things seriously. We try to follow up every lead, bring everyone responsible to justice that are responsible for taking someone’s life. Obviously, living here in Iowa, it’s a great state, and luckily, we don’t have double homicides that occur very often. So, is it strange? Yes, but are we able to handle it and work through all the leads and follow through with the investigation, that’s what law enforcement does.”