Two Osceola people involved in a double homicide investigation have plead not guilty to their charges.
Lynn Ranean Sutton, 47, and Christopher Martin Elben, 42, have each plead not guilty to their charge of 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.
According to a records search in Iowa Courts online, arraignments were scheduled 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, for the suspects and the not guilty pleas were filed.
The homicides
The double homicide investigation is about the deaths of Erick Reyna, 22, and Noe Flores Rascon, 27, both of Osceola.
Richard Ryan Lamb Carson, 38, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in their deaths. Tracy Kay Johnson, 43, was also charged with one count of accessory after the fact.
An online records search showed no arraignment has been scheduled for Carson or Johnson yet.
On Saturday, Jan. 24, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Osceola Police Department received a report that Reyna and Rascon had gone missing during the evening hours on Friday, Jan. 23.
After further investigation, the two men were located Sunday, Jan. 25, in a vehicle at 1305 255th Ave., Osceola, in rural northern Clarke County. They were deceased. It appears both victims died of gunshot wounds.
Court report
According to court documents, a female reported, “Carson spoke of beating up her two friends and taking them into the county to dump them off.”
The documents state Carson told state investigators that he did get into an altercation with Rascon while in a vehicle outside of a residence in Osceola. Carson said that during the altercation, a gun was presented and discharged. Carson later told state investigators, “It was self-defense.”
January 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.
Duffus said Carson and Johnson are the suspects who are in a relationship with each other.
“They’re all known to us,” Duffus said during the press conference about the suspects’ past criminal history.
Sentences?
As for the charge of accessory after the fact, according to Osceola Police Department, it is an aggravated misdemeanor. If found guilty of the charge, a person can spend a maximum of two years in prison and a minimum of seven days.
When it comes to a first-degree murder charge, it is a capitol offense, and if a person is found guilty, that is an automatic sentence of life in prison with no eligibility of parole.