Des Moines Police have made two arrests in connection to the city's first homicide of 2021.
51-year old Columbus Lewis III and 55-year old Virgil Alva See have been arrested on several charges. Lewis III faces 1st-degree murder charges. See is charged with theft and accessory after the fact.
Police responded to the 1100 block of 19th street late Friday night on a report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found 52-year old Darrell Merriwether suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
Lewis III was located by detectives on Sunday, and arrested on warrants unrelated to this investigation.
Immediately after the shooting, See was identified as an eyewitness. After initially refusing to speak with detectives, he later identified Lewis as being at the scene of the shooting.
Detectives later located an ID card, debit cards, and a credit card, all belonging to Merriwether, within See’s home. A witness identified See as placing his hands in the victim’s pockets after the shooting.
Police say they believe they've recovered the weapon used in the shooting.