U.S. Marshals in Nevada arrested a man last month for killing a woman who was found dead in Iowa in February.
The Gazette reported that Brittany Hopkins, 38, was found dead in a shopping cart in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on February 28. Hopkins, who was pregnant, was wrapped in a comforter bound with electrical tape and covered with bags of garbage.
An autopsy determined Hopkins died from blunt force head trauma.
After Hopkins was publicly identified as the victim, someone reportedly told police that Donnie White, 51, was with Hopkins in the days preceding her death. According to The Gazette, another witness told authorities that he observed White assaulting Hopkins on February 26 — two days before Hopkins was found dead.
White reportedly lives less than a block from where Hopkins’ body was discovered. Additionally, police said they found marks in White’s apartment building which led outside and were consistent with shopping cartwheels scuffing the carpet.
A day before Hopkins’ body was discovered, surveillance cameras from a nearby building showed an empty shopping cart being pushed up to White’s apartment building. Fifteen minutes later, the shopping cart — now full — was pushed to the area where Hopkins’ body was located the following day.
According to The Gazette, a search of White’s apartment uncovered a hammer covered with blood and hair and a broken CO2 air pistol which was also covered with blood and hair. Police said they also discovered White’s bloody handprint on a wall, in addition to bleach, scuff, and drag marks on the carpet.
On March 19, U.S. Marshals apprehended White in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was extradited to Iowa, where he is charged with first-degree murder and nonconsensual termination of pregnancy.
White remains jailed on $2.5 million bail.
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