A Meskwaki man has pleaded guilty to killing another man at his home on the Meskwaki settlement near Tama. Twenty-one-year-old Jonathan Youngbear faced a federal charge of first-degree murder, but agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Severn Jefferson.
Youngbear admitted he was under the influence of alcohol and meth at his house on February 24th of 2014 when he stabbed Jefferson twice in the neck and chest with a knife. He also admitted that Jefferson bled to death from the wounds.
Youngbear faces a maximum sentence of life and a $250,000 fine, but prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 25 to 35 years. He will be sentenced at a later date.