An 18-year-old suspect is now in custody in the slaying of a deaf woman in southern Iowa. An arrest was made Thursday evening in connection with the first-degree murder of Melody Jeffrey in Leon earlier this week. Kalen Joseph Lively of West Des Moines was arrested and is being held in the Polk County Jail for a previous second degree theft charge and for first degree murder. The investigation conducted by the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s office, the Division of Criminal Investigation, Decatur County Sheriff’s office, and the Leon Police Department revealed Jeffrey had been strangled to death in her home.
