Des Moines Police are investigating the death of a woman on the city’s southwest side. Sergeant Christopher Scott says officers were called at 5:15 this morning to a strip mall parking lot by a man who reported an assault on a female. “Who that male was, I don’t know at this time,” Scott told Radio Iowa.
“When officers arrived on the scene, it was determined that the female was deceased and it turned into a death investigation.” The victim’s name has not been released and police are not discussing a possible cause of death. Officers did find a man near the scene at 4808 Southwest 9th Street.
The man was taken into custody for questioning, but he has not been charged. Scott was unsure if the man is considered a suspect or a witness. He also could not confirm if the man was the one who called police. Investigators do have one key piece of evidence – a vehicle.
“There was a pickup truck, it was the only vehicle in the parking lot,” Scott said. “I know definitely it’s connected to one person or another. It has been impounded and is part of the investigation.” Detectives are also investigating a scene a few blocks away at Southwest 7th Street and Army Post Road. Scott called it a “place of interest” in the case.