The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man killed in a weekend shooting outside The Lumberyard as 28-year-old De’Tavion Marques Levi of Des Moines and has charged a 30-year-old man with his death.
Deputies responded around 3:41 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 to a report of shots fired at the northeast Polk County adult entertainment club at 1504 N.E. 54th Ave. and found Levi dead in the parking lot, according to a news release.
Derico Darrell Lowery of Des Moines was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm. He is being held at the Polk County Jail.
Court documents say Lowery shot and killed Levi “with premeditation.” The sheriff’s office did not provide any more details on the incident, including any motive for Levi’s death.
Court records show Lowery had his initial appearance Sunday, when a judge set his bond at $1 million cash only. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 24 in Polk County District Court. Lowery has been approved for court-appointed counsel.
Representatives with The Lumberyard have not returned phone calls or emails seeking comment.
The Lumberyard, a strip club that has operated since the early 2000s, has been the site of more than one killing.
In 2006, 27-year-old Luca Jon Pasa was stabbed to death in the club’s parking lot during a late-night altercation. Erik Gilge, 18, was arrested at the scene and later convicted of voluntary manslaughter. Pasa’s family filed a wrongful death suit against the club’s owners and security staff, alleging negligence, but a jury ruled in favor of the defendants, and the verdict was upheld on appeal.
Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @nick_el_hajj.
This story has been updated to add video.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Lumberyard shooting victim identified, suspect charged with first-degree murder
Reporting by Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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