A Madison County man accused of killing his mother tried to conceal the crime before deputies found her dead during a welfare check, according to court documents and local law enforcement.
Theodore James Corkrean, 23, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tammy Corkrean, 60.
Deputies were sent around 10 a.m. Monday, June 22, to a home at 2392 148th St., about seven miles north of Winterset, to check on Tammy Corkrean. They found her dead with multiple gunshot wounds, Madison County Sheriff Jason Barnes said in a news release.
Barnes said the welfare check began after West Des Moines police received a call from a woman associated with Theodore Corkrean.
“Theo had told her he had done something,” Barnes told the Register. “He just said he did something to his mom.”
West Des Moines police then shared the information with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, which dispatched deputies to check on Tammy Corkrean, Barnes said.
Tammy Corkrean was found outside the residence, Barnes said. Investigators believe she was killed inside before being dragged into the yard.
The criminal complaint says Theodore Corkrean admitted to investigators that he shot and killed his mother on Sunday at the home they shared.
Corkrean described what happened before and after the shooting, including how he got the firearm, the complaint says.
He also described “attempts to conceal his crime,” investigators wrote.
Investigators wrote that his account was corroborated at the scene and through statements from family and friends.
“It’s tragic. It’s senseless,” Barnes told the Register. “We know the who, what, and where. Now we’re trying to figure out the why.”
Court records show Corkrean’s bond was set at $5 million cash only. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 1.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and West Des Moines Police Department are assisting the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation, Barnes said.
This story was updated to include new information.
Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@registermedia.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Madison County man tried to conceal mother’s killing, authorities say
Reporting by Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
