Hunter
04/04/22
A Cedar Rapids man who called authorities Saturday night saying that a woman acquaintance suffered a heroin overdose was arrested for her murder after it was discovered she died from blunt force trauma.
Police were called at 6:06 pm by 62-year-old Arthur Flowers to a residence on the 1000 block of 10th Avenue Southeast for a medical emergency. He said that a woman had overdosed and needed attention.
The Gazette reports that when officers arrived, Flowers tried to leave but then took them to a bathroom where they found 22-year-old Emily Leonard. The criminal complaint says Leonard had obvious head injuries, and there was blood spatter all over the bathroom.
Investigators say the woman’s clothing was in disarray, and a bloodied 1-by-6 board was found in the bathroom. It’s believed that was the murder weapon, based on the woman’s head injuries. It’s unclear whether the woman was killed in another area of the house or in a different place in the bathroom.
Flowers allegedly told police that he had known the victim for many years, and was alone with her from Friday through Saturday when he called in the medical emergency. Investigators say that Flowers provided details inconsistent with the crime scene.
The newspaper also reports Flowers appeared to have blood on his hands.
Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks gave no comment Sunday on whether a sexual assault also took place because of the ongoing investigation.
A check of court records shows that Flowers has previous convictions for assault and harassment. He is being held on a first-degree murder charge on $1.5 million bail.