BREAKING: Jason Carter has been charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of his 68-year-old mother, Shirley Carter.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has confirmed to KCCI that Jason Carter has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 68-year-old Shirley Carter, who was fatally shot in her rural Marion County home in June 2015.
The arrest comes after a Marion County jury found Jason Carter responsible for her death in a bizarre wrongful death civil lawsuit, filed by Shirley Carter’s widower, Bill Carter.
After being arrested by personnel with the Sheriff’s Office, the DCI and the Iowa State Patrol, Jason Carter was taken to the Marion County Law Enforcement Center, where he is being held on $1 million cash-only bail. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Monday morning.
A press conference will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Knoxville regarding the case.
Bill Carter said his son, Jason Carter, was financially strapped and killed Shirley Carter to gain access to his parents’ $10 million in assets. Jason Carter has denied the accusation.
A judge ordered Jason Carter to pay $10 million in punitive damages to his father after the jury deliberated for only two and a half hours before reaching a verdict.
A state investigator testified during the trial that evidence found at the homicide scene gave the lie to efforts to make the killing look like a burglary turned deadly.
The Division of Criminal Investigation agent said that Shirley Carter’s purse, some prescription drugs and some checks were found near her body. Office and bedroom drawers had been pulled out and emptied elsewhere in the rural Marion County home she’d shared with her husband, Bill Carter.
In closing arguments, Bill Carter’s attorney reminded the jury about Jason Carter’s infidelity and subsequent cover-up, as well as financial problems.
Bill Carter said bankrupting his son is the only way to punish him since police had not made an arrest in the murder case until Sunday.
