Dubuque Murder Victim in “Wrong Place at Wrong Time”

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Court documents show an Iowa man charged with sexually assaulting and killing a woman told police that she simply was "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

19-year-old Helmon Betwell is charged with murder, sexual assault and two counts of burglary.

He made an initial appearance Wednesday in court, where his bail was set at $1 million. His attorney had sought for the amount to be set a "reasonable" level, noting that Betwell didn't have a prior criminal history.

Dubuque police say a man had called authorities Tuesday after seeing another man strike a woman several times at a vacant property. Investigators are awaiting confirmation of the woman's identity from the state medical examiner's office.