On October 29, 1978, the city of Mount Pleasant was rocked by the murder of mother and daughter Clementine and Karol Beavers in their home. The case had gone cold until a third woman, Susan Wheelock, was killed in her place of work, six months later. CJ Williams, an Iowa federal judge, was Karol's classmate, a coworker of Susan's and he knew the convicted killer. These murders influenced Williams to seek a career in criminal justice, and his book delves into the multilayered story of these murders that rocked his hometown and changed the course of his life. (This episode was originally produced in October 2025.)
Katarina Sostaric
/
Iowa Public Radio
-
Former ambassador to Venezuela Jimmy Story talks with Ben Kieffer about the country's regime change through U.S. military force and what it could mean for Latin America. Then, the murder of Jeff Signorelli has stuck with Willy Nast for decades. Nast released a podcast, City of Lights, which doesn't dig into the cold case, but follows the lives of the victim's parents. -
Three bills that make up Iowa House Republicans’ “tough on crime” package cleared their first legislative hurdle in the Iowa House this week. -
On the first day of the 2026 Legislative Session, we hear from Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh, House Speaker Pat Grassley, Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner and House Minority Leader Rep. Brian Meyer. The legislative leaders share their priorities, including property taxes, crime and eminent domain.
-
Surveillance cameras are spreading across Iowa and artificial intelligence makes them far more powerful. IPR's James Kelley shares his investigation into the controversial Flock cameras installed in dozens of Iowa communities. Later in the hour, legal scholar Megan Graham shares what rights citizens have in the AI area. (This episode was produced in October 2025.)
-
Veteran journalist Tom Chorneau discusses his book Mrs. Cook & The Klan, which examines an unsolved Iowa murder case from 1925. Chorneau’s true crime investigation also explains the complex social, political and cultural forces at work in 1920s America, where prohibition, the KKK's resurgence and the temperance movement created a volatile mix.This show was originally produced June 17, 2025.
-
IPR's James Kelley shares his investigation into Flock surveillance cameras. Then, legal scholar Megan Graham on the legal limits of surveillance.
-
An Iowa federal judge reckons with the murders that rocked his hometown and changed the course of his life.
-
Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts of Guyana has been charged with illegally possessing four firearms while in the U.S. without legal status. A federal criminal complaint states he is under a valid deportation order and has not been authorized to work since 2020. -
Community members in eastern Iowa are bringing attention to a new surveillance technology that’s been quietly rolled out across the state. It’s a tool that helps law enforcement agencies track vehicles across multiple jurisdictions. While some say it helps reduce crime, there are growing concerns that it might be used with other motives in mind.
