I am not making this up folks. I couldn't if I tried.... Quoted from MyDeathSpace.com...
Nice way to wrap up a thread though, should settle things.....
Christopher R. Schmidt, who served more than two years in federal prison for possessing stolen guns, used barstools to beat his friend to death Dec. 28, authorities charged Thursday.
Schmidt, 25, of 1526 12th Ave. SE, was charged in Linn County District Court with first-degree murder in the bludgeoning death of Robert Nelson, 24, in Nelson's apartment in downtown Cedar Rapids.
The two had been roommates a few years ago when both were attending Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. They still got together to play video and computer games, Schmidt's fiancee, Helene Curl, 26, told The Gazette.
"They were like best friends,'' she said.
Court records indicate police found Schmidt's fingerprint on a barstool in Nelson's eighth-floor apartment at The Roosevelt, a former hotel at 200 First Ave. NE that is now a 93-unit apartment complex.
The documents indicate Schmidt initially denied killing Nelson but told police Wednesday in a second interview that he had struck Nelson in a quarrel over money.
Police found blood spattered throughout the 12-by-12-foot apartment, pointing to a struggle. Nelson died of head injuries. His body was found three days later, on Dec. 31.
Schmidt's name came up during the police investigation when someone mentioned Schmidt was Nelson's friend.
"(We) then talked to him,'' Cedar Rapids police Lt. Kenneth Washburn said. "We were trying to contact (Nelson's) friends and co-workers.''
Schmidt was arrested about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, at the end of the second interview, and was taken to the Linn County Jail. His bail was set at $1 million. If convicted, he would go to prison for life.
Curl, Schmidt's fiancee, said she'd talked to Schmidt since his arrest and described him as "devastated.''
She said Schmidt had told her Nelson refused to pay him money owed for car repairs. He said he used a barstool to defend himself when Nelson came at him with needle nose pliers. He told her Nelson was alive when he left the apartment.
Curl said Schmidt was "like a stepfather'' to her four children -- ages 3, 4, 5 and 6 -- and often baby-sat while she worked as a restaurant cashier. The two have been together, she said, for 2-1/2 years since meeting at work at MCI.
Curl and Schmidt had moved into the 12th Avenue SE home in November. They had lived at 1504 Sixth Ave. SE for six months before that until they were evicted for non-payment of rent, landlord John Thompson said.
Most recently, Schmidt worked at Area Tree Service of Cedar Rapids. Wayne Breeden, owner of the business, said Thursday he "was in a state of shock'' over the arrest.
"He split some wood for me. He seemed like a nice kid,'' Breeden said, noting that Schmidt arrived late for work at times.
Breeden laid off Schmidt in early December when seasonal work ended.
Court records indicate Schmidt had worked in auto
repair and as a millwright. Since 2000, he had worked at
jobs in Mason City and Cedar Rapids, records show.
Schmidt was sentenced to two years in federal prison in 2000 for possession of 12 stolen firearms (pistols, shotguns, rifles and a revolver) and later for failure to appear for a court hearing, court records show.
He was released but sent back to prison when he failed to stay out of trouble -- violating rules at a community corrections center and being kicked out of a residential facility. He lived in Cedar Rapids after being released from federal custody in late 2005.
Schmidt's grandmother, Carol Schmidt, 70, of Charles City, told The Gazette she was surprised by the arrest.
"He had straightened his life out. I don't think Christopher would do something like this. He never fought with anyone,'' she said.
She said Schmidt was born in Charles City in north-central Iowa. He moved to California with his mother, then moved back and forth between Charles City and California while growing up.
Nelson moved to Cedar Rapids after graduating from Atlantic High School in 2000 because two sisters lived here. He attended Kirkwood Community College, studying culinary arts and computers, but hadn't earned a degree.
He had been working at APAC for about six months and living at The Roosevelt for a month or two.
