We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He also faces a third-degree kidnapping charge in connection to 21-year-old Jessica Vega. Director Jacob Vaughan Writer Sam Brotherton Stars Annabella Didion Paden Fallis Max Blackstone Jessica Levin is an assistant director and staff attorney at the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law, where she teaches the Civil Rights Clinic and engages in a broad range of civil rights litigation before state and federal courts. Kirk Levin KCCI. In this episode, Amber covers the survival story of Jessica Frank Vega. Since then, Iowa investigators have given no hint of a motive and refuse to release documents related to their investigation, even though the case has concluded. "How could I not fight for my life?" EARLY, IA According to written statements, early on January 3rd 21-year-old Kirk Riley Levin showed up at Jessica Vega's apartment in Storm Lake asking for a ride back to Early, Iowa. Today's breaking news and more in your inbox. A motive is unclear. As your mother, she is now protecting every other person that has ever had contact with you.. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. She said she eventually convinced him to drive back to Storm Lake, but on the way back Levin drove into a ditch. In her letter, Sandra Schmitt told Levin she was so angry with you, Kirk., I dont feel like Ive ever known you at all, Schilmoeller read from Sandra Schmitts letter. Later, Levin told her she was being kidnapped and tied her up. I had to have killed my mother. Schramm testified that Vega had been lying down in the passenger seat before she began screaming that she had been kidnapped and needed help. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, New Hampton man charged in overdose death, Valuable winning lottery ticket could be in your coat pocket, Bengals QB Joe Burrow and other pro athletes are buying an Iowa farm, Sandie Greco retiring after 54 years of serving Waterloo, Maquoketa murders: 911 call reveals new information about morning four were killed, Arrest made after remains of missing man found at Elma home, Employees sentenced to jail, probation in livestock fraud investigation, Wisconsin woman died inside burning SUV that started 'going crazy'; doors wouldn't unlock, Don Wooten: Reasons for leaving the Christmas tree up until Feb. 2, Man said he didn't mean to cause serious injuries in casino card beating, Blood-alcohol level in fatal crash was more than twice legal limit, New internet provider becomes available in Waterloo, Man who broke into house shot and killed by armed Iowa resident, police say, Jury issues lesser verdict in casino assault trial, Upcoming solar eclipse will be the last one visible from the U.S. for decades, Record amount of sea ice disappeared after recent arctic cyclone, As more unrest looms, Peru leader calls for calm, Bighorn sheep affected by disease in Nevada. Gary Schramm, a farmer from Early, stopped to help him. Jessica knew that Kirk had a troubled past, but she believed he was a good person who was trying to turn his life around. Jessica had already survived an abusive childhood and was doing well raising her daughter, Victoria and attending college. Even though I have a reason to hate you, I dont, Vega told Levin. From The Hack is a website/podcast focusing on the Olympic sport of curling. Like most other young adults, she too a had social media presence: a personal page on MySpace. She is a part of the "The Newman Dynasty and her grandfather is Lionel Newman, composer and former Executive Vice President of 20th Century Fox Music. Her body was found in her home, face down with a belt around her neck. She experienced all weather phenomena imaginable, from Noreasters and freezing temperatures to Tropical Storms and triple digit heat. Deputies found him hiding in a barn on the property. Levin jogged away from the scene, Schramm said. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Principal at Deloitte. Her statements indicated that Vega wanted Levin to hurry because she was starting an internship that day and needed to be home by 7:30 a.m. After agreeing, Vega drove Levin back to his mothers house, where Levin told her he was kidnapping her. I remember walking into her room and choking her, he wrote in a statement. Movies. Then Erika covers the horrifying collapse of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, Australia. Menu. That was until Kirk showed up at her house in the middle of the night unexpected and uninvited. Levin is also accused of kidnapping a 21-year-old woman hours after the murder. Levin was subsequently ordered to serve a life sentence and to pay $150,000 to Schmitts heirs. In 2009, he was caught hiding in the basement of a girl he intended to rape. In July 2013, Levin was found guilty of first-degree murder and third-degree kidnapping. In January 2003, Jessica Vega was living in Storm Lake, Iowa. The Webster County jury deliberated for about two hours before finding Kirk Levin, 21, of Early, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his mother, Marilyn Schmitt, 45, the Messenger in Fort Dodge (http://bit.ly/13e7peL ) reported. He had served two years on a five-year burglary sentence that was reduced under state law. Kirks mothers body was found when after Kirks arrest, the police went over to their farmhouse to ask Marilyn if she had any additional information about the ordeal. apprehended by the police a short time later, treated by a therapist because he fantasized, Robert Burmingham, aka The Blue Light Rapist, forced Lori Brown and Cindy Williams to strip before shooting, Murder Allegations against Catherine Shelton. Kirk Levin confessed to kidnapping Jessica Vega in an interview with the investigators. Judge Gary McMinimee sentenced Levin to 5 years in prison and allowed him to be transported to Wisconsin to return to prison for violating his parole there. IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) A 21-year-old Iowa man accused of killing his mother and abducting a woman after being released from prison last week underwent treatment as a teenager because he fantasized about raping women and almost acted upon his urges several times, according to a Wisconsin prosecutor. >>, YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS/PRIVACY POLICY. Sandra Schmitt testified in court that her daughter was happy Levin would be moving in. Jury finds Iowa man guilty of killing mother. You can cancel at any time. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Jessica had already survived an abusive childhood and was doing well raising her daughter, Victoria and attending college. (AP Photo/The Messenger, Hans Madsen). He was later arrested and retained under a hefty bond. Trending. Likewise with the kidnapping of Jessica, that was also well-planned.. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, New Hampton man charged in overdose death, Valuable winning lottery ticket could be in your coat pocket, Bengals QB Joe Burrow and other pro athletes are buying an Iowa farm, Sandie Greco retiring after 54 years of serving Waterloo, Maquoketa murders: 911 call reveals new information about morning four were killed, Arrest made after remains of missing man found at Elma home, Employees sentenced to jail, probation in livestock fraud investigation, Wisconsin woman died inside burning SUV that started 'going crazy'; doors wouldn't unlock, Don Wooten: Reasons for leaving the Christmas tree up until Feb. 2, Man said he didn't mean to cause serious injuries in casino card beating, Blood-alcohol level in fatal crash was more than twice legal limit, New internet provider becomes available in Waterloo, Man who broke into house shot and killed by armed Iowa resident, police say, Jury issues lesser verdict in casino assault trial, Early, Iowa, man to serve life in prison for killing mom, Upcoming solar eclipse will be the last one visible from the U.S. for decades, Record amount of sea ice disappeared after recent arctic cyclone, As more unrest looms, Peru leader calls for calm, Bighorn sheep affected by disease in Nevada. You can cancel at any time. He had served two years on a five-year burglary sentence that was reduced under state law. Levin is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing his mother, Marilyn Schmitt, 45, last week in her rural Early, Iowa, home. It took a Fort Dodge jury just two hours to decide the fate of an Early man accused of killing his mother and kidnapping another woman. In this episode, Amber covers the survival story of Jessica Frank Vega. He should have been executed right, I am Franks cousin (mothers side) - every time I, What sickens me about this case was that Marilyn was. Vega said she tried to think of ways to get away the whole time she was with Levin. UPDATE: Jury returns guilty verdict in Iowa slaying trial. Jessica knew that Kirk had a troubled past, but she believed he was a good person who was trying to turn his life around. Investigation Discovery unravels the strange murder of Marilyn Schmitt and the kidnapping of Jessica Vega, both committed by the same man, Kirk Levin. A medical examiner testified that her death was caused by choking, as well as sharp- and blunt-force injuries. Thanks. How you wasted 21 years of my life worrying about you and carrying about you.. Once on the road, the car slipped on an icy patch and crashed into a ditch. Theres no getting around that.. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I think its a credit to you and your strength that you were able to get out of this, he said. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Robert Burmingham, aka The Blue Light Rapist, terrorized women in Arkansas for two years in the 1990s. At this point, Levin escaped the scene. Marilyn would still be with us if you could have been locked up permanently, she wrote in her letter. A doctor who counseled Levin warned that he would likely try to act on his violent sexual fantasies if he ever went off of unspecified medications, Stephan added. He then asked her to drive to Early, a town 100 miles northwest from Des Moines. She had been strangled and stabbed to death. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Metronet recently completed construction in the neighborhood around Crossroads Mall. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Levin later took Vega to a barn, told her she was being kidnapped and tied her up. It was an intentional act, he said. He admits to drugging a girl with Benadryl for the first time and then trying to drug her with alcohol a second time. Marilyn Schmitts sister, Molly Heneman, also wrote a letter that was read by Schilmoeller. Unfortunately, her good intentions will soon come back to haunt her. When asked if he planned on having sex with Jessica then, he said, I had her, if I wanted to, I probably would have.. That's when Levin allegedly went to her Storm Lake home and asked for help with his car, which he said ran out of gas. (JIM LLE / Sioux City Journal). She graduated from Florida State University with Honors with a degree in Meteorology and minors in Mathematics, Physics, and Communications. Anthony Merrick v. Inmate Legal Services, et al. Assuming it was a joke, Vega said she did not take him seriously at first. A Webster County District Court jury last month found Levin, 21, guilty of. Her brothers, Mike and Mark Schmitt, also co-wrote a brief statement. According to a transcript of a hearing back in 2009, Levin had once admitted to the police that he carried duct tape in his bag as he had plans to rape a girl. However, an Assistant Iowa Attorney General maintained that it was an intentional act. The case is the second in a year and a half to put the small, quiet community in the spotlight. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. Jessica did not know that this friendship would soon become a toxic chapter in her life. Dead Silent airs at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery. Then Vega, who was lying down in the passenger seat, screamed that she had been kidnapped and needed help. His sentence was five years, but he was released after just over two. That is when she met Kirk Levin. On January 3, 2013, the police discovered the remains of Marilyn Schmitt in the bedroom of her Early farmhouse. The farmer recalled how scared Jessica seemed to be. Jessica Vega, the woman who had been abducted by Levin under false pretenses, provided testimony and stated how she managed to escape. He was apprehended by the police a short time later. London, United Kingdom. An autopsy showed that she had died from multiple stab wounds. Family Medicine, Marshall County Professional Building. Jessica was returned to her family thereafter. Levin accused of killing his mother and kidnapping another woman says in a written statement to police that he doesn't remember killing his mother, though he recalls choking her. Levin, 21, of Early was convicted on June 6 of killing Marilyn Schmitt, 45, of Early. Vega agreed to drive Levin back to Schmitts home in Early. Levin jogged away from the scene, but he was later found and taken into custody. Levin only got out of prison on Tuesday after serving more than two years for burglary. January 8, 2013 / 5:13 PM / CBS News. Principal at Deloitte. Even though Levin was a passenger, prosecutors pushed for a prison sentence because they called him a danger to the public. I had to have killed my mother. When the police asked Levin questions about his mothers whereabouts, his answers were evasive and contradictory. Just a few days before his arrest for murder and abduction, Levin had been released from prison on January 1, 2013, after his prison term for a burglary ended. Jessica Frank (I) Actress IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Jessica Newman Frank was born in Los Angeles, California in 1985 to actor/writer Gary Frank and producer Carroll Newman. After the incident, she said she had had difficulty coping with the nightmares that came along in the first few weeks, and she often felt paranoid about letting Victoria go out of her sight. She said that she spotted a human and heard something about a car and eventually recognized Levin. Dead Silent: The Sinner and the Saint walks the audience through the events and the circumstances of the murder and the abduction, the details of which are truly horrifying, especially when you consider that he killed his own mother. A criminal complaint alleges Levin stabbed Schmitt between 1:30 and 5:45 a.m. January 3, 2013. Youre clearly not insane, Finn said to Levin. That is when she met Kirk Levin. He had served 26 months of a 5-year prison term, which was sufficient under Iowan law. Rochester, New York, United States. Stacey Humphreys entered an estate agent in Powder Springs, Georgia, where he forced Lori Brown and Cindy Williams to strip before shooting them both dead and stole their cards. This wasnt a woman who slipped and fell down the steps and broke her neck, he said. The sentence ended and we had to open up the door, said Department of Corrections spokesman Fred Scaletta. Gary Schramm, a farmer from Early, stopped to help him. Levin had served 26 months of a 5-year prison term but that was enough to complete his sentence under an Iowa law that routinely cuts prison terms by more than half. As a teenager, as per the prosecutors statements, Levin had been subjected to treatment owing to his fantasies about raping women. The judge said the sentence would give Levin a chance for treatment before you do something really serious where youd be locked up the rest of your life.. Finn briefly spoke directly to Vega, commending her on her strength. Jessica knew that Kirk had a troubled past, but she believed he was a good person who was trying to turn his life around. Required fields are marked *. Schmitt had 88 sharp force injuries on her body, which were believed to have been caused by a kitchen knife. In the 2009 case, prosecutors said Levin and two others fled from an Eau Claire, Wis., group home where they were living, stole a car and went on for joy ride past Madison. Jessica Frank Instagram, . I think she still was scared, till her dad came and then I finally think she had some peace, and knew that she was safe, he said. Later, the states Supreme Court denied reviewing Levins case based on the fact that Kirks statement about wanting a lawyer had not been sufficiently strong to compel officers to stop their interrogation. Follow the links to read about more horrifying crimes examined on Dead Silent. He was sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars. Two days later, prosecutors say he repeatedly stabbed his mother. Levin had served two years on a five-year burglary sentence that was reduced under state law. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. She didnt fall on a knife and cut herself by accident. The statement was presented in court Wednesday. 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