IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A homeless man facing car burglary charges was released from jail two days before he allegedly killed a 38-year-old mother in a random home invasion in Cedar Rapids.
Timothy Evans had been jailed on a $5,000 cash-only bond until a judge last Friday released the unemployed 38-year-old on his own recognizance. A prosecutor with the Linn County attorney’s office agreed to the release under an arrangement with Evans’ defense lawyer.
Investigators say Evans broke into the home where Gina Frederiksen lived with her three children early Sunday. Evans allegedly entered a detached garage to commit a burglary, assaulted Frederiksen during a struggle, and set the garage on fire to destroy evidence.
Linn County prosecutor Nicholas Maybanks says Evans’ release was “very unfortunate” but that no one in his office did anything wrong in agreeing to it.
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