DES MOINES, Iowa — A Des Moines man was found guilty of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting death of a man at a hotel last year.

A year ago, on April 10, officers with the Des Moines Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at a hotel in the 1800 block of Army Post Road. When officers arrived at the hotel, they found two men inside suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the men, identified as 30-year-old Sayvon Propps, died at the scene. The second man, 31-year-old Joshua Carmody, was hospitalized in critical condition.

In May 2024 DMPD announced that Carmody had been arrested and charged with Propps’ death. Police said Carmody had forced his way into a hotel room that was occupied by Propps and a woman. Evidence collected showed that Propps fired at Carmody in self-defense and then Carmody returned fire, fatally shooting Propps.

According to the Polk County Attorney’s Office, the woman in the hotel room testified during trial that she and Carmody had been in an on-and-off relationship for a year, and that Carmody had been upset that she was with Propps and had been repeatedly trying to contact her.

On Friday, a Polk County Jury found Carmody guilty of first-degree murder for Propp’s death. He was also convicted of first-degree burglary and being a felon in possession of a firearm. A first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

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