CALHOUN COUNTY, Iowa — A Gowrie man accused of killing a 17-year-old girl and hiding her body in Farnhamville last year was found guilty of first-degree murder on Wednesday.

On September 22, 2024, Michele Jackson, 17, took her mother’s electric scooter to the park in the small town of Farnhamville to use the swing set, which court documents state had become a routine habit of hers. Jackson, however, didn’t return home that night and her family, growing concerned, reported her missing to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office shortly after.

Court documents state that while searching for Jackson that night, her family came upon then 21-year-old Nathaniel Bevers-McGivney who had the green electric scooter that Jackson had rode to the park earlier that day. One of Jackson’s shoes, with evidence of blood on it, was also found in the scooter’s basket, court documents state. When questioned about the scooter, court documents state that Bevers-McGivney gave the family conflicting answers. The family and others searching for Jackson at the park called 911 and held Bevers-McGivney down until help arrived. When a deputy showed up at the park and took Bevers-McGivney into custody they discovered that he was covered in what appeared to be blood.

The following morning investigators found Jackson’s body near a field a considerable distance away from the park, court documents state. Law enforcement also searched the city park that morning and found more evidence of blood and two earbuds.

A search warrant was executed at Bevers-McGivney’s home where law enforcement discovered a knife handle covered in blood and hair, as well as spots of blood on the floors, in the bathtub, and on a towel. According to court documents, the blood found in his home matched his own and Jackson’s blood.

An autopsy determined Jackson’s cause of death was from multiple sharp force injuries. Police accused Bevers-McGivney of cutting Jackson’s throat and stabbing her multiple times while at the park before he attempted to hide her body.

Bevers-McGivney was charged shortly after Jackson’s body was discovered with first-degree murder and abuse of corpse-fail to disclose known location. He pled not guilty to both charges and waived his right to a jury trial, instead opting for a bench trial which began on Monday at the Calhoun County Courthouse.

After a little over a day of testimony, Judge Derek Johnson convicted Bevers-McGivney of first-degree murder and abuse of corpse. First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole in Iowa. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 15.

Iowa News: