DES MOINES, Iowa — A jury convicted a Des Moines man of second-degree murder in relation to a 2024 incident on Thursday.

A Polk County jury deliberated for around two hours before finding Walter Bickham, 59, guilty of second-degree murder for stabbing his girlfriend in September 2024.

On September 18, 2024, just before 5:30 p.m., Des Moines Police and Fire Departments were called to the 1500 block of Capitol Avenue on reports of a medical emergency. Authorities located an adult female in cardiac arrest. She was transported to a hospital, where she later died.

Police deemed the woman’s death, later identified as 52-year-old Suzette Gums, suspicious due to a laceration on her leg, which caused significant blood loss.

During the investigation, Ring and Lorex cameras in the house captured moments of Gums and Bickham arguing throughout the day and leading up to the incident. Videos show that during the argument, Gums asked Bickham to leave, but he refused.

Bickham is shown in video footage to be holding a Bowie knife throughout the day during his interactions with Gums. Authorities say that forensic evidence showed that while the two were off camera, the argument escalated and Bickham stabbed Gums in the lower right leg. The owner of the home discovered Gums a short time later and called authorities.

Bickham told police that he had taken the knife away from Gums and was holding it when she kicked the knife, causing the wound.

Bickham is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12 and faces up to 50 years in prison.