DES MOINES, Iowa —A Des Moines man who beat an elderly neighbor to death was sentenced Monday in a Polk County court.

Last month, a judge found Ngor Makuey, 20, guilty of first-degree murder. Makuey broke into the home of Rupert and Harriet Anderson and attacked the couple, killing Rupert with a metal spatula.

Makuey’s attorney used the insanity defense during the trial, but witnesses say they saw no signs of mental illness.

Makuey received a sentence of life in prison plus two years sentence for Count 2 as well as ordered to pay a restitution of $150,000. Count 2 is assault with intent to commit serious injury.

Counts 3 and 4 will run concurrently with Count 1.  Count 3 was first-degree robbery and Count 4 was first-degree burglary.

Judge Jeffrey Farrell said Count 2 is to run consecutively to respect that there was a second victim in this case.

 

DES MOINES, Iowa – Moments before an elderly man was killed and his wife beaten, the 19-year-old accused killer asked his parents for permission to go for a walk. When he came home he had blood on his clothes. Now police are trying to figure out why a teen who has never been in trouble with the law could be accused of such a horrible crime.

In a desperate plea for help, 94-year old Harriet Anderson called 9-1-1 after she and her husband were attacked in their home here on East 46th Street Wednesday evening. “Somebody got in the house and attacked me and my husband and I’m all bloody. And I’m an old woman,” Mrs. Anderson told the dispatcher. “And I’m on the floor and my husband’s been hit in the head.”

But help would come too late. Anderson’s husband, 97-year-old Rupert Anderson died after the attack. Minutes after police arrived, 19-year-old suspected killer Ngor Makuey walked past the police car of one of the responding officers with blood on his sweatshirt. The police car’s dash camera caught a shot of Makuey. It was shown to neighbors and he was arrested.

Police say what makes this case so disturbing, there didn’t seem to be a motive for the attack, and Makuey has no criminal history. “Zero history. I mean zero. There’s nothing until last night,” said Des Moines Police Sergeant Jason Halifax, “(He) knocked on the door, and I think the initial request was something about a pet. No known connection between him and a pet. We don’t believe he has a pet or had a pet there at any time. She made some comment about what the hours of the business are and then the assault begins.”

Makuey was found at his parents’ home about a block away from the Andersons. He in charged with murder and attempted murder. Makuey is not a US citizen. His parents, who immigrated to the US from Ethiopia 12-years ago, think their son is innocent.

“I never seen that kid get in trouble with somebody else,” said Makuey’s father, Jinud Ruath. “He’s a very respectful child. And he never disrespects anyone. I’ve never seen him get in a fight with other people.”

Makuey’s parents say the teen enjoys school and ran track for Southeast Polk High School. They say he wanted to grow up to be a rap star. “Even if you come here in the middle of the night you can hear his voice singing in his room. Always came down smiling in the face. I’m very proud of him,” his father said.

As for the blood that was found on Makuey’s sweatshirt, his mother, Myanyum Padiet said, “The blood was just a little was on the sweater here,” she said pointing to her wrist, “Not on arm. It just over here. A little thing. And that’s what the police say my son killed a 97-year-old. My son went there and he beat him up and that. That’s what the police tell me. And I say I don’t believe that too.”

Padiet says she is waiting for police to analyze the blood. “I’m waiting for results to see exactly if my son did it. Right now I don’t think so, my son did it.”

Makuey’s parents say he didn’t even know the Andersons and would have no reason to commit such a horrible crime.

“A young man you know, invades somebody’s house and just beat them up without any reason,” Ruath said, “That can’t happen.”

Makuey’s parents say the blood on their son’s sweat shirt was dried. They believe it came from lamb he had been cooking. Makuey is being held in the Polk County Jail.

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