Iowa City Sueppel Murders - Timeline of Murders

Timeline of Murders

Sunday AM: The Sueppel family attends Easter Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City. Steven's and Sheryl's parents are also at the Mass and later said they did not notice anything unusual about anyone's behavior.

Sunday 8 PM: A family friend stops at the Sueppels' home and visits with Steven. The friend saw one of the children but noted nothing unusual.

Sunday 11:30 PM: Steven Sueppel leaves a message for his father and brother at their law firm. In the message he states that his family is in heaven. It is believed that his wife had been killed by this point although the children were likely still alive.

Sunday 11:30 PM - Monday 3:45 AM: At some point, according to a letter Steven wrote, he allegedly gathers his four children into the family van which was parked in the garage and tries to kill the children and himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. When this doesn't work, Steven ushers the kids back into the house and bludgeoned them to death. The three oldest children were found in their bedrooms. Eleanor, the youngest was found downstairs in the toy room.

Monday 3:45 AM: Steven leaves a message at the office of his former employer, Hills Bank. Details of this message were not released.

Monday 3:50 AM: Steven leaves a message on his home answering machine expressing his regret.

Monday 4:01 AM: Steven leaves a second message on his home answering machine. In the message, he indicates that he tried to drown himself in the Iowa River at Lower City Park but he "kept floating"

Monday 6:31 AM: 9-1-1 dispatchers receive a call directing them to the home of Steven and Sheryl Sueppel and telling them to "go there immediately." The call came from a cellphone and the caller immediately disconnected without identifying himself.

9-1-1 Transcript:
Dispatch: This is 9-1-1. Location of your emergency? Hello?
Caller: Am I talking to Iowa City?
Dispatch: No this is... Where, what is the location of your emergency?
Caller: Iowa City, Iowa.
Dispatch: What's the address?
Caller: 629 Barrington Road. Please go there immediately.
Dispatch: What's going on there?
Caller hangs up.

Monday 6:36 AM: Sueppel dies in a fiery crash on Interstate 80, outside Iowa City. Witnesses indicate that the driver was driving at high speeds and seemed to have deliberately crashed into a concrete pillar.

Read more about this topic:  Iowa City Sueppel Murders

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