Man pleads guilty to involvement in 2019 killing of Marshall Terrell Johnson Share Updated: 4:02 PM CDT Apr 24, 2021 Sarah Muller Share Updated: 4:02 PM CDT Apr 24, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript NOW POLICE ARE TELLING US THE TWO SUSPECTS IN THE CASE WERE ALREADY BEHIND BARS. POLICE HAVE CHARGED TWO HOMELESS MEN WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN LATE JULY, THEY’RE ACCUSED OF KILLING 23-YEAR-OLD DES MOINES RESIDENT MARSHAL AARON TERRELL JOHNSON IN A HOMELESS CAMP IN THE WOODS JUST SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN. >> WE KNOW THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISPUTE, BUT I DON’T THINK WE ARE EVER GOING TO WRAP OUR BRAINS AROUND ANYTHING THAT WOULD PROVOKE THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE. TODD: POLICE SAY THE KILLING WAS BRUTAL. THEY SAY NORRIS SHOT MARSHALL JOHNSON IN THE HEAD. THEN FREELAND SHOT HIM IN THE TORSO. THEN NORRIS CUT HIS NECK WITH A SHARP OBJECT. BOTH MEN THEN WRAPPED THE DEAD MAN IN PLASTIC AND TRIED TO BURY HIM. OVER SEVERAL DAYS THEY TRIED TO BURN THE REMAINS AND EVENTUALLY COMPLETELY BURIED THEM. >> THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE COMMITTED DURING THE CRIME, THE BURNING OF THE BODY, THE BURYING OF THE BODY AND THE FACT THAT HAD FORENSIC ARCHEOLOGISTS COME IN SO WE CAN EXCAVATE THE BODY IT’S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE UNIQUE INVESTIGATIONS WE’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN. TODD: COINCIDENTLY, NORRIS WAS THE MAN WHO IS CHARGED WITH ATTACKING POLICE LAST MONTH. THEY WERE CALLED TO A SECOND HOMELESS CAMP SOUTH OF THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION ON TERRACE DRIVE. POLICE NOW WONDER IF NORRIS THOUGHT POLICE WERE COMING TO ARREST HIM FOR THE JULY MURDER OF MARSHAL JOHNSON.