Iowa teen arrested, allegedly beat 79-year-old grandmother to death
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Des Moines police arrested a 17-year-old they say is responsible for beating his grandmother to death on Saturday, reports CBS affiliate KCCI.
Sgt. Paul Parizek said 79-year-old Rachel Pray was found dead about 11:30 p.m. Saturday at her home, according to the station. Noah Laprei - who lived with his grandmother -- was arrested at a store shortly after her body was discovered, police said.
Police said that Laprei left his grandmother's home after killing her and started banging on neighbors' doors.
Neighbor Misty McGrean told KCCI Laprei left smudges of blood on her door in what is usually a quiet, family friendly neighborhood.
"All of a sudden we heard beating on our door, and he was outside bloody screaming about God," she said.
He then walked to a nearby Git-N-Go, where he caused a disturbance, even shattering part of the store's front window.
Officers were en route to the victim's home to handle the original assault report when they were rerouted to the convenience store after someone triggered a silent alarm. They arrested Laprei at the store and later allegedly connected him to his grandmother's death, according to the station.
This is Des Moines' 13th homicide investigation of the year, police said.