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Mark Anthony Wilson thought he was wanted in Iowa on an outstanding assault charge.

He was wrong.

He's wanted for murder.

California Highway Patrol Officer Joseph Pickar said that when Wilson turned himself in at the Highway Patrol's south Sacramento office around 6:20 p.m. Tuesday, Wilson told him he had an outstanding assault charge in Iowa and that officers in Iowa "most definitely want (him) back."

However, a criminal complaint charging Wilson with first-degree murder had been filed with Iowa District Court on Aug. 1, 2001.

Wilson, 50, is being charged in the 2001 death of Joni Lee Manning, 43, of 1727 Hayes Ave., in Clare.

He waived extradition in California Thursday, allowing law enforcement agents to bring him back to Iowa.

Pickar said Wilson appeared ready to give up.

"He just told me he had been running for a long time, and he was tired of it," Pickar said.

When Pickar asked Wilson where he had been for the past eight years, Wilson replied Oklahoma, Texas, Nevada and California.

Wilson also mentioned staying in a downtown Sacramento homeless shelter where transient people go for meals and lodging, Pickar said. For money, Wilson told the officer that he had done handyman work, landscaping, painting and odd jobs.

Wilson was not combative or argumentative, according to Pickar, who characterized Wilson's demeanor as being worried.

"It looked like he was pretty tired, like it was a tough decision he had to make," Pickar said. "You could tell that it was bothering him. Once we discovered the warrant, we brought him inside. He looked to be a little bit relieved, kind of like it was the end of the line."

Prior to Wilson's arrest, his last reported sighting was on July 8, 2001, in Kansas City, Mo., in Manning's Ford Mustang.

Sgt. Luke Fleener, of the Webster County Sheriff's Department, said authorities have 30 days from the date of Thursday's hearing to retrieve Wilson from the Sacramento County Jail. He said they hope to have transportation arrangements in place to bring Wilson to Iowa within the next two weeks.

One of Manning's sons found her dead in her home on the night of July 8, 2001. An autopsy revealed that she died of head injuries caused by a blunt object.

Wilson, who was Manning's boyfriend at the time, lived with her in her rural Webster County home.

He was featured on two episodes of the television program "America's Most Wanted."

Law enforcement officers in the Midwest began the search for Wilson within days after Manning's body was found, according to Messenger files.

Wilson was also charged with second-degree theft and forgery, both Class D felonies. He was originally sought on a material witness bench warrant.

He will make his initial appearance in Webster County Magistrate Court once he is brought back to Webster County.

Contact Angela Burch at (515) 573-2141 or aburch@messengernews.net