‘Coward’ thinks he got away with murder

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To submit information regarding the murder of Lisa McCuddin, contact the Fort Dodge Police Department at 573-1426.

to submit information anonymously, call Webster County Crime Stoppers at 573-1444, Text a tip to 274637 and enter LEC at the beginning of the message, or e-mail tips to www.wccrimestoppers.com.

It's nowhere near a cold case.

Next week, an officer will spend three full days examining evidence in the 2004 murder of Lisa McCuddin, according to Special Agent Larry Hedlund, with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Hedlund took over investigating the case in 2006.

"It's not a dead case, it's not a cold case," Hedlund said. "Something's being done every week to make the case stronger."

Investigators know who the people are who were involved in the shooting. Names of the suspects are not being released.

However, Hedlund said one of the people involved is currently in prison for other crimes.

"That person is under the false impression that he will serve his time and get released from prison. It's my goal to see that before he's released that he and the other person involved will be arrested and charged with first-degree murder."

Hedlund said he is confident the other person involved will be reading this article.

He doesn't have a high level of respect for the suspects.

"I don't think they care about (Becky McCuddin's) loss of her daughter because I don't think they care about their own children," Hedlund said. "I don't think that they have a sense of guilt over what they did and I think they think they got away with murder."

But, he said, they haven't.

Investigators believe they have found the car that bullets flew from, killing McCuddin. It was found in a remote setting in Webster County.

"Our investigation shows that this is the vehicle that was used by the individuals involved in the murder of Lisa McCuddin," said Hedlund. "When law enforcement attempted to locate this vehicle in 2006, the investigation shows that almost immediately steps were taken to completely destroy the car - by setting it on fire and other steps taken in an attempt to prevent law enforcement from being able to identify the car."

Hedlund said the person responsible for her murder should "be concerned about how we recovered this car - it wasn't random luck."

Hedlund also referenced the recent arrest of Mark Anthony Wilson, a fugitive wanted for the 2001 murder of Joni Manning, after he turned himself in to California Highway Patrol.

"The Mark Wilson arrest is a perfect example of cases that may take a few years to get a resolution, to get an arrest," Hedlund said. "We didn't give up on that case and we're not giving up on this case."

Becky McCuddin, Lisa McCuddin's mother, isn't giving up either.

"I have faith that they'll get him and they'll arrest him," she said. "A lot of people always say 'forget it, they're not doing it, it's over with,' but they only see the outside. I truly believe that when that time comes, (Hedlund) will have them arrested and put in jail. The answers will all be there."

Hedlund had a strong message for the person who killed Lisa McCuddin.

"I think the person who pulled the trigger that killed Lisa McCuddin is a little coward, who thinks he got away with murder."

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