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Murder suspect makes initial appearance

The Fort Dodge man initially accused of attempted murder appeared in Webster County Magistrate Court again Wednesday morning to answer to another more serious charge — first-degree murder.

Denharrio K. Lewil, 18, remains in the Webster County Jail on a $1 million cash only bond, in addition to the $250,000 bond required for his initial charge.

Lewil was charged after Fort Dodge Police announced Tuesday that the victim shot had died.

JLynn Beason, 18, died Monday after she was transported to a Des Moines hospital. She was initially taken to UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center via a private vehicle.

Lewil’s attempted murder charge came after a Sunday shooting in the 400 block of South 14th Street around 2 a.m., the bullets of which criminal complaints said were aimed at the shooting victim’s brother.

Officers learned that a verbal argument between Beason’s brother and the defendant preceded the shooting.

“At one point during the altercation, the defendant raised a firearm and fired at (the attempted murder victim) and his vehicle, striking the vehicle at least three times,” the murder criminal complaint said.

Beason was struck by at least one of the three shots from a semi-automatic pistol. She was the only one in her brother’s vehicle who was struck.

The Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office completed its autopsy of Beason on Tuesday.

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