Darrell Jones

One of the men who had been charged in a June 2020 double-homicide in Fort Dodge saw his murder charges dismissed on Monday.

Darrell L. Jones, 23, of Fort Dodge, was facing two counts of second-degree murder (a Class B felony) and one count of felon in possession of a firearm (a Class D felony) after a deadly shooting in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood on June 16, 2020.

Two Fort Dodge men, 25-year-old Jamael Cox and 47-year-old Tyrone Cunningham, were killed in a volley of bullets in the early morning hours of June 16. Two others were injured but survived: Marissa Andrews of Fort Dodge, 21, and Jayne Barton of Wesley, 30.

After a five-month investigation spanning multiple law enforcement agencies, five men, including Jones, were charged on Nov. 10, 2020.

Jones had been held in the Webster County Jail since June 24, when he was arrested on a material witness warrant related to the case. He was not charged until 139 days later.

In the motion to dismiss filed in Webster County District Court on Monday, First Assistant Webster County Attorney Ryan Baldridge wrote that during depositions conducted in March and early April, “the state learned additional information that leads it to believe the above listed charges could not be proven at trial, by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

District Court Judge Bethany Currie granted the motion to dismiss on Monday, as well as granted the withdrawal of the state’s motion to withdraw a motion it made in February for the court to hold funds that were due to Jones.

In January, District Court Judge Angela Doyle ruled that Jones was entitled to $5,560 for being held as a material witness for nearly five months — or $40 for each day he was held. Currie’s withdrawal of the state’s motion to hold the funds now imposes Doyle’s order for Jones to be paid for his time as a material witness.

Although the two second-degree murder charges have been dismissed, Jones is not done in court. The state filed new, separate charges related to this incident on Friday.

Jones is now facing two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon (a Class C felony), along with one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Jones is being held at the Webster County Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond. His arraignment is set for April 19.

Two counts of second-degree murder charges remain for the other four men charged:

• James Davis Jr., 35, of Fort Dodge.

• Michael J. Shivers, 55, of Eagle Grove.

• Michael J. Wells, 33, of Fort Dodge.

• Jeremiha R. Hatten, 22, of Fort Dodge.

Davis Jr., Shivers and Wells also face an additional charge of felon in possession of a firearm.