Feud likely a factor in double homicide

One man likely died over money, the other for even less: walking in on a fight that police say ended in a double homicide.

Polk County prosecutors allege Ronald J. Hawkinson shot and killed Serif Hidic, 30, and Robert Smoot, 49, at a southeast Des Moines trucking company Thursday.

Hawkinson had feuded with Hidic over money for months, court records show. The two somehow ended up in an argument on the grounds of Seibert Trucking and LCS Logistics, 1928 S.E. 15th Court, on Thursday afternoon.

Smoot, who worked at LCS Logistics, had nothing to do with the wrangling between Hawkinson and Hidic. Police believe he simply walked in on Hawkinson's deadly confrontation with Hidic.

Police found the bodies of Hidic and Smoot in a storage shed at LCS Logistics, a company with ties to Hidic that leased space from Seibert Trucking.

"We haven't found anything to indicate (Smoot) was involved in any of that," Des Moines Police Sgt. Steve Woody said. "There were business disputes between Hidic and Hawkinson, but no connection we found to Smoot."

Man, girlfriend charged in deaths

Hawkinson was arrested Thursday evening at his mother's house in Winterset. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and is being held in the Polk County Jail on $ 500,000 cash-only bond.

Police on Friday morning also arrested Hawkinson's girlfriend, Rhonda Plew, 41, for accessory after the fact.

Officials didn't say exactly what Plew allegedly had done, only that authorities believe she aided and abetted Hawkinson in the crime.

Police responded to the double homicide after receiving a 911 call shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. Dispatchers heard arguing in the background and then gunshots. Authorities eventually tracked the phone to the heavy equipment grounds on Southeast 15th Court.

Hawkinson was fired from LCS Logistics, police said. He was quickly identified as a suspect because he was angry at the company, police said.

"It was pretty cut and dry. We identified a logical suspect almost immediately and were able to find him almost immediately," Woody said. "The evidence and interviews made it pretty easy to file the charges."

Victim had sued suspect over loans

Hidic and Hawkinson had been locked in a financial dispute since last fall, Polk County District Court records show.

Hidic filed a lawsuit against Hawkinson in November alleging that Hawkinson had defaulted on a $ 13,000 loan and failed to repay another $ 1,100 that a trucking company — Drina Trucking — loaned Hawkinson to make a child support payment.

Court documents show that the $ 13,000 loan was supposed to have been used by Hawkinson to buy a truck that then was to be contracted out to Drina Trucking, a company with ties to Hidic, according to Iowa Secretary of State records.

But Hawkinson violated an oral contract by using that truck to work for a different company, Hidic alleged. Hidic's lawsuit sought repayment for the $ 13,000 loan, the child support payment, and another $ 2,000 that the company allegedly spent to hire a replacement driver.

Hawkinson, who late last year filed his own answer to the lawsuit without the aid of an attorney, apparently believed he had been shortchanged by Drina Trucking.

Documents filed by Hawkinson include an argument that Drina Trucking charged Hawkinson for things the company shouldn't have and failed to pay him everything he was owed from his trucking runs.

Court papers say Hawkinson sought other work because of his inability to get a proper accounting from Drina: "I have been left with a credit reputation obligated to pay for a truck, and the only way to protect interest is to work where there are receipts."

Violence, threats in suspect's past

Hawkinson has a history of violence, court records show. He pleaded guilty of domestic assault against then-wife Kelle Hawkinson over an October 2010 fight at their Winterset home, Madison County court records show.

Ronald Hawkinson admitted that he choked and punched his wife, and he was fined and sentenced to two days in jail. His estranged wife sought and received a no-contact order, which Ronald Hawkinson violated twice by sending emails to her. He spent eight days in jail for the violations.

On Oct. 30, 2010, Ronald Hawkinson told a Madison County emergency dispatcher that he would "call them back and tell them where to find the bodies," court records allege. A member of Hawkinson's family said he threatened to hurt himself, his estranged wife and daughter.

Hawkinson attempted suicide the next day, court papers said.

His wife sought divorce within a week of the incident.

In a November 2010 petition to extend a no-contact order, Hawkinson's estranged wife said her then-husband "is still dangerous, not trustworthy and still a threat."

Police say 911 call likely from victim

Officials are not yet releasing a tape of the 911 call made Thursday because of the ongoing investigation, but they said it was likely that one of the victims placed the call.

They said no one talked directly with the dispatcher on the call. Dispatchers heard what sounded like an argument followed by gunshots.

Investigators said they are not releasing what kind of weapon was used and are working to recover the gun.

Hawkinson was a convicted felon who could not obtain a permit to carry a gun in Iowa. Authorities are trying to determine where he got the weapon.

One autopsy was completed Friday with the other likely to be done next week. Police said they had no obvious indication the victims suffered anything besides gunshot wounds.

Both victims were shot multiple times, officials said, although they did not say where the men were shot or precisely how many times.

Family members of the victims declined to comment Friday.

Investigators in Des Moines said Hawkinson has not been cooperative.

The homicides were the second and third in Des Moines this year. It was the first double homicide in the city since 2009.

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