Arrest Zinzer in Slaying

ZINZER, BELCHER, FORREST

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 3/3/2013 at 09:56:02

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Jan. 19, 1981

ARREST ZINZER IN SLAYING

State agents of the Department of Criminal Investigation and Marshall County authorities Friday afternoon arrested Jeffrey Allen Zinzer on a charge of murder in the first degree for the Nov. 30 slaying of Penney Sue Belcher Forrest, 18, of Grinnell. Zinzer reportedly put up no resistence when apprehended at his Ferguson home.

The arrest reportedly took place at 2:20 p.m.

Zinzer is currently being held at the Marshall County jail, pending $150,000 bond. Arraignment is set for 9 a.m. Jan. 23; unless Zinzer comes up with bond, he will remain in police custody until arraignment.

Earlier Friday Tama County Attorney Jeff Corzatt had informed members of the press that they might expect a break in the case later that day. The warrant was served by DCI agent J.D. Smith, who has been working on the case out of Marshall County, and cooperating Marshall County authorities.

Zinzer made a brief court appearance in front of Judge Eads in Tama County district court, and was represented by Tama attroney Dan Rathgen in that appearance. Robert Pratt of Des Moines, however, has reportedly been contacted to act as defense attorney.

Information throughout the investigation has been sketchy. First reports said Forrest died at roughly 11 p.m.of strangulation, and that her body had been found fully clothed along a dead-end road near Montour, close to the line between Tama and Marshall Counties. Sources said her body had sustained multiple abrasions, bruises around the neck, an apparent wound to the abdomen and a fractured hip.

Subsequent reports indicated that she was nude from the waist down, although there was no immediate evidence of sexual assault. And, although the death had officially been listed as a strangulation, "multiple stab wounds" were also found, said a source.

Even in the arrest, details were largely unavailable. A spokesman for the Tama County Sheriff's Department read a brief release to The Herald-Register over the phone late Friday afternoon, saying tht Zinzer had been arrested in Forrest's death, and that bond and arraignment had been set. Other information was simply unavailable.

Corzatt and Tama County Sheriff Milo Quigley were both unavailable for comment Saturday. Marshall County authorities deferred to Tama County for information in the case.

Zinzer was evidently a short-time Ferguson resident, having recently moved to the Marshall County town from Des Moines.