MONTPELIER, Iowa — Update, 4/23 9:02 a.m. - Authorities later identified the victim as 71-year-old William Talbot from Davenport.
The Muscatine County Sheriff's Office says that Peters and Talbot knew each other through one of Talbot's family members.
Original Story - A Davenport man is facing multiple charges after a missing man's body was discovered in a vehicle submerged in the Mississippi River in Montpelier early Friday morning, according to the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office.
The eastern Iowa sheriff's office says their involvement in the case began Thursday night at approximately 11:01 when a call came in about a disturbance at Fairport Recreation Area in Muscatine.
A deputy responded but "was unable to locate anything at the time," according to the sheriff's office.
At approximately 12:06 a.m. Friday, a woman called to report that a man was missing from the state park area, according to the sheriff's office. After deputies responded to the area, they determined this call was related to the previous one.
According to the criminal complaint, deputies were told that a blue 2016 Chevrolet Equinox had been stolen from the campground with an "elderly, handicapped male" inside.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they were met by the man's wife and daughter. Both women told deputies that the car had been stolen while they were setting up their tent and that they didn't know who stole the car.
The complaint says investigators later found out the man's wife and daughter knew who stole the car. However, the criminal complaint does not detail how they know the alleged thief.
As deputies were speaking with the man's wife and daughter, a Montpelier resident called to report that a different man had shown up at their residence. The complaint says the homeowners held him at gunpoint until deputies arrived at the scene.
"The male was completely soaked in water and acting very strange," says the complaint. "The male advised he believed he was in a car accident and was trying to get a ride to Davenport."
Deputies identified that man as 36-year-old Joshua Scott Peters of Davenport.
The complaint says deputies discovered that the now-deceased man, his wife and daughter as well as Peters arrived at the campground at approximately 8 p.m. Thursday. At around 9 p.m. is when deputies say Peters ingested methamphetamine.
About two hours later, the complaint says Peters had an alleged altercation with "several unidentified Hispanic subjects."
"Peters frantically got into the driver's seat of the vehicle and fled the scene with (missing man) in the passenger seat," the complaint says. "Witnesses advised (missing man) attempted to get out of the vehicle and was unable to do so. Peters stole the vehicle and fled the scene with no permission from either registered owner."
Based on the information obtained, deputies were able to determine the crash location and called Muscatine County Search and Rescue to assist. The rescue team located the vehicle submerged in the Mississippi River just south of the boat ramp at Clarks Ferry Recreational Area in Montpelier.
The rescue team discovered the man dead in the car.
As a result of the investigation, Peters faces the following charges:
- Homicide by vehicle
- Death or personal injuries
- First-degree theft
- Driving while barred
The sheriff's office says Peters is being held in the Muscatine County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond.