Judge approves Marshalltown convenience store murder case for trial
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — A man accused of shooting and killing a Casey's convenience store worker in Marshalltown will be formally arraigned on the charges against him on March 8.
According to court records, Rocky Trujillo III is accused of murdering Michael West, 48. Both men are from Marshalltown.
Trujillo is facing five charges: murder, two counts of robbery, trafficking stolen weapons and assault while participating in a felony.
Investigators say Trujillo was caught on surveillance video, walking into the store located on North Third Avenue at about 3 a.m. Monday, February 15, and tried to get into the cash register.
There were other witnesses inside the store at the time. Police say Trujillo out a gun to a customer's head and demanded their cell phone.
Trujillo is also accused of striking another employee with his gun in the parking lot, as he left the scene.
He was arrested later in the evening that day, after investigators put his home under surveillance.
Court records show Trujillo has retained the same lawyers who are currently representing Cristhian Bahena Rivera in his case. He's accused of murdering of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts in 2018 in Brooklyn, Iowa.
