The latest this afternoon from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier:
Officials with the Iowa Medical Examiner's Office determined Marcellus Andrews, 19, of Waterloo, died of blunt force trauma to his head, police said Tuesday.That's an interesting piece of information from the police. Yesterday, Jeff Reinitz from the Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier was the first to report this detail, "They ran back and found a truck stopped in the street, and the occupants were taunting Andrews, calling him 'faggot' and 'Mercedes,' a feminization of his first name, Simpson said." That lead to speculation we are dealing with an anti-gay hate crime. I hope and expect we'll hear more from the Waterloo police as to why they think otherwise.
No arrests have been made, and officers are still investigating the incident.
Witnesses had told The Courier that people involved in the fight had taunted Andrews with anti-gay slurs, but police said none of the witnesses mentioned the slurs in interviews with detectives.
Police also said that anti-gay sentiment wasn't behind the assault.
Iowa Independent has more coverage of the vigils being held to honor Marcellus Andrews:
Of the numerous vigils and demonstrations being planned, one is taking place in Cedar Rapids, a community roughly midway between the location of the attack and Andrews’ later death.
“In this time of political knashing and fighting for human rights … I think it’s time that our community says we are not going to stand by and watch this happen ever again … and mainly to stand in solidarity with our community to the north and most of with friends and family of Marcellus,” wrote the organizer of the Cedar Rapids Thursday evening candlelight vigil. The vigil, which will include a few brief statements, is slated for 8:30 to 10 p.m. at the Tree of the Five Seasons, near the 1st Avenue Bridge in downtown Cedar Rapids.
Another Facebook posting by Iowa Gay Advocacy asks for porch lights throughout the state and nation to be left on in memory of Andrews Thursday evening.
A third page devoted to the memory of Andrews holds messages of condolences and shock.
