A Keokuk man has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder following an intensive investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.
On Thursday, April 17, 2025, at approximately 10:06 a.m., officers with the Keokuk Police Department arrested 27-year-old Matthew Thomas Miller at a residence located at 1508 Morgan Street. Miller is charged with Murder in the 2nd Degree, a Class B felony.
The arrest stems from a detailed and lengthy investigation into the death of 27-year-old Colby Deck. The collaborative effort involved the Keokuk Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, with additional support from the Keokuk Fire Department, LeeComm Dispatch Center, Lee County Attorney’s Office, and Lee County Ambulance Service.
According to law enforcement, inconsistencies were found in Miller’s initial statements about the incident. Miller claimed he had fired a single shot from ground level near a vehicle after Deck allegedly struck his vehicle. However, no shell casings were found at that location. Instead, investigators recovered a shell casing inside the vehicle Miller said he was in, but lab testing revealed it did not match the CZ P-09 9mm handgun he claimed to have used.
Further investigation, including a consent search and executed search warrants, led officers to discover a second shell casing in a rain gutter outside a second-story window, which had been observed open upon police arrival. Lab results confirmed that this casing was fired from Miller’s firearm.
Witnesses who were present with Deck during the incident stated they did not see Miller in or around the vehicle he claimed to be in at the time of the shooting. They also did not observe him in the area when they heard the gunshot.
Investigators now believe that Miller fired a single, intentional shot from the second-story window, striking Deck in the chest and causing his death. Authorities have determined there was no justification for the act.
The Keokuk Police Department is urging anyone with additional information regarding this incident to come forward. Community members can contact the department via Facebook Messenger, the LeeComm Dispatch Center at 319-372-1310, Lee County Crime Stoppers, by calling 319-524-2741, or by visiting the department in person at 1222 Johnson Street in Keokuk.
