An inmate from Monroe County serving a life sentence died in custody according to the Iowa Department of Corrections.
Richard Winemiller, 68, was pronounced dead on March 27, 2026 in a hospice unit of the Iowa Medical and Classification Center. His cause of death was not disclosed.
According to court records, James Brown was shot twice with his own shotgun and was found dead in his Monroe County home on August 31, 1985. Winemiller was arrested in connection to Brown’s death and was charged with first-degree murder on October 25, 1985.
Winemiller was tried and convicted a year later. He received a life sentence on May 22, 1986.
