Today the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled against a 25-year-old Arkansas man convicted of first degree murder in a case out of Hardin County. Osborn Eugene Gavel killed 74-year-old Steven Reece in Union at the Reece residence in October of 2021 by hitting him with a crowbar four times.
Gavel filed an appeal of his conviction, arguing that there was insufficient evidence presented by the state that he had the necessary specific intent, so the case should be remanded for entry of judgment on the lesser-included crime of second degree murder.
Gavel also claimed that the district court should have allowed him to depose the state’s rebuttal expert witness on his defense of diminished responsibility, and that error requires dismissal of his case or a new trial.
However, the Iowa Court of Appeals disagreed with Gavel, stating the state presented substantial evidence that he intended to kill Reece, and there was no requirement for the district court ordering a deposition of a rebuttal expert witness.
Gavel is serving his life sentence at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.
