by
Iowa Man Arrested in Connection With Ankeny Home Attack
Losing your wife and then being attacked in your own house the next day is the worst thing I can think of. However, a 68-year-old man in Ankeny, Iowa, experienced precisely that.
Police said that a man named Gemiere Goodwin entered the home of a grieving widower, said he was going to make sure the water was turned off, and then choked him out twice.
The victim was found comatose on the ground, with his things taken, his eye swelled shut, and his head bleeding. It wasn’t arbitrary. It turns out that inside that house, the attacker had a troubling relationship with someone the victim had formerly trusted.
This case will make you reconsider if you live in a calm neighborhood and believe that anything like this could never happen to you.
Let’s examine the facts, the suspect’s capture, and the implications for home safety, particularly for elderly people living alone.
Have you ever opened your door for someone who claimed to know your neighbor, health aide, or plumber just because they seemed familiar? I would like to know how prevalent this is, so please leave a remark below.
What Happened in the Ankeny Home Invasion?
Allow me to briefly update you. Though it took place in a typical Ankeny neighborhood during the day, the entire case played out like something from a crime drama.
Around noon on July 1, a man named Gemiere Goodwin broke into the house of a 68-year-old male, according to KCCI News. He didn’t pick a lock or smash a window. Instead, he used a straightforward lie to get past the door by pretending to be checking on a water shut-off.
Goodwin choked the homeowner and rendered him unconscious when he turned away. The victim was suffocated once again after momentarily waking up. Take a moment to process that.
I know you’re wondering, what did he want? He took a rifle, two phones, cash, and even a black safe filled with private papers with him. And the most unsettling aspect? This robbery was not an isolated incident. Only an insider could have known the attacker’s knowledge of the house.
How the Attack, Theft, and Arrest Unfolded in 72 Hours?
Here is a detailed account of how everything transpired. Believe me, it’s crazy how quickly the parts came together.
-
July 1, Noon:
Goodwin enters the home, chokes the homeowner unconscious twice, then disappears with valuables. -
12:45 PM:
The victim regains consciousness about 40 minutes later and somehow manages to alert a neighbor. -
Shortly After:
First responders arrive and find the man in bad shape head trauma, a swollen eye, cuts, and bruises. -
July 2:
Police spot fraudulent credit card transactions using the victim s cards across the Des Moines metro. Surveillance footage puts Goodwin at every scene. -
July 3:
Police track him down in Des Moines. During the arrest, two officers are injured. When they finally get him in cuffs, they find the victim s stolen gun and cards in his pocket.
As you can imagine, the evidence accumulated quickly. Even the police were taken aback by the subsequent discovery of a black safe that matched the one that had been stolen, shoes that matched prints found inside the house, and almost $2,000 in cash.
Even seemingly peaceful cities are vulnerable.A similar fear involving drive-by shootings at residences occurred recently in Washtenaw County.
Inside the Attack Chokeholds, Blackout, and Brutal Injuries
Let me make this clear: it was almost a murder, not just a robbery.
Imagine being in a chokehold before you even realize what’s happening when you confront someone in your hallway. That’s what took place. Goodwin was brought to the ground and choked till he blacked out as the old guy walked by.
And when did he begin to awaken? Once more, Goodwin did it.
According to court documents, the victim was unconscious for almost forty minutes. First responders claimed it was a miracle he lived because he was in such terrible condition when he woke up. We’re conversing:
-
Hemorrhaging on the forehead
-
Completely swollen right eye
-
Deep cuts and minor bruises
It wasn’t sugarcoated by the police. In the criminal complaint, they wrote:
It was clear that the invasion may have resulted in the victim’s death.
Give that some thought. The following day, someone almost kills you in your own house when you’re still grieving for your wife.
What Was Stolen And Why This Wasn t Random
What made him do it, then?
There is more to desperation than meets the eye. There was no one on the street stealing a pocketbook. This theft was intentional.
Goodwin got away with the following:
- A black wallet
- Two cellphones
- A firearm
- A few thousand in cash
- A safe holding important personal documents
There was no sign of that safe. There was no gun on exhibit. You wouldn’t know where to look unless you knew the layout of the house.
At that point, everything begins to come together since the man was not merely a thief; rather, he was the brother of someone who had previously entered the residence.
Tragic incidents like this one serve as a reminder of how easily things may go out of hand, even when children are involved.Recently, a stray bullet struck a toddler in Detroit while they were inside their house.
The Family Connection How Trust Turned Into a Trap
Things get more severe at this point.
The homeowner’s wife has been ill for some time, you see. The home health aide who looked after her grew so close to the family that the homeowner privately recruited her to continue looking after his wife after she left the agency in June.
The startling revelation is that Goodwin is her brother.
According to investigators, this caretaker was well familiar with the house, its contents, its storage areas, and its occupants. Goodwin took use of that access to enter covertly and take everything he could.
You entrust your dying wife and family to someone, and that trust is twisted into a pretext for a violent heist. It’s a completely different kind of treachery.
There have been other recent instances of house invasions when the victim suffered severe injuries.After a brutal house invasion in Enfield, another man was taken into custody and is now facing numerous charges.
The Fraud Trail How Goodwin s Spending Spree Gave Him Away
If Goodwin thought he could choke a man unconscious, rob him blind, and just blend back into the city he seriously underestimated how fast digital evidence catches up.
Just one day after the attack, on July 2, police spotted a string of fraudulent credit card transactions on the homeowner s accounts. The places? a number of popular locations in the Des Moines region.
Here s where things fell apart for him:
- Security cameras at every transaction location caught Goodwin red-handed.
- He didn t cover his face.
- He used the cards in his own neighborhood.
Honestly, this wasn t a mastermind heist. This was someone sloppy, arrogant, and fast-moving. But his greed led police straight to him.
If you ve ever doubted how useful cameras and transaction alerts are this case proves they re priceless.
Cases like this often break and evolve quickly. I ve seen a few community discussions around incidents like this on crime alert and safety channels on WhatsApp worth following if you want real-time local updates without scrolling news apps all day.
The Arrest Two Officers Injured, a Pocket Full of Stolen Evidence
On July 3, police closed in.
They found Goodwin in Des Moines but he didn t come quietly. While trying to detain him, two officers were injured in the scuffle. That tells you a lot about his state of mind he wasn t afraid to take people down to avoid capture.
But here s the real kicker: when they searched him, they found the victim s stolen gun and cards in his pocket.
And that’s not all. Police executed a search warrant at his home, where they found:
- Shoes with matching stains from the crime scene
- The black safe from the victim s house, still containing important documents
- Close to $2,000 in cash
This wasn t a random guy in over his head this was a man walking around with stolen ID, cash, a gun, and zero remorse.
Legal Fallout The Charges That Could Put Goodwin Away for Years
Once the dust settled, Goodwin wasn t looking at one or two charges he was staring down a stack of felonies. And if you re wondering what the law has to say about someone who chokes an elderly man unconscious twice Iowa doesn t go light.
Here s the full list of charges he s facing:
-
Attempted murder
-
First-degree robbery
-
First-degree burglary
-
Second-degree theft
(against an older individual) -
Willful injury causing serious injury
-
Interference with official acts causing injury
Let s be real these aren t slap-on-the-wrist charges. If convicted, Goodwin could be facing decades in prison.
And he should. You don t walk into a man s house especially one who just lost his wife and do this kind of damage without paying the full legal price.
This case raises serious questions about trust and vulnerability. Have you or someone you know ever had a close call with a home visitor who seemed too familiar? Drop your thoughts in the comments we want to hear your take.
What This Means for Ankeny Are We Really Safe in Our Homes?
Now I know what you might be thinking: This happened in Ankeny? That s supposed to be a safe place.
And you re right. Ankeny is considered one of the safer cities in Iowa. But even safe neighborhoods aren t immune to calculated, inside-linked crimes like this one.
If you live in Ankeny or a similar community, this story should make you rethink what security really looks like:
- Do you have cameras outside?
- Do you verify identities before letting people in?
- Have you shared too much with someone who s no longer in your life?
These are questions you need to ask not out of fear, but out of awareness. Because one weak moment in trust is all it took here.
5 Home Safety Lessons You Can Learn from This Case
Let s end this with something practical because while this story is tragic, it can also be a wake-up call.
Here are 5 takeaways you and I can apply starting today:
This wasn t just a robbery. It was a violation of privacy, grief, and humanity. And I hope this never happens to you or anyone you care about.
Final Thoughts
At the heart of this story isn t just a robbery or a police chase it s about how quickly trust can turn into tragedy. A man who had just lost his wife was left fighting for his life in the one place he should ve felt safest his home.
If this case teaches you anything, let it be this: don t ignore that gut feeling. Be cautious with access, rethink your home s security, and never assume your neighborhood s safe reputation is enough.
Because the truth is safety isn t a status, it s a system you build.
We regularly cover cases like this to help you stay aware and protected at home. Check out more safety reports and home crime updates in our websiteBuild Like New.
Disclaimer:This article is based on publicly available police reports, court records, and credible news sources at the time of writing. Details may evolve as the investigation and legal proceedings continue. We do not intend to speculate or pass judgment on any individuals beyond what has been officially reported.
Table of Contents
-
What Happened in the Ankeny Home Invasion?
-
How the Attack, Theft, and Arrest Unfolded in 72 Hours?
-
Inside the Attack Chokeholds, Blackout, and Brutal Injuries
-
What Was Stolen And Why This Wasn t Random
-
The Family Connection How Trust Turned Into a Trap
-
The Fraud Trail How Goodwin s Spending Spree Gave Him Away
-
The Arrest Two Officers Injured, a Pocket Full of Stolen Evidence
-
Legal Fallout The Charges That Could Put Goodwin Away for Years
-
What This Means for Ankeny Are We Really Safe in Our Homes?
-
5 Home Safety Lessons You Can Learn from This Case
-
Final Thoughts
