DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A Des Moines man accused of killing two Des Moines residents who were living with him has canceled a plea hearing and will instead take his case to trial.
The Des Moines Register reports (https://dmreg.co/2jZQCvz ) that Michael John Wanchanic had been set to enter a plea on Friday. He faces two first-degree murder charges for the deaths of 36-year-old Bryon Howard and 31-year-old Heather Belieu. The couple were shot to death while sleeping in their bed in late November 2015.
Wanchanic was arrested after a high-speed chase with law enforcement and a standoff that lasted for hours the day following the killings.
Wanchanic’s trial is scheduled to begin in February.
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Information from: The Des Moines Register, https://www.desmoinesregister.com
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