5 key details about Justin Michael's murder

A tragedy struck the quiet community of Grimes, Iowa, in May 2014, when Justin Michael was brutally murdered. He was sleeping with his fiancée, Angie Ver Huel, but a killer broke into his home and shot him in the head. The attack was later found to be staged by David Moffitt, Angie's ex-boyfriend, who acted in a jealous rage.

Moffitt planned the attack thoroughly and tried to confuse everyone so he could never be caught, but he was finally caught. Dateline: Secrets Uncovered season 6 episode 9, The Shadow, covers the case. The episode re-aired on Oxygen on December 26, 2024, at 10 pm.

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Five critical details about Justin Michael's tragic murder

1) The crime

Justin Michael slept in his home in Grimes, Iowa, early on May 8, 2014, by his fiancée's side, Angie Ver Huel. An intruder, dressed in black, entered their bedroom and fired multiple shots at Justin, killing him instantly. Angie, who was with him, was not injured and immediately called 911 at 3:22 a.m.

Justin's mother, Marie, was present in the house when the event occurred. According to her, the perpetrator had entered her room and shone a red laser on her face before he left, after which he shot Justin. The post-mortem revealed that four fatal gunshot wounds had been inflicted on Justin.

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2) Investigation and finding of evidence

The investigation into the murder of Justin Michael had brought forth many crucial pieces of evidence against David Moffitt, Angie's former boyfriend. About 30 minutes after the murder, Moffitt was involved in a car accident near Granger, Iowa, about five and a half miles from the crime scene.

At the scene of the accident, police found two magazines loaded with bullets that matched the shell casings at Justin's house, a pair of earmuffs like those used by shooters, and a receipt for a gun purchased under the name "Andrew Wegner," another of Angie's ex-boyfriends.

A search of Moffitt's residence revealed a fake ID bearing Wegner's name, indicating Moffitt's attempt to frame him for the murder. Further investigation led to a notebook that indicated Moffitt had stalked Justin and Angie during the weeks that led up to the event.

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3) Motive and relationship dynamics

David Moffitt had been dating Angie for a few months when she started dating Justin. The two eventually broke up. Moffitt started behaving compulsively, among which was sending Angie lewd text messages.

His envy reached extreme levels when he learned of Angie and Justin Michael's engagement. Moffitt had devised a plan by purchasing a gun under another man's name and setting another boyfriend of Angie's by planting narcotics in his possession.

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4) Trial and conviction

In June 2015, David Moffitt was tried on the charge of murdering Justin Michael. Although he had pleaded not guilty and had his defense team argue that he had been out of control during the time he committed the crime, he was still found guilty by the jury of first-degree murder and first-degree burglary.

Moffitt was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is currently serving his term in the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, Iowa.

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5) Angie Ver Huel's role in the investigation

Angie Ver Huel, Justin Michael's fiancée and a prime witness to the crime, proved to be an indispensable help to the police in investigating the case. Having just witnessed her fiancé murdered, she was more than willing to cooperate with investigators. She gave very essential information that led to the conviction of David Moffitt.

Her testimony at the trial was fundamental to bringing out Moffitt's obsessive behavior and vindictive nature. After the case, Angie moved away from public attention and preferred to live a private life. It is reported that in 2015, she was working as a math teacher, but her present whereabouts are not known.

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Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode The Shadow aired on Oxygen on December 26, 2024, at 10 pm ET.