Iowa State Patrol officers, responding to a call about a stalled vehicle on Interstate 80, made a shocking discovery on Tuesday morning. The driver, 23-year-old Jihad Abdul Malik Gasaway, had requested assistance to jump-start his Chevrolet Malibu. However, upon arrival, the troopers found a man’s body, concealed under a pile of clothing in the passenger seat.
The deceased man was identified as 26-year-old Kemp Xavier Sherrod Harriel. Gasaway was subsequently arrested and is currently being held at the Poweshiek County Jail. His bail has been set at $50,000, and he faces charges of murder and abuse of a corpse.
According to an affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Gasaway was found standing outside the stalled vehicle when the troopers arrived. He informed the officers that he needed a jump-start and also disclosed that he had a Taurus 9 mm pistol, which was later identified as the murder weapon.
The affidavit further revealed that Gasaway did not alert the authorities about the presence of a body in the car, nor did he request medical assistance. Instead, he had attempted to hide the body under clothing.
During his interrogation at the sheriff’s office, Gasaway claimed that he and the victim had left Cedar Rapids for Des Moines earlier that day. He stated that he had covered Harriel with clothing because they were both cold. He also claimed that he was unaware of Harriel’s death until he saw the reaction of the police officers.
The investigation also revealed that a vehicle had been reported in a ditch along I-80 near mile marker 205 at 6:01 that morning. The 2010 Malibu, driven by Gasaway, had been in a ditch before stopping near mile marker 188. When questioned about Harriel’s condition when the car went into the ditch, Gasaway responded affirmatively.
Upon searching the Malibu, investigators found a 9 mm shell casing on the front floorboard and two expended bullets in the front passenger door. The casings matched the gun that Gasaway had surrendered to the troopers. It remains unclear whether Gasaway has legal representation.