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Man convicted again of killing former apartment manager

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April 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A 79-year-old man has been convicted again of stabbing to death his former apartment manager in Des Moines. Polk County District Court records say Norman Wadsworth was found guilty Thursday of second-degree murder. Police say Wadsworth stabbed 58-year-old Darlene Crook about 70 times on Oct. 15, 2014, at the apartment building where he used to live. He became homeless after he was evicted. Wadsworth’s sentencing is set for April 29.

He’d been found guilty at his 2016 trial. The Iowa Appeals Court overturned the conviction, questioning Wadsworth’s competency to stand trial. Wadsworth subsequently was treated and then judged competent to stand a second trial. Before it began a judge ordered Wadsworth to take medication during the trial that the judge said was important to maintaining Wadsworth’s competence.