IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Mexican man charged with killing an Iowa college student was known for years on the dairy farm where he worked by another name: John Budd. Yarrabee Farms is facing scrutiny over whether its managers had any idea that Cristhian Bahena Rivera was in the country illegally before the slaying of Mollie Tibbetts.

The name under which Rivera worked for the last four years was confirmed by three people with knowledge of his employment history who spoke on condition of anonymity. The company declined to confirm or deny the alias. An immigration lawyer advising the farms says companies cannot discriminate against workers based on how their names sound.

Farm officials say Rivera presented an out-of-state photo identification and a Social Security number when he was hired in 2014.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have charged two people with first-degree murder in the death of a Des Moines man whose body was found by officers in the back of a vehicle earlier this summer. Television station KCCI reports that 50-year-old Jeffery Lee Stendrup, of Clive, and 24-year-old Jaycie Sheeder, of Coon Rapids, were charged Wednesday in the death of 36-year-old Jeremy McDowell.

McDowell was found dead June 22 in Newton the back of a vehicle Sheeder had been driving. Sheeder had called police that day to say McDowell had been assaulted and needed medical attention. She drove to Newton to meet police, who found McDowell dead in her back seat.

Authorities believe Stendrup suspected McDowell of stealing items from him and beat McDowell with a baseball bat in an effort to get the items back.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A lawyer fighting a discrimination lawsuit against Iowa officials is withdrawing from the case. George LaMarca has billed Iowa taxpayers nearly $1 million to fight the case filed by former state official Chris Godfrey against Gov. Kim Reynolds and former Gov. Terry Branstad. Godfrey accuses Reynolds and Branstad of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The 73-year-old LaMarca says poor health is forcing him to retire.

Judge Brad McCall accepted LaMarca’s withdrawal today (Wednesday). He also granted a delay in the trial that was scheduled for Jan. 14. Godfrey’s attorney Roxanne Conlin argues the withdrawal is a delay tactic and says LaMarca should have to repay taxpayers. Branstad in 2010 pressured Godfrey to resign. When Godfrey refused, Branstad cut his salary. Branstad says his actions were justified by Godfrey’s performance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Supreme Court Justice Daryl Hecht says he will resume hearing cases and participating in decisions as he continues treatment for skin cancer. The high court announced Hecht’s decision Wednesday in a news release. Hecht revealed in April that had been diagnosed with melanoma, considered the most serious type of skin cancer. Hecht has been treated in Sioux City and Rochester, Minnesota.

The 66-year-old Hecht has not participated in hearing oral argument since March and participated in only a few cases during the remainder of the court term that ended June 30. Hecht says he expects improvement resulting from a new treatment regimen will allow him to resume a more active role. The new court term began Tuesday. Hecht was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court in 2006.

In an update to our story yesterday, Pottawattamie County Chief Deputy Rob Ambrose reports an Atlantic man was injured during a motorcycle accident late Tuesday morning, in Pottawattamie County. 71-year old Paul Fischer was riding a 2009 Kawasaki westbound on Highway 6 at around 11:25-a.m., when his leather coat came loose from the straps and caught the rear wheel. The coat became entangled in the wheel and caused it to lock-up.

Fischer managed to keep the cycle upright until it rolled onto its side on the road in front of 48606 Highway 6. The man was wearing a helmet. Fischer suffered injuries to his face, arms and chest, and was transported by Griswold Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. No citations were issued. The cycle sustained about $5,000 damage.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A former church northeast of Fort Dodge is transforming into a homeless shelter for women and children who need help. The Messenger reports that the former St. John’s Lutheran Church in rural Webster County will become the home of the Lotus Community Project. Iowa District West, a part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, has donated the property. The district took control of the church after it closed last year.

Lotus Executive Director Ashley Vaala says there will likely be $105,000 in renovations before the shelter can open in December. Vaala says there will potentially be eight rooms available to provide temporary living space to women in Webster, Hamilton, Humboldt, Wright, Calhoun and Pocahontas counties.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The governor has issued a disaster proclamation for two counties struck by storms and flooding. They are Bremer County in northeast Iowa and Iowa County in eastern Iowa. The proclamation from Gov. Kim Reynolds allows use of state resources to recover from severe storms and flooding that began Sunday. Grants for people who qualify are available for home or vehicle repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses.
Information on the Disaster Case Management Program is available online .

A Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputy on patrol in the area of Antique City Drive and North Street in Walnut, Tuesday night, conducted a traffic stop on an SUV without license plates. The driver, 38-year old Daniel Harvey Pash, of Harlan, was subsequently arrested on charges that include: Possession of a Controlled Substance (4.2 grams of marijuana); Possession of drug paraphernalia (a marijuana pipe); and Forgery. Bond was set at $2,000.

The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office reports also, an inmate at the jail, 38-year old Robert L. Bopp, of Shenandoah, was served with a warrant out of Douglas County, NE., Tuesday, for being a Fugitive from Justice. He was being held without bond on the warrant, and a $10,000 bond on an original Unlawful Possession of a Prescription Drug, charge. Late Tuesday morning, 32-year old Corey Andres Stephens, of Council Bluffs, turned himself-in to the sheriff’s office. Stephens was taken into custody on three active Pott. County bench warrants for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $20,000. Tuesday afternoon, 35-year old William Crittenden Kaltoft, of Council Bluffs,  turned himself-in to the sheriff’s office. Kaltoft was wanted for Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $2,000.

And, a bail bondsman brought to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday afternoon, 23-year old Dushuan Hogan, of Carter Lake. Hogan was wanted on a bench warrant for Violation of Probation. Stephens, Kaltoft and Hogan were all turned over to Corrections staff at the Pott. County Jail. Bond for Hogan was set at $10,000.