March 28, 2024

Defendant’s car seen on video near victim’s house day of the murder

The defendant’s vehicle sightings and phone records were the focus Thursday in Jasper County Court during the first-degree murder trial of Randy Linderman.

Linderman, 52, of Charles City, is on trial for the March 2017 murder of Jose Ramirez Berber in rural Newton.

District Court Judge Richard Clogg is presiding over the trial, while Jasper County Attorney Scott Nicholson and Assistant Jasper County Attorney Kelly Bennett interviewed witnesses for the prosecution. Attorneys Jill Eimermann and Trevor Andersen cross-examined witnesses and evidence for the defense.

Thursday began with testimony from an ex-coworker at the timber company at which Linderman was employed explaining his role in the trees Linderman cut down on the victim’s property and removing them.

The second witness on Thursday morning was a relatively distant neighbor, who lived about two miles north east of the victim’s property. Since the witness has video surveillance set up on her property, she invited Jasper County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jeremy Burdess to look at her recorded video from March 6, 2017, the day the victim was discovered dead.

Burdess, the next witness to testify, confirmed of the several vehicles to pass by the property that day, a 2007 white Buick LaCrosse was spotted on the surveillance system. The Buick was noted by Burdess to have traveled eastbound from that property at 11:41 a.m. and then westbound from that property at 12:23 p.m.

“So the first time that we see this white Buick, it is traveling away from (the victim’s) residence in the morning?” Nicholson asked Burdess, to which he responded yes. “Then approximately 42 minutes later, it is seen going back toward (the victim’s) residence. Is that correct?”

Burdess also testified to finding Linderman at his work in St. Charles and asking him questions about his relationship with the victim. Linderman allegedly told Burdess he hadn’t seen the victim recently, and denied he owned a cell phone.

The defense asked Burdess about the crime scene to confirm there was no mess at the scene other than the victim’s body. The only damaged part of the house was the allegedly forced-in door, and there appeared to be no marks on the door.

Other testimony Thursday included a Windstream employee examining multiple missed calls from the days leading up to and the day of the murder on the victim’s land line, as well as Wendy Hecox, chief jailer at Jasper County Jail.

Hecox testified to a letter Linderman allegedly wrote and sent to his wife, denying his actions during that day.

“The car is not mine. I was not there at 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., and I was on the phone on Highway 14 talking to Charles City,” the letter said.

The Newton Daily News previously reported jury selection took place Monday, while Tuesday featured opening statements from prosecuting and defense attorneys. Tuesday also heard testimonies from first responders and investigators as well as the 911 caller. Wednesday featured testimony mainly from the victim’s autopsy performer and the DCI criminalist who discovered Linderman’s DNA inside the victim’s anus.

Linderman was arrested after officials connected him to the death of Berber last year. Berber was found dead inside of his rural Newton home. Linderman pleaded not guilty in July.

Officials received a 911 call March 6 to 4252 Maple St. in rural Newton in reference to an unresponsive person. When law enforcement and Newton Fire and EMS officials arrived, they found Berber lying unresponsive on the floor.

If convicted, Linderman faces a life sentence in prison.

Linderman has reportedly resided in Jasper County for the past two years. He is a registered sex offender who was convicted of third-degree sexual abuse in 2001 in Floyd County.

The trial resumes Friday at 9 a.m.

Contact Orrin Shawl at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or oshawl@newtondailynews.com