Northern Iowa convicted murderer dies in prison; Covid listed as factor

CORALVILLE – A Northern Iowa convicted murderer died in prison, officials say, and Covid is listed as a factor in his death.

Harold Arthur Duncan was pronounced dead, likely due to complications related to COVID-19 and other preexisting medical conditions, at approximately 11:12 AM January 26, 2021 in a hospice room of the Iowa Medical and Classification Center. Duncan was 89 years old at the time of his death.

Duncan had been serving a life sentence for the crime of Murder 1st Degree from Clay County. His sentence began on January 13, 2004.

According to court documents, Harold Arthur Duncan and his late wife, Karen, known as Kay, were married in December 1959.   The couple lived in a motor home parked at a trailer court in Spencer, Iowa. Harold was retired, and Kay worked as a manager in a Subway sandwich restaurant in Spencer.

On January 13, 2003, Kay did not report to work at Subway.   Her co-workers became concerned, and one of them drove by the Duncans’ home where she saw the couple’s van parked at the residence.   The co-worker called a second co-worker and they decided to ask the Duncans’ landlord to check on Kay at the couple’s residence.   The landlord received no response to her knocks on the door, which prompted her to call the police.

After failing to get anyone to come to the door, a Spencer city police officer gained entrance through a window.   He found Harold and Kay sprawled out on their bed;  Harold was face up and Kay was face down.   Kay had been shot twice, once to the front of her body, and once to her back.   She was pronounced dead at the scene.   Harold appeared to have a serious wound to the face but was alive.   Police found a shotgun in the hallway of the motor home.   In the cockpit area of the motor home, the police found an open box of 12-gauge shotgun shells.

Harold was taken to a local hospital and then to a hospital in Sioux City where a Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) agent interviewed him.   Harold admitted shooting Kay twice and admitted shooting himself.

Later in the day, Harold was transferred to a hospital in Omaha where another DCI agent interviewed him.   During this interview, Harold gave conflicting stories.   In the first version, Harold said he and Kay had argued about her work schedule at the restaurant.   He got the shotgun out and as the argument got out of control, he shot her in the chest and then as she turned around to retreat to the back of the motor home, he shot her in the back.   In the second version, Harold related that Kay had gotten the shotgun out of a closet in the back of the motor home and he took it away from her.   He then shot her in the chest and as she retreated towards the back of the motor home, he shot her in the back.   The third version was the same as the first.   Harold also told the agent that his wife was not “going to hold the answer to the argument” and admitted that he had attempted to kill himself. He was later convicted of her murder.