PALO ALTO COUNTY – A Northern Iowa man is charged with murder in connection to a Palo Alto County homicide case from 2020.
On the evening of February 28, 2022, members of the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office along with Agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation arrested 22-year-old Brice Patrick Colling of Emmetsburg. Colling was arrested without incident. Colling has been charged with Murder in the First Degree in connection with the July 22, 2020 murder of Rollin (RJ) Bontrager in rural Palo Alto County.
Allan Michael Schwidder, formerly of Emmetsburg was previously arrested, charged and plead to 2nd degree murder on March 12, 2021 for his role in the death of Rollin Bontrager. He got a prison sentence of up to 50 years.
The case has and continues to be investigated by the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Emmetsburg Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation and defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
