DES MOINES – An elderly woman’s Iowa casino winnings were viciously robbed at gunpoint, but cops nabbed two suspects.
Des Moines Police Department detectives have made two arrests in an armed robbery incident where an elderly woman was robbed of casino winnings. A 71-year-old Des Moines resident reported winning more than $15,000 playing gaming machines at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona, Iowa during the early morning hours of 19 July, 2022. At approximately 3:15 AM, while driving home, she reported that two vehicles forced her to stop in the 3400 block of Easton Blvd. and two men robbed her of her winnings. She reported that one of the men was armed with a firearm at the time of the robbery.
Des Moines Police Department patrol officers conducted the initial investigation. The Des Moines Police Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit assisted and recovered critical forensic evidence at the scene. As Des Moines Police Department detectives continued this investigation, 30-year-old Des Moines resident Timothy Jacob Spencer and 29-year-old Jared Fernand Shoving were identified as suspects. Detectives learned the following evidentiary details during the course of this investigation:
• Spencer and Shoning were present at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino at the time the victim won.
• Spencer surveilled the victim as she moved through the casino floor.
• Shoving left the casino approximately 45 minutes before the victim and Spencer left.
• Spencer followed the victim’s vehicle out of the casino parking lot.
• After forcing the victim’s vehicle to stop, Spencer approached the driver’s side of the victim’s vehicle while Shoning approached the passenger side.
• Spencer shattered the victim’s window while displaying a firearm. Spencer then opened the door and took the victim’s purse.
• Spencer’s fingerprint was found on the victim’s vehicle.
• Shoning’s phone search history indicates that he clicked on a news story about the robbery, and also searched for a known defense attorney’s name prior to being detained by police.
• In the late morning hours of 20 July 2022, Shoning sent text messages to Spencer reading, in part, “So you wanna do another job it’s easy and fast…” Spencer responded by asking to meet in person.
Both Spencer and Shoning have denied involvement in this incident.
Search warrants conducted by Des Moines Police Department detectives have recovered evidentiary items including cash, firearms, and clothing.
Based on evidence discovered the following criminal charges have been filed related to this incident:
• Timothy Jacob Spencer:
– Robbery — 1st Degree
– Theft — 1st Degree
– Going Armed With Intent
– Conspiracy To Commit A Forcible Felony
• Jared Fernand Shoning:
– Robbery— 1st Degree
– Theft — 1st Degree
– Conspiracy To Commit A Forcible Felony
Des Moines Police Department detectives continue to investigate this incident.
The Des Moines Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino Security Department, the Altoona Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
