AMES — A 47-year-old Iowa woman was found dead during a welfare check, and her husband was hospitalized the following day after police obtained a first-degree murder warrant and stopped his vehicle, authorities said.
Officers and medical personnel responded to 5010 Ontario Street in Ames at 7:17 a.m. Thursday, October 29, 2026, for a welfare check. They found Kristen Stone, 47, of Ames, deceased, according to an October 30 news release from the Ames Police Department.
Investigators subsequently identified her husband, Richard Stone, 47, as a suspect in her death.
Ames police obtain first-degree murder warrant
Officers obtained an arrest warrant for Richard Stone on a charge of first-degree murder Friday, October 30, and began searching for him.
The Iowa State University Police Department and Story County Sheriff’s Office were among the agencies assisting Ames police in the search.
At approximately 3:40 p.m., officers located Stone in his vehicle and initiated a traffic stop in the 3900 block of Toronto Street to take him into custody.
Stone stopped for officers and then shot himself inside the vehicle, according to police.
Officers and medical personnel from Mary Greeley Medical Center and the Ames Fire Department began lifesaving measures. Stone was taken by ambulance to a waiting air ambulance and flown to a Des Moines-area hospital for further treatment.
His condition was unknown when police issued the October 30 release.
Investigation into Kristen Stone’s death continues
The release did not disclose how Kristen Stone died or describe the evidence that led investigators to seek the murder warrant against her husband. Police also did not identify a possible motive.
Richard Stone is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. A criminal charge is an accusation.
In a separate case, NorthIowaToday.com recently reported on an Ames stabbing that left a woman with neck injuries and a suspect held on a listed $1 million bond. The October 30 homicide release identifies no connection between the two investigations.
Police seek information from the public
Anyone with information about the Stone investigation is asked to call Ames police at 515-239-5133 or the department’s anonymous tip line at 515-239-5533.
Tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa at 515-223-1400 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers’ website.
NorthIowaToday.com’s Iowa crime coverage includes additional reporting on investigations and court cases across the region.