Plea hearing set for 1 family member in Zearing kidnapping, abuse case

STORY COUNTY, Iowa — Online court records show one of the four members of a Zearing family accused of torturing and abusing another family member plans to plead guilty to an amended charge in the case.

In March of 2024, Aaron Williams was charged with first-degree kidnapping and willful injury-causing serious injury. Also charged in the case were his mother Danielle K. Graham, stepfather Gary Graham, and sister Kaitlynn Williams.

Investigators with the Story County Sheriff’s Office said the victim, identified in court documents as the 18-year-old son of Danielle Graham, “suffered severe and life-threatening injuries from abuse, including a brain bleed, rib fractures, wounds in multiple stages of healing, and weighed 70 pounds due to severe malnourishment.”

Court documents also detailed information about text messages directing physical abuse of the victim. They also contained material about how he was restrained to a bed using handcuffs and eyebolts. In interviews with the victim, investigators said he struggled to speak because of the injuries and malnutrition. The victim said he would be put in handcuffs at night and frequently during the day and be beaten by Gary or Aaron.

On September 18th, the court issued an order to schedule a hearing after being notified Williams asked for a “guilty plea hearing.” The plea hearing has been scheduled for October 15th at 9:00 a.m. at the Story County Courthouse.

On September 24th, the judge in the case approved the amended trial information filed by the Story County Attorney’s Office. It amended the first-degree kidnapping charge, a Class A felony, to third-degree kidnapping, a Class C felony.

Gary Graham’s trial is set for December 3rd and Danielle Graham’s trial is scheduled to start March 4th, 2025. Kaitlynn Williams, who was 16 at the time of her arrest, attempted to have her trial moved to juvenile court but the effort was denied and she will be tried as an adult . Her trial is scheduled for January 28th, 2025.

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