Black Hawk County man arrested and charged with murder of grandfather, sheriff’s office says

BLACK HAWK COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – A man has been arrested for killing his grandfather in rural Black Hawk County.

The sheriff’s office was called to a home on Elk Run Road for an unknown reason Saturday evening.

When officers arrived, they found Gale Anthony Mervin, 75, dead and Eric Paul O’Connell II, 21, hiding in another room.

There were also signs of a struggle at home.

O’Connell was taken to the hospital for examination – that’s when the office says he confessed to his grandfather’s murder. The two lived together.

O’Connell is now incarcerated in the Black Hawk County Jail and has been charged with first-degree murder.