Emmetsburg man charged with 2020 murder of Washington man

An Emmetsburg man was arrested Monday in connection with the July 22, 2020, murder of Rollin “RJ” Bontrager of Washington.

On the Monday night, members of the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office along with agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation arrested Brice Patrick Colling, 22, of Emmetsburg. Colling was arrested without incident.

Colling has been charged with Murder in the first degree in connection Bontrager’s July murder 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 Bontrager.

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.

Comments: james.jennings@southeastiowaunion.com