Columbus Junction man accused of dragging body behind van

COLUMBUS JUNCTION — Authorities have charged a Columbus Junction man after witnesses and police say he dragged a deceased man behind a van and left the body in a rural ditch.

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Police arrested Salvador Castaneda, 58, last week and charged him with abuse of a corpse — mutilate/dismember to hide a crime, a Class C felony, according to court records.

On June 25, at 4:28 p.m., Louisa County dispatch received a 911 call from Beth Schnoebelen, who reported seeing a white van speed past her rural home on R Avenue and crash into a ditch. She also told dispatchers she saw “some sort of impact” near the crash site.

Columbus Junction Police Assistant Chief Grant Stender arrived quickly and found a white Chevrolet Astro van stuck in the east ditch and unoccupied. Inside the vehicle, Stender located a cellphone and a .25 caliber handgun on the front floorboard. A black cord hung from the bottom of the van.

Moments later, officers discovered the body of Noe Ibarra-Tijerina, a Hispanic male, in the opposite ditch. According to police, a black cord was tied around his torso, and his body showed extensive injuries “consistent with being dragged,” including trauma to his head, arms, legs, and torso.

Jessica Nissen, who lives near the scene, told police she saw the van “dragging what appeared to be a body” as it passed her house.

Another witness, Jessica Buffington, said she and her son gave a ride to a man fleeing the crash scene. She later identified the man as Castaneda, noting his clothing and distinctive vitiligo skin condition.

Louisa County deputies found Castaneda minutes later outside 314 Collins Road. Officers detained him and found the keys to the van in his front pants pocket. His gray T-shirt, jeans, and shoes matched descriptions provided by witnesses, and police say his clothing had visible blood stains.

Investigators tracked a blood trail and drag marks from a nearby building at 316 Collins Road to the final crash site. At the building, officers found a pool of blood, a .25 caliber shell casing, and signs of a struggle. During a search, they also located a torn power tool cord, which police believe matches the one used to drag Ibarra.

“Castaneda initially claimed he loaned the van to Ibarra,” police wrote in the criminal complaint.

Castaneda remains in custody at the Louisa County Jail. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com