Sutherland, Iowa — A man who was awaiting trial for attempted murder, robbery, and theft has left his parents’ home in O’Brien County and has fled the United States, according to law enforcement officials.
They tell us that 19-year-old Ali Younes was on house arrest with his family in O’Brien County pending trial for charges of attempted murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree theft for an incident that took place on April 25, 2022. Officials said that Younes allegedly robbed and strangled a person outside of Art Building West on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City and was arrested less than 24 hours later.
A judge granted Younes conditional pre-trial release, which required him to wear a GPS monitoring device, as well as surrender his passport and stay with his family. Officials in the Johnson County Attorney’s Office were notified on Saturday that Younes had removed his monitoring device, with law enforcement officials unable to locate him. According to O’Brien County property records, the Younes family owns a home in Sutherland.
Officials now say that Younes used Jordanian travel documents to board a flight to the country of Jordan that left Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
University of Iowa Police have arrested Younes’s parents for aiding and abetting his escape. Alfred Younes and Lima Younes have both been charged with Escape from Custody. Alfred Younes was arrested while attempting to board a flight from Omaha to Jordan. Lima Younes was arrested by the Orange City Police Department on Tuesday.
Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith says, “My office, along with the University of Iowa Police Department and local and federal law enforcement partners, is committed to ensuring that Younes does not escape justice. We will do everything we can to hold him accountable, as well as those who assisted him in fleeing the country.”
Story from KTIV-TV and KCRG-TV
