Suspect, victim in fatal Marion stabbing once lived together

MARION — The woman stabbed to death in a grocery store parking lot once lived with the man believed to have attacked her but moved out several months ago, Marion police said Wednesday.

Lynnsey Donald, 29 of Marion, was killed with what the police chief called a 'large, large knife' Tuesday afternoon when she walked out of the Marion Hy-Vee.

Police said her assailant was Nicholas Luerkens, 32, of Cedar Rapids, who then injured himself. He remained hospitalized Wednesday.

A gofundme.com page that says it was created by a relative to raise money for Donald's funeral said the family's life was rocked by word of the killing.

'Lynnsey was walking out of the local HyVee when her ex-boyfriend attacked her and took her life. This was all done while her beautiful 7 year old son Ashton was there,' the page reads. 'Ashton, miraculously, knew to run away and get help. This tragic event occurred in broad daylight in front of many witnesses who were also devastated to see the outcome.'

Police would not say whether any family member witnessed the attack, saying only that members of Donald's family are safe.

About 4 p.m. Tuesday, crews responded to a report of a stabbing at the Hy-Vee at 3600 Highway 151. They discovered Donald's lifeless body in the parking lot.

Police said Donald suffered 'apparent stab wounds,' but Marion police Lt. Scott Elam did not know how many times she had been stabbed.

Police Chief Harry Daugherty said investigators were stil trying to figure out where Luerkens was beforehand.

'She was coming out of the Hy-Vee,' Daugherty said. 'This is when he approached her in the parking lot. Now, I have no idea how he knew she was there. We're tracking that down also at this point. That's our question: How did he know she was there?'

Daugherty said there was no argument or exchange between Luerkens and Donald before the stabbing.

'He just attacked her at that point,' he said.

"Now, I have no idea how he knew she was there. We're tracking that down also at this point. That's our question: How did he know she was there?"

- Harry Daugherty

Marion police chief

Police said Luerkens, who was found at the scene, had self-inflicted stab wounds.

He remained Wednesday at St. Luke's Hospital. Police said hospital staff told them it could be two or three days before Luerkens is released.

He has not been charged.

'He went into surgery yesterday,' Lt. Elam said Wednesday. 'We had a detective down there. We still have officers down there, at this point.'

Elam said detectives have spoken with Luerkens 'briefly' but said police are still piecing together aspects of the investigation.

A Marion man who said he witnessed the aftermath said Luerkens appeared to be suicidal after the attack.

Jim Schmitz said he had gone to the Hy-Vee to grab a few things. As he walked out to the car, he saw people running and screaming.

He said his first thought was that someone had been hit by a car.

'I looked off to my left and I saw a young lady lying at the back of her car, bleeding profusely from the waist up,' Schmitz said. 'The guy was standing there right by her. ... He just kept yelling, 'I want to die. I want to die.' '

Schmitz said Luerkens appeared 'totally under control and alert' and was not combative toward witnesses.

Schmitz said a Marion police officer immediately arrived and took Luerkens to the ground 'quickly and efficiently and professionally.'

Schmitz also praised the work of the Hy-Vee employees who assisted in controlling the scene, directing shoppers away and out of the parking lot.

Schmitz said he has lived in Marion since 2000 and has been shopping at that Hy-Vee for a decade.

'This is a clear indication that none of us are immune from bad things happening,' he said. 'You can't avoid things like this.'