(Emmetsburg)– An Emmetsburg man has been charged in a homicide case dating back to 2020 in Palo Alto county. 22-year-old Brice Colling was arrested Monday evening and charged with 1st degree murder in the July 22nd, 2020 death of Rollin Bontrager.
A second suspect, Allan Schwidder of Emmetsburg had been previously arrested in the case. He pleaded guilty in March of last year to 2nd degree murder for his role in Bontrager’s death.
Court documents state on July 22, 2020, a body was found floating in Virgin Lake in Palo Alto County. The body was eventually identified as Bontrager, a Washington, Iowa resident. Through the use of video surveillance and witness interviews, authorities say the last time Bontrager was seen alive was on July 19, 2020. Additional witness interviews place Colling at Virgin Lake the same day. Witnesses also reported Colling saying he had recently beaten somebody. An autopsy revealed Bontrager had sustained multiple lacerations consistent with being beaten with a bolt cutter.
The case remains under investigation.
