Iowa Man Arrested in Connection With Ankeny Home Attack

I can’t imagine anything worse than losing your wife—and then getting attacked in your own home the very next day. But that’s exactly what happened to a 68-year-old man in Ankeny, Iowa.

According to police, a man named Gemiere Goodwin walked into this grieving widower’s home, claimed he was there to check on the “water shut off,” then violently choked him out—not once, but twice.

The victim was left unconscious on the floor, bleeding from the head, eye swollen shut, safe and belongings stolen. It wasn’t random. Turns out, the attacker had a disturbing connection to someone the victim once trusted inside that home.

If you live in a quiet neighborhood and think something like this could never happen to you, this case will make you think twice.

Let’s break down what actually happened, how the suspect got caught, and what this means for home safety—especially for seniors living alone.

Have you ever let someone in just because they “looked familiar” or claimed they knew your plumber, health aide, or neighbor? Drop a comment below—I’m curious how common this is.

What Happened in the Ankeny Home Invasion?

Let me quickly bring you up to speed. This entire case unfolded like something out of a crime drama—but it happened in broad daylight, in a regular Ankeny neighborhood.

According to KCCI News, around noon on July 1, a man named Gemiere Goodwin entered the home of a 68-year-old man. He didn’t break a window or pick a lock. Instead, he pretended he was checking on a water shut-off—a simple lie that got him through the door.

When the homeowner turned his back, Goodwin put him in a chokehold and knocked him unconscious. The man woke up briefly—only to be choked again. Let that sink in.

You’re probably thinking, “What did he want?” He left with cash, two phones, a gun, and even a black safe full of personal documents. And the most disturbing part? This wasn’t a random robbery. The attacker knew things about the home only an insider could know.

How the Attack, Theft, and Arrest Unfolded in 72 Hours?

Here’s how everything went down, step by step. Trust me, the speed at which the pieces came together is wild.

• July 1, Noon: Goodwin enters the home, chokes the homeowner unconscious twice, then disappears with valuables.
• 12:45 PM: The victim regains consciousness about 40 minutes later and somehow manages to alert a neighbor.
• Shortly After: First responders arrive and find the man in bad shape—head trauma, a swollen eye, cuts, and bruises.
• July 2: Police spot fraudulent credit card transactions using the victim’s cards across the Des Moines metro. Surveillance footage puts Goodwin at every scene.
• July 3: Police track him down in Des Moines. During the arrest, two officers are injured. When they finally get him in cuffs, they find the victim’s stolen gun and cards in his pocket.

You can imagine how fast the evidence piled up. But what shocked even the police was what they found next—a black safe that matched the one stolen, shoes that matched prints inside the home, and nearly $2,000 in cash.

Even cities that seem quiet on the surface aren’t immune—Washtenaw County saw a similar scare recently involving drive-by shootings at homes.

Inside the Attack – Chokeholds, Blackout, and Brutal Injuries

Let me paint this clearly, because it wasn’t just a robbery—it was nearly a murder.

Imagine confronting someone in your hallway, and before you even register what’s going on, you’re in a chokehold. That’s what happened. As the elderly man passed by Goodwin, he was taken to the ground and choked until he blacked out.

And when he started to come to? Goodwin did it again.

The victim was out cold for about 40 minutes, according to court records. When he woke up, he was in such bad shape that first responders said it was a miracle he survived. We’re talking:

• Hemorrhaging on the forehead
• Completely swollen right eye
• Deep cuts and minor bruises

The police didn’t sugarcoat it. They wrote in the criminal complaint:

“It was evident the victim could have died as a result of the invasion.”

Let that sit with you. You’re grieving your wife, and the next day, someone nearly kills you in your own home.

What Was Stolen – And Why This Wasn’t Random

So why did he do it?

If you’re thinking “desperation,” there’s more to it. This wasn’t someone snatching a purse on the street. This was a targeted theft.

Here’s what Goodwin got away with:

• A black wallet
• Two cellphones
• A firearm
• “A few thousand” in cash
• A safe holding important personal documents

That safe wasn’t visible. That gun wasn’t on display. Only someone familiar with the house layout would know where to look.

And that’s where it all starts to connect—because this guy wasn’t just a thief… he was the brother of someone who had already been inside that house.

Tragic stories like this remind us how quickly things can escalate, even when kids are involved—a toddler in Detroit was recently hit by a stray bullet while inside their home.

The Family Connection – How Trust Turned Into a Trap

This is where things hit harder.

You see, the homeowner’s wife had been sick for a while. She was cared for by a home health aide, who became so close to the family that even after leaving the agency in June, she was personally hired by the homeowner to keep caring for his wife.

Now here’s the shocking part: Goodwin is her brother.

Investigators believe that this caregiver had intimate knowledge of the home—what was inside, where things were stored, and who would be there. Goodwin used that access to walk in undetected and steal what he could.

You trust someone with your family, with your dying wife—and that trust gets twisted into an opportunity for a violent robbery. It’s betrayal on a whole different level.

This isn’t the only recent case where someone broke into a home and left the victim facing serious harm. In Enfield, another man was arrested after a violent home invasion, also facing a slew of charges.

The Fraud Trail – How Goodwin’s Spending Spree Gave Him Away

If Goodwin thought he could choke a man unconscious, rob him blind, and just blend back into the city—he seriously underestimated how fast digital evidence catches up.

Just one day after the attack, on July 2, police spotted a string of fraudulent credit card transactions on the homeowner’s accounts. The locations? Several well-known spots across the Des Moines metro.

Here’s where things fell apart for him:

• Security cameras at every transaction location caught Goodwin red-handed.
• He didn’t cover his face.
• He used the cards in his own neighborhood.

Honestly, this wasn’t a mastermind heist. This was someone sloppy, arrogant, and fast-moving. But his greed led police straight to him.

If you’ve ever doubted how useful cameras and transaction alerts are—this case proves they’re priceless.

Cases like this often break and evolve quickly. I’ve seen a few community discussions around incidents like this on crime alert and safety channels on WhatsApp—worth following if you want real-time local updates without scrolling news apps all day.

The Arrest – Two Officers Injured, a Pocket Full of Stolen Evidence

On July 3, police closed in.

They found Goodwin in Des Moines—but he didn’t come quietly. While trying to detain him, two officers were injured in the scuffle. That tells you a lot about his state of mind—he wasn’t afraid to take people down to avoid capture.

But here’s the real kicker: when they searched him, they found the victim’s stolen gun and cards in his pocket.

And that’s not all. Police executed a search warrant at his home, where they found:

• Shoes with matching stains from the crime scene
• The black safe from the victim’s house, still containing important documents
• Close to $2,000 in cash

This wasn’t a random guy in over his head—this was a man walking around with stolen ID, cash, a gun, and zero remorse.

Legal Fallout – The Charges That Could Put Goodwin Away for Years

Once the dust settled, Goodwin wasn’t looking at one or two charges—he was staring down a stack of felonies. And if you’re wondering what the law has to say about someone who chokes an elderly man unconscious twice—Iowa doesn’t go light.

Here’s the full list of charges he’s facing:

• Attempted murder
• First-degree robbery
• First-degree burglary
• Second-degree theft (against an older individual)
• Willful injury causing serious injury
• Interference with official acts causing injury

Let’s be real—these aren’t slap-on-the-wrist charges. If convicted, Goodwin could be facing decades in prison.

And he should. You don’t walk into a man’s house—especially one who just lost his wife—and do this kind of damage without paying the full legal price.

This case raises serious questions about trust and vulnerability. Have you or someone you know ever had a close call with a home visitor who seemed too familiar? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear your take.

What This Means for Ankeny – Are We Really Safe in Our Homes?

Now I know what you might be thinking: “This happened in Ankeny? That’s supposed to be a safe place.”

And you’re right. Ankeny is considered one of the safer cities in Iowa. But even safe neighborhoods aren’t immune to calculated, inside-linked crimes like this one.

If you live in Ankeny or a similar community, this story should make you rethink what security really looks like:

• Do you have cameras outside?
• Do you verify identities before letting people in?
• Have you shared too much with someone who’s no longer in your life?

These are questions you need to ask—not out of fear, but out of awareness. Because one weak moment in trust is all it took here.

5 Home Safety Lessons You Can Learn from This Case

Let’s end this with something practical—because while this story is tragic, it can also be a wake-up call.

Here are 5 takeaways you and I can apply starting today:

1. Don’t let anyone in just because they “know someone.” Goodwin got in by saying he was there to check on plumbing—don’t fall for it.
2. Keep your valuables separated and hidden. The cash, gun, and safe were all in easy reach. Keep sensitive things locked up—preferably in different places.
3. Reconsider who has inside knowledge of your home. Former caregivers, contractors, and even friends can unintentionally leak info. Be mindful.
4. Use smart cameras and doorbell alerts. If a neighbor hadn’t been home, this could’ve gone a different way. Tech gives you a second line of defense.
5. When grieving or vulnerable, lean on trusted people—not just familiar ones. The victim was alone, reeling from loss. Make sure you have 1–2 people you truly trust in tough times.

This wasn’t just a robbery. It was a violation of privacy, grief, and humanity. And I hope this never happens to you—or anyone you care about.

Final Thoughts

At the heart of this story isn’t just a robbery or a police chase—it’s about how quickly trust can turn into tragedy. A man who had just lost his wife was left fighting for his life in the one place he should’ve felt safest—his home.

If this case teaches you anything, let it be this: don’t ignore that gut feeling. Be cautious with access, rethink your home’s security, and never assume your neighborhood’s “safe reputation” is enough.

Because the truth is—safety isn’t a status, it’s a system you build.

We regularly cover cases like this to help you stay aware and protected at home. Check out more safety reports and home crime updates in our website Build Like New.

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available police reports, court records, and credible news sources at the time of writing. Details may evolve as the investigation and legal proceedings continue. We do not intend to speculate or pass judgment on any individuals beyond what has been officially reported.