A man accused of killing a convenience store clerk in Bettendorf committed suicide the day after the murder. On Tuesday, Bettendorf police announced the circumstances that led to the death of 28-year-old Brittany Wilson, of Donahue, on August 17th while she was working at the Big 10 Mart.
Bettendorf Police Chief Keith Kimball says the suspect was 21-year-old Manuel Rangel of Genoa, Illinois. He was only in Bettendorf for a few minutes.
"The person is not connected to this community whatsoever, it was probably the first and last time he was ever here. I would guess he was probably in our city from no more than 10 to 15 minutes total. And so, like I said, it was a random act coming through town."
Before driving to the Quad Cities on August 17th, Rangel broke into a Genoa kennel where his dog was boarded. Later, the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office found evidence of shots being fired and Rangel's dog was missing. They also identified the car he was driving as his mother's Chevy Cruze.
Police say many traffic cameras showed Rangel driving west on I-80. Around 5:30 p.m. he entered the Big 10 Mart in Bettendorf. Shortly after that, customers found Wilson on the floor with a gunshot wound and called 911. She died at the scene.
The next day, thanks to information from Rangel's brother, the Nebraska State Patrol found the Chevy Cruze traveling on I-80. During a short chase, troopers had "On Star" shut down the car. When it stopped, Rangel shot himself in the head.
The FBI and local Nebraska officers helped with the investigation.