Christy Lynn Watson, a 51-year-old White woman from Des Moines, was found dead inside a vacant house in the River Bend neighborhood on the morning of May 18, 2024. Officers responded at about 11:37 a.m. to the 1400 block of Fourth Street after a report of a deceased person; when they entered the residence they discovered Watson with an apparent traumatic injury. A forensic autopsy confirmed a gunshot wound and authorities classified the death as a homicide, recorded as Des Moines’ fourth homicide of 2024.

Investigators determined Watson had entered the unoccupied home seeking shelter and that her homelessness left her especially vulnerable. Detectives interviewed potential witnesses, processed evidence from inside and around the residence, and followed leads to establish who had been with Watson, how the shooter gained access, and what happened before the body was found. Police have not identified a suspect, disclosed a motive, or announced whether a weapon was recovered.

If anyone saw Christy in the River Bend area in the days before May 18 or has information about people who might have been near the vacant house, please share what is known with Des Moines investigators.