In the late hours of January 30, 2020, first responders were called to a home in the 600 block of East Hackley Avenue in Des Moines after reports of a shooting. Inside the residence were three teenagers — 16-year-old Malachi Swanks, his 19-year-old brother Devonte Swanks, and a 15-year-old friend, Thayne Wright — all found dead of gunshot wounds. The brothers lived at the address; the friend had been visiting.

Investigators determined the killings occurred around 8:15 p.m. Witnesses and other evidence placed two men, 19-year-old Emmanuel Totaye Jr. and 20-year-old Daishawn Gills, with the teenagers at various times before the murders. One witness reported seeing Gills with a long gun shortly before the slayings. Property belonging to the victims was later located in Gills’ possession and evidence was recovered during a search of Totaye’s home.

Both men were arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree robbery; both were later found guilty. Gills was given life without parole and Totaye was sentenced to three consecutive 50-year terms. Did anyone in Des Moines know the victims or see anything that night that could shed more light on what happened?