Iowa Drug Dealer Receives Death Penalty

By Cecilia Green

Published on October 11, 2005

Dustin Honken, 37, sentenced to the death penalty after being convicted of murdering Greg Nicholson, his girlfriend Lori Duncan, and her two daughters, Kandace and Amber in July 1993. Honken was also convicted of killing another man, 32-year-old Terry DeGeus, four months later. All five were murdered in order for Honken to protect his drug operation.

Greg Nicholson, a former drug dealer, was going to plead guilty to drug charges in a federal case, which would also incriminate Honken. The hearing was scheduled only days after Greg's disappearance. Greg's girlfriend, Lori Duncan was planning to testify against Honken as well, but she also disappeared before the hearing. A few months later, Terry DeGaus was preparing to testify against Honken in a federal drug case, when he too was murdered.

Honken, who manufactured and distributed methamphetamine, shot all five of his victims. The bodies were found in 2000, after Angela Johnson, Honken's girlfriend and accomplice provided police with a map and details of the murders.

Honken is the first man from Iowa to be sent to death row since 1963. Angela Johnson has not yet finished trial, but she may be the first Iowan woman sentenced to death row since 1953.

Comment on this article →