On December 26th, 2016 Deputies from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office were called
to the area on Johnson Avenue and 225th Street in rural Webster County, for the report of and
black male laying in a field. When Deputies arrived they discovered the deceased body of
Donald E. Preston, D.O.B. 10/14/1965 laying in a bean field and evidence at the scene indicated
that his death was suspicious. Detectives from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office and Agents
with the Division of Criminal Investigation were notified and began to process the scene, gather
evidence, and began a lengthy investigation into the death of Mr. Preston.
Since the initial call on December 26th 2016, Detectives and Agents have followed up
numerous leads, conducted numerous interviews and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation
Crime Lab has processed all evidence collected during this investigation in a combined effort to
identify and prosecute the individual responsible for this Homicide.
On Thursday February 2, 2023, Christopher Todd Johnson, D.O.B. 01/20/1974 ( pictured below) was
arrested on the criminal charge of Murder in the first degree, a Class A Felony. The criminal
complaint against Mr. Johnson states:
“On or about December 20th, 2016 Christopher Todd Johnson, did commit murder in the
1st degree by willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation shot and killed Donald Edward
Preston. Johnson and Preston were together in Johnson’s Toyota Corolla. Johnson drove Preston
around on gravel roads in rural Webster County, Iowa. Johnson showed Preston his handgun and
Johnson shot the handgun. With malice aforethought, Preston was subsequently shot and killed
by Johnson, with Johnson’s handgun. Preston was left dead in a field in rural Webster County,
Iowa. Preston’s autopsy determined that he died of gunshot wounds to the head and abdomen.”
Mr. Johnson was arrested at in Cedar Rapids after being released from the Federal
Bureau of Prisons, after serving approximately 5 years in custody for Possessing a Firearm as a
Prohibited Person charge, that he plead guilty to in 2018. Mr. Johnson is now in the Webster
County Jail on a one million dollar cash bond and is scheduled to make his initial appearance on
Friday February 3rd 2023 at 9:00 AM in Webster County Magistrate Court. Mr. Johnson is considered innocent of this charge until found guilty in a court of law.
The Webster County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in this investigation by Division of
Criminal Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, the Fort Dodge Police Department, the Webster
County Attorney’s Office and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.