UPDATE: Wagner Murder Suspect Found Dead in Iowa
August 17, 2026
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia.–The suspect in a deadly shooting near Wagner was found dead in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Yankton Sioux Tribal authorities say the deadly shooting happened on Friday in the Wagner North Housing area.
They identified the suspect as James Perdue, who was at large and considered armed and dangerous, prompting a search.
Perdue was located in Council Bluffs, where members of a fugitive task force were sent to a home and a standoff ensued for several hours.
At one point, gunshots were heard from inside the residence and officers determined Perdue had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.