3 more suspicious fires in Keokuk

KEOKUK -- Firefighters are investigating three more suspicious fires in Keokuk, and fire has destroyed a bowling alley in Fort Madison.

Officials said fires late Tuesday and early Wednesday in Keokuk damaged a storage building, a driveway service business and a vacant house. Fire Chief Mark Wessel said the fires are suspicious and that the state fire marshal's office is investigating.

The fires follow seven fires that were intentionally set in Keokuk in 2008, including two churches, one of which was set on fire twice. The 2008 fires remain under investigation.

In Fort Madison, fire destroyed the Americana Bowling Alley on Wednesday morning. Fire Chief Joey Herren said the cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage was estimated at more than $300,000.

No injuries were reported in any of the fires.

Burlington fire victim's ex-husband arrested

BURLINGTON -- The former husband and fiance of a Burlington woman who died after she was found unconscious in a burning house has been charged with second-degree murder.

Dennis Richards, 58, of Burlington, was arrested Tuesday night. He appeared in court Wednesday and is being held in the Des Moines County jail under $1 million bond.

Police believed Cyd Richards died in the fire Sunday night, but the state medical examiner has listed the death as strangulation.

The couple divorced in 2007 but were planning to remarry.

Firefighters tried to revive Richards but she was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Crime victim advocates ask for $4 million

DES MOINES -- Crime victim advocates including Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said Wednesday that domestic and sexual abuse assistance programs across the state will have to shut down or combine services if the Legislature doesn't provide at least $4 million in funding.

During a news conference at the Capitol, Miller said the state has helped fund victim service programs for about 30 years. However, during the last round of major budget shortfalls in 2002, lawmakers eliminated the funding for community-based domestic assault and sexual abuse victim services.

Since then, officials have raided the Victim Compensation Fund -- a state fund which pays for out-of-pocket expenses, such as medical treatment and burial, to victims of violent crimes -- to help pay for the other programs.

Miller said the fund is depleted and cannot continue to provide the money needed to help operate the state's 31 domestic assault and sexual assault programs for the next fiscal year.