LINN COUNTY, Iowa — The Linn County cold case murder suspect now has court-appointed counsel, court documents say. He was found through DNA testing more than four decades after a man was found beaten and shot to death.
Michael Schappert, 64, is charged with first-degree murder and was arrested in Oregon more than 2 weeks ago. Ronald Novak, 24, was found dead Christmas Eve morning in 1983 at his home on Rolling Acres Road in Linn County.
Investigators believe Schappert and others likely went to the home to rob Novak of money and marijuana…