Des Moines man charged with murder for alleged beating death of girlfriend

A Des Moines man was arrested and charged for the alleged beating death of his girlfriend early Friday morning.

Derrick A. Earnest, 60, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 49-year-old Holly Hudson Snowgren, of Pleasant Hill, who police said he was in a "domestic relationship" with, spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek said in a news release. This the city’s third homicide of the year.

Des Moines Police Department officers were dispatched to UnityPoint Health - Iowa Methodist Medical Center, 1200 Pleasant St., to investigate a report of a stabbing victim who arrived at about 2:55 a.m., Parizek said. Further investigation found that Snowgren was injured from blunt force trauma — not a stabbing, he said.

The medical team attempted life-saving efforts but were unsuccessful.

Investigators believe the assault took place in the 1100 block of 14th Place. The Des Moines Police Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit were searching the scene for evidence on early Friday morning.

Investigators found evidence that showed Earnest assaulted his girlfriend, Parizek said. Earnest then drove Snowgren to the hospital about 56 minutes after the assault.

Earnest is being held in the Polk County Jail.

This is the city’s third homicide case of the year. All three have happened in April. Police said more information will be released as soon as it becomes available.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the injuries the victim suffered.

José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines man charged for alleged beating death of girlfriend