Man Left Pregnant Woman’s Slain Body in Shopping Cart Outside his Apartment, then Went to Las Vegas: Police

A 51-year-old man from Iowa has been charged with the brutal murder of a 38-year-old pregnant woman, Brittany Hopkins, who was allegedly beaten to death, wrapped in a comforter, and discarded in a shopping cart. Donnie White, now facing charges of first-degree murder and nonconsensual termination of a pregnancy, was apprehended in Las Vegas in late March after an extensive investigation.

Discovery of the Body and Initial Investigation

On February 28, 2023, at approximately 8:32 a.m., authorities in Cedar Rapids responded to a report of a deceased individual outside an apartment complex on Westdale Drive SW. Upon arrival, first responders found the body of an adult woman, later identified as Hopkins. The scene was immediately secured, and investigators began working to determine the cause of death. Three days later, the Cedar Rapids Police Department confirmed that Hopkins’ death was being treated as a homicide. As the investigation unfolded, detectives began to suspect Donnie White, who had been in a relationship with Hopkins. They reached out to the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force on March 14 to help track him down.

White’s Escape and Capture in Las Vegas

Authorities learned that White had fled the state shortly after the murder, and they worked with the U.S. Marshals Nevada Violent Offender Task Force to locate him. By March 30, they had narrowed their search to Las Vegas. At around 3 p.m., officers located White and, after a brief standoff, he surrendered without incident. White was taken into custody and held without bond as he awaited extradition to Iowa.

Details of the Crime and Evidence Against White

An autopsy revealed that Hopkins had died from blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators soon learned that her body had been discarded in a shopping cart, covered with a white blanket, wrapped in black electrical tape, and hidden under bags of trash. Surveillance footage placed White with Hopkins days before the body was discovered. A local tipster informed investigators that White had physically assaulted Hopkins just days before her death.

Further investigation into White’s apartment revealed disturbing evidence. Investigators found what appeared to be wheel marks leading from White’s apartment to the exit and noted blood spatter on the walls and bleach on the rug. A hammer with blood and human hair was recovered, and a bloody handprint in the apartment was identified as White’s. Surveillance footage also showed White pushing an empty cart into his apartment on February 27 and returning with a full one about 30 minutes later, heading in the direction where Hopkins’ body was found.

Current Legal Proceedings

White was extradited to Iowa on Sunday, March 31, and is now being held in the Linn County Jail on a $2.5 million cash-only bond. His arrest and subsequent charges mark a grim end to an investigation into a brutal murder that not only claimed the life of a young woman but also the life of her unborn child. As the case moves through the legal system, authorities continue to piece together the disturbing details surrounding this tragic crime.