Man who killed 2 outside church faced harassment case

A man who fatally shot two women before killing himself in the parking lot of an Iowa church had been romantically involved with one of the women and faced a court hearing next week on a charge of harassing her, investigators said Friday.

Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, of Boone, pulled up in a pickup truck to 22-year-old Eden Montang, 21-year-old Vivian Flores and another woman just before 7 p.m. Thursday outside Cornerstone Church on the outskirts of Ames and began shooting with a 9 mm handgun, they said.

Montang and Flores were killed, Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said, and Whitlatch shot himself. The women were friends and students at Iowa State University who were walking together to the church for a weekly service that is popular with university and high school students, the sheriff said. Whitlatch and Montang had recently broken up, Fitzgerald said, and investigators believe Whitlach's intent was to kill her.

“He was there for a specific purpose, which he accomplished,” the sheriff said.

About 80 other students were inside the megachurch at the time, Fitzgerald said. The church is near Interstate 35, about 30 miles north of Des Moines.

“Our hearts break for all involved, and we are praying for everyone affected, especially the family of the victims,” the church said in the statement. The church held a prayer service for the victims Friday morning.

Whitlatch — who had a long history with law enforcement involving women — was arrested May 31 on counts of harassment and impersonating a police officer.

Details of the allegations against Whitlatch weren't immediately available, Story County Capt. Nicholas Lennie said.