Northwest Iowa man pleads not guilty to attempted murder and arson

HULL, Iowa (KTIV) – A man has pleaded not guilty to stabbing and setting fire to a house in Hull, Iowa.

Jorge Gomez-Badillo, 28, of Hull, Iowa, pleaded not guilty Thursday, Oct. 24, to charges including attempted murder and burglary, according to court documents.

As previously reported, these charges stem from an incident that occurred on Monday, October 14 in Halle.

The incident happened at 3:30 p.m., when the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office received several 911 calls about a disturbance. The riot took place on the streets of 5th St. and Division St. in Hull, Iowa.

Sioux County deputies arrived to a report of a disturbance involving three people. Two of those people were stabbed and taken to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.

Gomez-Badillo allegedly entered the victims’ home and injured them. He then allegedly chased the two victims outside the home where he continued to assault them.

It is reported that a 3-year-old child was also in the house at the time of the incident.

Before the injuries were reported, authorities say Gomez-Badillo went live on Facebook, where viewers could see smoke in the background of the video broadcast. Authorities later learned that Gomez-Badillo had set his home on fire.

In addition, according to law enforcement, Gomez-Badillo was hostile to law enforcement and medical assistance throughout the investigation.

He was later convicted and remains in the Sioux County Jail.

Gomez-Badillo faces eleven charges and has pleaded not guilty to all of them. The full list is below:

Two attempted murders
Burglary of the first degree
Second degree arson
Two counts of assault while participating in a crime
Two counts of willful bodily harm resulting in grievous bodily harm
Interference with official actions
Possession of a controlled substance
Possession of cannabidiol (THC oil)

Court documents also state that he waived his right to a speedy trial.