(Stuart) The man accused of shooting and injuring an Iowa State Patrol trooper and killing a woman in Stuart is pleading not guilty.
Austin Reed is accused of shooting and killing Toni Elena-Ann Salazar at a Stuart home on August 18. He’s also charged with shooting and injuring Iowa State Trooper Chase Carruthers, who was the first to respond to the scene.
Reed is pleading not guilty to four charges, including murder and attempted murder of a peace officer. He is being held without bond at the Adair County Jail.
On August 18, 2026, at 3:35 p.m., law enforcement officers were dispatched to a report of shots fired in the 200 block of SW 6th Street in Stuart, Iowa. Responding officers included those from the Stuart Police Department, the Adair and Guthrie County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Iowa State Patrol. Upon their arrival, they located a deceased adult female identified as Toni Elena-Ann Salazar outside the address.
According to the report, Iowa State Trooper Chase Carruthers was among the first to arrive. A short time later, Trooper Carruthers encountered an adult male, identified as 46-year-old Austin Nichols Reed, armed with a shotgun. During the encounter, Trooper Carruthers was allegedly shot by Reed. Other officers took Reed into custody without further incident.
