County

Hyde convicted of second-degree murder in beating death

Published 5/19/2023 3:42:10 PM

A Polk County jury convicted Tony Hyde, 53, of second-degree murder on Friday for the beating death of another Des Moines man in September 2021. 

A Polk County deputy and other witnesses saw Hyde assault Timothy G. Thacker, 63, of Des Moines near Hubbell Avenue and Highway 65 on Sept. 21, 2021. Thacker died a few days later. Hyde was initially charged with willful injury and later, first-degree murder.  

Hyde and Thacker had both lived at a camp at 4920 Hubbell Ave. Hyde had previously lived in Columbia, Mo.  

Second-degree murder carries a sentence of 50 years in prison, and the defendant must serve 35 years before he is eligible for parole.  

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Polk County Attorneys Amanda Johnson and Kevin Hathaway, with the assistance of Lindsay Scott and Kayla McKee. The case was investigated by Detective Gretchen Hays of the Des Moines Police Department and assisted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Department and the Altoona Police Department.