Iowa Teen Who Killed Rapist Returns to Custody After Escape

[UPDATE]: Pieper Lewis, the teen sex trafficking victim charged with killing her rapist, is back in the hands of authorities after reportedly escaping earlier this week, according to KCRG, as of 9:16 p.m. Tuesday evening, November 8.

“Well, Ms. Lewis, this was the second chance you asked for. You don’t get a third. Do you understand that?”

That warning came on September 13 from Polk County judge David M. Porter to now-18-year-old Pieper Lewis, before ordering her to spend five years on probation at the Fresh Start Women's Center in Des Moines.

According to the Des Moines Register, Lewis has apparently decided to test that warning, and now she's likely to learn a lesson. A probation violation reports that at around 6:19 a.m. on Friday, someone left open a door at Fresh Start. An alarm was set off, alerting an officer on duty who then saw Lewis exit the facility. A warrant was also issued for her arrest, and her GPS monitor was always later cut off, likely by her, at some point that day.

As of Sunday afternoon, Lewis was not in custody and the Des Moines Police Department was notified of her escape. The family of her accused rapist, 37-year-old Zachary Brooks was also notified. Lewis pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in June 2020 in the killing of Brooks.

The story made national headlines and the goodwill of the public was on the side of Lewis after her original sentencing, as a GoFundMe page was set up to help her raise $150,000 in legal expenses. According to KCCI, it later surpassed a half million dollars.

Lewis could now face up to 20 years in prison as the probation report asked for her deferred judgment to be revoked and her original sentence imposed.