BREAKING: Former Charles City Resident Found Guilty of Murdering New Hampton Man

A former Charles City resident has been found guilty of killing a New Hampton man just over a year ago.

27-year-old Sayvonne Jordan was charged with first-degree murder, a Class A felony; and abuse of a corpse, a Class C felony; in the death of 30-year-old Jonathan Esparza on October 20, 2022. Esparza’s remains were found during a search of Jordan’s Elma residence November 30, 2022. 

Jordan pleaded not guilty and his trial started last Wednesday, November 1, in Howard County District Court. Wednesday, a jury found him guilty on both counts.

No sentencing date has been set.

It’s not the end of court proceedings for Jordan, who also faces a January 4th trial in Howard County on a pair of drug trafficking charges after over 250 grams of marijuana were also found during the search that discovered Esparza’s remains.. 

Jordan also has a December 7th trial date in Bremer County from his arrest last December for driving while barred and possession of marijuana. It was about a month after that incident Jordan was arrested and charged with Esparza’s murder.

Jordan has been held in the Howard County Jail in Cresco since.