A preliminary investigation indicated the shootings "stemmed from a domestic-related dispute," the Muscatine Police Department said in a statement.
Police were called to a home in Muscatine, where they found four people fatally shot, Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies said during a news conference.
Officers later found the suspect, 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland, of Muscatine, on a trail in the city, Kies said.
"While talking to Ryan Willis McFarland, he took his own life," he said.
Two other men who also are believed to be relatives of McFarland were later found fatally shot elsewhere in the city, according to Kies
One man was found in his home and the other was discovered dead inside a business, he said.
Authorities have yet to release the names of the victims and any details about them.
"Today I simply do not have the words," Kies said. "This act of evil and what it has done to our community."
The city's police department is continuing to investigate the shootings, working to process the crime scenes and conduct interviews.
Kies confirmed McFarland had a criminal record, but wouldn't share any details.
with AP
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