By Brian Wilson (Radio Iowa)

A judge has set a cash bond of $2 million for the man accused of killing an Algona police officer last week.

Forty-three-year-old Kyle Lou Ricke of Algona is accused of shooting Officer Kevin Cram to death early on Wednesday, September 13th as Cram was attempting to serve a warrant for Ricke’s arrest. Ricke made his initial appearance in Kossuth County District Court this afternoon via video conference and Judge Mark Laddusaw announced he’s seen enough evidence for the case to proceed.

“The court finds, just by its previous review of the complaint, that there’s probably cause to believe that the offense was committed and that the defendant committed the offense, based upon the complaint,” the judge said.

Rickie has been charged with first degree murder and the judge explained the penalty is a sentence of life in prison. “Upon a plea of guilty or a verdict of guilty or a special verdict upon which judgement or conviction of a Class A felony may be rendered, the court shall enter judgement of conviction and shall commit into the custody of the director of the Iowa Department of Corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life,” the judge said as he read state law aloud.

Assistant Iowa Attorney General Scott Brown asked the judge to set a cash only bond of $5 million. “The gun that was used in this case has not been recovered,” Brown said. “Despite law enforcement’s best efforts to search for it, it has not been recovered. I don’t know if it means Mr. Ricke would have access to that gun should he get out of jail, but I think the court should presume that he does.”

Judge Laddusaw settled on $2 million and stipulated it’s cash only, meaning the full amount had to be paid in cash before Rickie could be released. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Friday, September 29 at 1 p.m. in Kossuth County District Court.

Ricke, who was arrested in Minnesota, is being held at the Kossuth County Jail in Algona.