Officials Dispel Rumor That Isaiah Sweet is No Longer in Custody

By Christy Aumer & Katie Wiedemann, Reporters

Sheriff officers lead Isaiah Sweet into the Clayton County Courthouse in Elkader, Iowa Tuesday May 15, 2012 for his initial appearance.Sweet is being charged for killing his grandparents Richard and Janet Sweet of Manchester, Iowa on Friday May 11. (AP/Dubuque Telegraph Herald/ Pool)

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Feb 15, 2013 at 12:44 PM CDT

Story Updated: Feb 15, 2013 at 1:28 PM CDT

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa - Rumors that Isaiah Sweet was released from custody have been proven false by officials Friday morning.

The 17-year-old from Manchester was charged with two counts of first-degree murder last May for the death of his grandparents, Rick and Janet Sweet.

Buchanan County Jail Administrator Russell West said Sweet is still in custody, and has been in isolation for about three days because of an altercation involving another inmate. West said he won’t be in isolation for more than 10 days.

According to Sweet’s Facebook account, he updated his cover photo around 1 a.m., and around 4 a.m. he became “friends” with 10 people. A recent post on Isaiah Sweet's Facebook page said Sweet was happy to finally be out of jail and that he couldn't wait to party.

West said Sweet’s last visitor was his mother, Stacy Sweet, on May 22.

Delaware County Sheriff John LeClere said he received several calls Friday morning about the whereabouts of Sweet, but confidently said he was still in custody. Sheriff LeClere added he remains in a single cell in Buchanan County, and not Delaware County, because the jail is full.

“Somebody may have hacked his Facebook account, he may have given his password to someone,” Sheriff LeClere said. “It’s hard to say how it happened.”

LeClere said Sweet does not have access to any social media in jail.