By Courtney Fiorini, Mason City Globe Gazette

A north Iowa man guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder will be sentenced Sept. 12.

Peter Veal, 31, Lake Mills, was scheduled for sentencing on Friday, but it was continued.

The mandatory sentence in Iowa for first-degree murder is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Mindy Kavars died of a gunshot wound to the throat shortly after 2 a.m. Nov. 17 at a residence in the 1600 block of North Hampshire Avenue in Mason City. Caleb Christensen died of multiple stab wounds.

Police said Veal committed those crimes and attempted to kill Ron Willis, who was also in the house. Willis testified Veal pointed a gun at his head and pulled the trigger, but the gun didn’t fire.

The trial, which was moved to Webster County due to publicity, began July 10.

The sentencing hearing will be at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Cerro Gordo County Courthouse.