DES MOINES, IA – A man and woman from Iowa have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after their convictions in a brutal attack involving the kidnapping and attempted murder of the man’s ex-girlfriend, in what prosecutors called a violent effort to halt a domestic violence case against him.

Jordan Blake Mangum, 42, received a sentence of up to 45 years Friday following his plea to multiple charges, including attempted murder and kidnapping. He must serve more than 22 years before becoming eligible for parole. His accomplice, Jessica Ann Marie Wheeler, 36, was sentenced to 35 years, with eligibility for parole after 17 years.

The charges stem from a harrowing incident on Dec. 2, 2023, authorities said, when Mangum and Wheeler entered the Des Moines home of Luna Cox, Mangum’s former partner. The pair restrained Cox with duct tape, forced her into a minivan, and transported her to Mangum’s residence. She was then taken to a secondary location, where she was subjected to strangulation, had her throat cut, and was run over repeatedly with the van.

Cox, who survived the ordeal, managed to persuade Mangum to leave her at a hospital. Her injuries were severe but not life-threatening.

According to court documents, the attack was motivated by Mangum’s desire to stop Cox from moving forward with a prior domestic assault case against him. About two weeks before the attack, Mangum had been arrested on charges of assaulting Cox. Prosecutors said attempts were made to pressure Cox into dropping the charges, but she refused, prompting the escalation.

Mangum entered what’s known as an Alford plea last month, meaning he did not admit guilt but acknowledged that prosecutors had sufficient evidence for a conviction. Wheeler pleaded guilty to attempted murder and kidnapping.

At sentencing, Cox described over a decade of abuse, stating she endured not just physical violence, but also psychological and emotional manipulation. She told the court the attack was not an act of love, but of control, and detailed her ongoing efforts to regain her life, including therapy and support from friends.

Mangum addressed the court and attempted an apology, struggling to verbalize his remorse. Wheeler, for her part, claimed she acted under Mangum’s influence and professed that their conversations about kidnapping had not been serious before the crime was committed.

The presiding judge, Joseph Seidlin, dismissed both defendants’ explanations, characterizing their actions as premeditated and heinous. He emphasized that both had ample opportunity to halt the violence.

Cox is now raising her and Mangum’s six-year-old son alone. She works in retail while pursuing studies in accounting, determined, she said, not to let her past define her future.

The case has underscored ongoing concerns about victim safety and the persistent dangers individuals face when trying to hold abusers accountable. According to authorities, Mangum and Wheeler will be eligible for parole only after serving substantial portions of their sentences.