Trial for man accused of killing Iowa City cabdriver set for April 9 in Scott County

IOWA CITY - The trial for a man accused of killing an Iowa City cabdriver in June will start April 9 in Scott County District Court.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Chad Kepros previously ruled moving the trial of Curtis C. Jones, 41, out of Johnson County based on extensive pretrial publicity. Kepros said at the last hearing the trial would be reset based on the other county's schedule.

Jones is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Ricky Lillie, 46. He also is facing first-degree robbery charges. If convicted, he faces life in prison without parole on the murder charge and 25 years on the robbery charge.

Iowa City police said Jones entered Lillie's cab sometime around 11 p.m. on June 27 in Iowa City. Lillie drove Jones non-stop to the 500 block of Ernest Street on the south side of town. Authorities allege Jones then shot Lillie in the head. Lillie's body was discovered during the early morning hours of June 28.

The next hearing for Jones is Nov. 17,m at which time his lawyers will ask the court to suppress statements made to police by Jones when they questioned him about another homicide - that of bail bondsman Jonathan Wieseler, 34, who was found shot to death April 23 at Lederman Bail Bonds in Iowa City.

Jones has not been arrested in connection with that fatal shooting, and police previously said they have not 'officially” named Jones as a suspect in that investigation.

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com