Medical examiner for Petties trial: Gunshots, not other injuries, killed pair in 2014

Sierrah Simmons died from a gunshot wound to her head and Quintrell Perkins from a gunshot wound to his upper chest, an Iowa state medical examiner testified Tuesday in the murder trial of Kendu Petties.

Petties is accused of shooting the pair in a southeast Cedar Rapids home in 2014.

Dr. Michele Catellier, an associate state medical examiner and forensic pathologist from Ankeny, said Simmons, 20, and Perkins, 22, had other cuts or scrapes on their bodies, but those injuries didn't cause their deaths.

Catellier said the other injuries probably probably were a result of falling after being shot. Perkins had two other smaller 'grazing” bullet wounds on his thigh.

Petties, 33, of Cedar Rapids, is charged with conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and two counts of first-degree murder. He is accused of fatally shooting Perkins and Simmons on April 2, 2014, while they baby-sat in the home of Perkins' father at 1708 4th Ave. SE.

According to testimony, which started Thursday, Petties fired 11 times at the house. Perkins and Simmons were not the targets, prosecutors allege. They happened to be at the house with two other people and two children. No one else was harmed.

The defense contends Petties wasn't the shooter that night.

The prosecution continues its case 9 a.m. today in Linn County District Court.

Catellier said Perkins' autopsy shows one bullet enter his upper chest, near the clavicle, penetrating the bone and then perforated the left carotid artery - a few inches from the heart. The bullet then perforated the esophagus and was recovered in his stomach.

According to testimony last week, Perkins was sitting on a living room sofa, facing the front of the house, where the bullets were fired.

The jurors saw autopsy photos during Catellier's testimony.

Catellier said the injuries were consistent with how the shots were fired from the outside of the house.

First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks asked whether it is possible that Perkins stood up or moved after being shot. According to testimony last week, Perkins stood and then tried to crawl away before collapsing.

Catellier said that would have been be possible for Perkins but not for Simmons. Her 'head/upper neck” wound was instantly fatal, he said.

Simmons was sitting on a sofa with her back to the front of the house and directly across from Perkins, according to testimony last week. Her friend was seated beside her and Perkins girlfriend was sitting beside him.

In earlier testimony, Ashley Pennington said she and her boyfriend, Bruce Williams, who testified last week, picked up Petties that night close to 10 p.m. and drove to the area of the Perkins home. She didn't know who lived there, only that two men, Ken Fonville and Joseph Perkins, were known to hang out there and they had jumped Williams a few weeks before.

Pennington said Petties told Williams 'he” or 'we” would take care of them after Joseph Perkins sucker punched Williams.

After they parked in an alley, a black car pulled up behind Pennington's car and Petties got out and went back to that car and then went down the alley, Pennington said. She then heard several gunshot, and Petties then walked back to the car.

On cross examination, Pennington admitted she initially lied to police and the county attorney beause she was scared of retribution from Petties and Williams.

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