Girlfriend of teen fatally shot in drug robbery can’t identify shooter

CEDAR RAPIDS — Mia Updegraff testified Wednesday she had a bad feeling about a drug deal her boyfriend, Cristian Upah, 17, made over Snapchat on May 10, 2023, with a teen he knew from school.

The buyer, later identified as Keyun McGowan, 17 at the time — who Updegraff didn’t know and only knew as “Jackson” — wanted several vape cartridges of marijuana. She said Upah was concerned about getting ripped off.

They had just come back from a marijuana dispensary in Illinois and had about $150 in cash and several cartridges, said Updegraff, 19, who was the first witness in McGowan’s first-degree murder trial that started Tuesday in Linn County District Court.

McGowan also is charged with two counts of robbery, and one charge each of going armed with intent, assault while displaying a weapon and use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime.

The prosecution continues its case Thursday.

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Updegraff said Upah, who called the person he was communicating with on Snapchat, Jackson, told the buyer he wouldn’t get the cartridges until he put the money in Upah’s hands or sent it through a cash app.

Jackson told Upah to meet him at 3531 Oakland Rd. in northeast Cedar Rapids. Updegraff, who was driving Upah, parked behind a duplex and Jackson got in the back seat, directly behind Updegraff.

Updegraff testified she never saw his face. She described him as being Black, “very skinny,” and wearing a black hoodie with a graphic design and black jeans.

Jackson first told them to drive to Hy-Vee down the street, Updegraff said. They saw police as they drove in the gas station at Hy-Vee and then drove back to the duplex and stayed in the driveway entrance area.

Updegraff said Jackson told them to give him their “stuff” and Upah said they didn’t have anything. Upah asked him not to rob them.

Jackson pointed a gun at Upah and then to Updegraff’s head and told Upah he would “blow her brains out” if Upah didn’t give him money and cartridges.

Upah then “jumped” in the back seat and they started fighting. The backdoor opened and they fell out and continued to fight. Updegraff testified Upah told her to “Grab the gun, grab the gun,” but she couldn’t find it.

Updegraff also got out of the car and started punching Jackson, she said. That’s when she heard the shot and Jackson ran away.

Upah was face down on the ground and was holding his chest, Updegraff said. She called his mom and then called 911.

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The 911 call was played for the jury during Updegraff’s testimony. On the recording, she was crying and yelled more than once “CJ,” which is what she called Upah, when he became unconscious.

The dispatcher told her to roll him over on his back and apply pressure to the wound. She didn’t think he was breathing.

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She said it was the “worst thing in the world” seeing her boyfriend killed. She didn’t know what to do and was upset and scared.

Updegraff said multiple times during her testimony that she didn’t see the shooter’s face because he had the hood pulled over his head and it covered his face from her view. It also was dark outside.

She did see the gun, but admitted she didn’t know anything about guns. She described it as small and it had a “red dot” — laser — on it that she saw when he first pointed it at Upah.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier showed her photos of McGowan pointing a black gun, which had a laser on it, and Updegraff said it looked like what she saw that night.

The shooter held it in his right hand, Updegraff said.

Updegraff admitted she didn’t initially tell police the robbery was over marijuana and that she and Upah were selling marijuana cartridges because she didn’t want to get them into trouble. She first said they were selling X-box units.

The next morning when she found out Upah had died, she told the truth.

She also said she had the shooter’s cellphone, which she found outside the car after the shooting and threw it because she was angry.

Patrick McMullen, McGowan’s lawyer, on cross, questioned how she never saw the shooter’s face, but she said she didn’t.

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Friend testifies McGowan told him he’d shot Upah

A 17-year-old who testified that McGowan was his best friend — more like a brother — said McGowan told him two days later that he’d shot Upah while trying to steal money and marijuana from him.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Chad Kepros ruled the media could not use the teen’s name, take photos, or use audio from his testimony because he’s a juvenile.

The 17-year-old said he wasn’t happy about having to testify because he didn’t want to see McGowan in this situation.

He said McGowan purchased a handgun, Glock 43X 9 mm, from another person about a month of two before Upah’s fatal shooting. The teen said he helped McGowan pay for the gun. McGowan used the gun most of the time, but the teen admitted he also used it on occasion.

McGowan kept it with him because the 17-year-old has younger siblings at his house and he said it wouldn’t be safe there.

The teen testified the gun was charcoal black or dark gray in color and had a flashlight and laser attached to it. He said it was a smaller gun.

The prosecution showed photos of McGowan holding the Glock, which was identified as his by the teen.

The teen said McGowan talked to him on May 12 while they were in a car in the parking lot on the last day of school last year. The teen said McGowan told him that he and Upah got into a fight for a gun and McGowan shot Upah.

According to the teen, McGowan said he planned to rob Upah of money and “weed.” McGowan shot Upah with McGowan’s gun, the teen said.

According to testimony, the teen said McGowan told him he didn’t have the gun after the shooting. His cousin took it apart in pieces.

The teen said McGowan also didn’t have his cellphone, saying it was dropped and broke outside of the house on Oakland Road, where the shooting happened.

The teen also admitted that he had initially not been truthful with police or in a deposition, but he later told them about McGowan being the shooter.

He said he was trying to protect his friend.

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