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Marion teen guilty of first-degree murder in 2023 shooting death
Linn County jury deliberated about one hour Monday before returning verdict
CEDAR RAPIDS — A Marion teenager has been found guilty of killing another teenager during an attempted robbery last year.
A Linn County jury deliberated for about an hour Monday before returning a verdict of guilty on all charges faced by Keyun McGowan, 18.
McGowan was 17 on May 10, 2023, when he fatally shot Cristian Upah, 17, of Marion. McGowan was attempting to rob Upah and his girlfriend, Mia Updegraff, of money and marijuana vape cartridges at gunpoint on 3531 Oakland Rd. NE in Cedar Rapids.
Updegraff, 19, testified last week that she had a bad feeling about a drug deal arrangement Upah made over Snapchat with a teen he knew from school. Upah and Updegraff met with the buyer.
Shortly after getting in the car with Upah and Updegraff, the buyer 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.
Updegraff testified that Upah and the buyer started fighting inside the car, and continued outside the car until Updegraff heard a gunshot and the buyer ran away.
During testimony, she said she could not identify McGowan as the shooter.
Witnesses at the scene testified they saw McGowan — who they knew — run into the house after the gunshot. A 17-year-old friend of McGowan, whose name could not be used by media because he’s a juvenile, testified that McGowan told him he’d shot Upah.
A police investigator testified about video showing Updegraff and Upah driving around before the shooting with a third person dressed as McGowan was.
McGowan was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree 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.
He was found guilty of all charges.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 24. First-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison, but McGowan will have a chance at parole because he was 17 at the time of the slaying.
The prosecution rested its case Friday morning, and the defense didn’t call any witnesses. Closing arguments wrapped up about 4:30 p.m. Friday and 6th Judicial District Judge Chad Kepros sent the jurors home for the weekend. They returned Monday at 9 a.m. to begin deliberations.
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