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‘What kind of monster are you,’ grieving mother of Kavon Johnson asks killer
Judge runs Kazius Childress 50-year sentence consecutively to 50 years for Cordal Lewis’ slaying
Oct. 25, 2024 5:47 pm, Updated: Oct. 25, 2024 6:21 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A grieving mother said “my heart is completely shattered” by the loss of her “sonshine,” Kavon Johnson, 22, “who had so much love to give to the world.”
“What kind of monster are you?” Lakisha Smith, sobbing, said in her victim impact statement to her son’s killer, Kazius Childress, 23, of Cedar Rapids, who was sentenced Friday to 50 years in prison.
“Every day, this is what my mind is constantly thinking about,” she said. “I will always have to live with the loss of my sonshine. I think about Kavon every day and what happened to my happy, bubbly, energetic son. How could you have been so cruel and heartless?”
Smith, who became more upset as her statement continued, said she couldn’t accept her son’s death. She looks for her “baby” and has waited many nights for him to walk through the door since he was fatally shot Jan. 28, 2022.
Smith said her son was a “great” basketball player in high school and helped his team win championships. He was a loving uncle to his niece and nephews. He protected her and his sisters, Kiaira and Kavonya.
Because of his death, she will never be able to see him get married and have that son-and-mother dance. She won’t get to hold his child.
Smith then asked Pam Lovette -- mother of Cordal Lewis, who Childress fatally shot the day before Johnson, on Jan. 27, 2022 -- to join her next to the judge’s bench as she finished her statement.
She wanted Childress to see the “pain you have caused not only one mother, but two.”
Smith asked 6th Judicial District Judge Christopher Bruns to sentence Childress and run this 50-year sentence consecutively with his 50-year sentence he received for killing Cordal Lewis, 19.
She ended her statement with an emotional video of her son, showing his life over the years with his family and friends.
Johnson’s sister, Kiaira Murphy, in her statement read by a survivor’s advocate, said she will always miss her “best friend, no matter how far away you are (and) will always love you and remember every memory. I hope your soul is at rest now.”
Mesh hood
Childress didn’t seem to have any reaction during the family’s statements, but it was difficult to see his face because he was wearing a spit hood made of a white mesh material.
After the hearing, Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks told The Gazette the Linn County Sheriff’s Office had informed him Childress was overheard on a phone call from jail that he was going to hit or spit on Maybanks if he got consecutive sentences. Jail phone calls are recorded, and deputies took precautions and made Childress wear the spit hood.
During the sentencing hearing, Todd Weimer and Adrian Haughton, Childress’ lawyers, advocated for concurrent sentences in the murders, asking the judge consider the terrible home life of Childress, who lacked support and guidance since he was a young child and was in foster care. His parents or guardians had been incarcerated much of his life.
Haughton said running the sentences consecutively is “more (time) than necessary to achieve the sentencing goals.”
Weimer said Childress, in private with him, had expressed remorse and regret for his actions.
Childress declined to make any statement in court.
‘Cold, malicious’
During the hearing, Maybanks recommended consecutive sentences because the murders were separate and distinct offenses. Childress killed Johnson because Johnson had witnessed Childress fatally shooting Lewis, he said. Trial testimony indicated Childress intended to rob Lewis.
Maybanks said Childress fired repeatedly at Johnson, with 10 bullets striking Johnson’s torso, chest, stomach, hip, thigh and back.
The shooting, he said, was “cold and malicious.”
“Today, the last chapter was closed on the tragic murders of Cordal Lewis and Kavon Johnson that rocked Linn County on January 27 and 28 of 2022,” Maybanks said after the hearing.
“Everyone responsible for these crimes have been sentenced to prison. I’d like to recognize the steadfast dedication to justice of the Cedar Rapids Police Department. It was an honor to work alongside them to bring these families justice and, finally, closure. Our hearts are with them today.”
Sentencing
Judge Bruns ran the sentences consecutively, in which Childress must serve a mandatory minimum of 35 years on each conviction before being eligible for parole.
Childress leaned his head back, and Weimer, his lawyer, reached over to stop any movement from him as the judge said the sentences would run consecutively.
Bruns said Johnson’s slaying wasn’t an “isolated incident” and that Childress, during his guilty plea to second-degree murder, admitted he killed Johnson because Johnson had seen Childress kill Lewis. If Johnson hadn’t been present, Johnson would still be alive.
“He committed two cold-blooded murders,” Bruns said. “He took the lives of two people, but for his actions would be alive today.”
Childress also was ordered Childress to pay $150,000 in restitution to Johnson’s heirs or estate.
As the deputies led Childress from the courtroom, while his family and friends and Johnson’s and Lewis’ family and friends were still in the room, Childress cursed the victims and said he would desecrate their graves.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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