Cedar Rapids man charged with killing delivery driver gave inconsistent stories to police

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cameron Armad Leonard told two Cedar Rapids police investigators, after he fatally shot a DoorDash delivery driver, that the driver was the aggressor who killed his brother, stemming from a previous conflict involving his sister.

Leonard said as soon the driver, Myron Snyder, saw his brother, Maurice Brown, Snyder started shooting at him and Leonard. Leonard came with Brown as “back up” to pick up Brown’s order.

“I shot back, so I wouldn’t die,” Leonard, 26, of Cedar Rapids, told the investigators in an audio recorded interview that was played for jurors Monday during the second week of Leonard’s first-degree murder trial.

However, Investigator Martin Devore testified Leonard made statements that were inconsistent with the evidence and surveillance video of the deadly incident on Oct. 5, 2023. In a second interview, Leonard changed some of his statements and repeatedly said he didn’t remember and it was “a blur.”

Leonard, besides first degree murder, also is charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent, use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime, and being a person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon.

The prosecution is set to rest Tuesday and the defense will start its case.

A prosecutor, during his opening last week, said Snyder, 21, of Cedar Rapids, was “ambushed and surrounded” by Leonard and Brown and fatally shot Brown in self-defense — before he was killed by Leonard.

Leonard is claiming defense of himself and his brother.

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Devore said the first interview with Leonard — who had gunshot injuries — was after he’d undergone surgery, but Leonard was “alert and cooperative” at the hospital during the questioning. Police still were reviewing video footage, before it was enhanced, and attempting to find out what happened after Snyder dropped off the delivery.

Snyder dropped off the delivery at 8:16 p.m. Oct. 5, 2023 at Brown’s apartment, 3690 Sherman St. NE, Apt. 4, according DoorDash information given to police.

Leonard said he didn’t know Snyder, but Brown knew him from Washington High School and from an earlier conflict when Snyder wanted to date the brothers’ sister, which Leonard and Brown wouldn’t allow. Leonard said he and Brown had an argument with Snyder over the phone, about two months before the shooting.

Leonard and Brown were at their mother’s apartment across the parking lot on the night of the shooting, according to surveillance video. They were playing games with family members, including stepdad Pierre Morrow, who took Leonard’s gun after the shooting. Brown ordered food and had it delivered to his apartment — not his mom’s — because he was headed home.

Brown recognized Snyder’s name when Snyder accepted the order for delivery, Leonard said. The brothers decided to “proceed with caution” and Leonard went with Brown in case there was trouble.

Leonard said Snyder recognized Brown after he exited the apartment building when they met on sidewalk. Snyder and Brown got into a fight and Leonard said Snyder pistol whipped Brown. When Brown was on the ground, Snyder tried to shoot him in the face, Leonard said.

Snyder was shooting at Brown from inside the car, Leonard said. He also said Snyder tried to hit Leonard with his car when he backed out of the parking space.

Devore, after the audio interview was played, testified that a DoorDash driver can’t see the customer’s name until the order is accepted, and then it’s only a first name and address. A customer can see the driver’s name and GPS location of the driver after an order is accepted.

Leonard, during the police interview, admitted he pointed his gun at Snyder’s car but didn’t say Brown fired first, as shown in the surveillance video.

An investigator asked Leonard how close he was to Snyder when Leonard started shooting but he said he didn’t know because he was “running.”

Leonard also denied shooting Snyder when Snyder was on the ground.

Autopsies show multiple gunshot injuries

In other testimony Monday, Dr. Kelly Kruse, an associate Iowa State Medical Examiner and forensic pathologist who performed the autopsies on Snyder and Brown, testified about their multiple gunshot injuries. Cause of death for both was gunshot injuries and manner of death is homicide for both men.

Brown had seven gunshot wounds — one each to the head, neck and chest, Kruse said. He had a gunshot injury to the left side of his head, just behind the ear. The bullet was found in his right frontal lobe. There is no evidence this shot was fired at close range, but it was a fatal wound.

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The neck wound was to the upper left side. It was an “irregular” wound, meaning the bullet may have struck and passed thought something before striking Brown. It wasn’t at close range but was a fatal injury, Kruse said.

The chest injury, also a fatal injury, was near his arm pit area on the left side, Kruse said. The bullet was found in his chest cavity, injuring ribs and lungs. It could have happened while he was leaning over, she said.

Brown also had gunshots to his right and left arms.

Snyder’s autopsy showed he had six gunshot injuries to his head and torso. He had a gunshot to the left upper side of the head and the bullet exited on the right side. There was “soot” presence on the wound, which is consistent with a close range shot, within a few inches, Kruse said.

This shot was fatal, Kruse said. It would have an immediate effect and cause Snyder to be incapacitated.

Snyder also had three gunshot wounds to the left side of his chest, injuring his heart and aorta, both lungs and spine. Kruse said this was also a fatal injury. He also was shot in his left mid-back.

Both men also had blunt force injuries, along with cuts and abrasions, to their arms and legs, which are consistent with being struck by a fist or feet.

Brown didn’t have any blunt force injuries to his face or head from an object, such as a metal object or gun, Kruse said.

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