Man arrested in Davenport for two fatal Cedar Rapids shootings in January

CEDAR RAPIDS — U.S. Marshals have arrested a man in Davenport who is being charged with two killings that occurred within 24 hours of each other in January in Cedar Rapids.

Kazius Jarekaiser Childress, 20, was arrested and faces charges in the fatal shootings of Cordal R. Lewis, 19, and Kavon I. Johnson, 22, on Jan. 27 and 28, Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks told The Gazette.

According to criminal complaints, Childress is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of going armed with intent.

Lewis was fatally shot Jan. 27 in the 300 block of 31st Street Drive SE, according to a complaint. Police found his body at 2:39 p.m. with one or more gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.

A subsequent investigation revealed Lewis had been at 309 31st St. Dr. SE with other individuals, and the murder weapon was found during a search at that home, the complaint stated.

Investigators were recently provided surveillance video from the home that showed Lewis was shot by Childress. The video showed Lewis running away as Childress shot several times at him.

The second complaint states Kavon I. Johnson, 22, was found dead Jan. 28 at 7:25 a.m. in the parking lot of Cedar Valley Park, 2250 Blakely Blvd. SE. The cause of death appeared to be gunshot wounds.

Further investigation and surveillance video showed Johnson had been at the Kum & Go, 1420 Mount Vernon Rd. SE, in a vehicle with Childress within minutes of another video and audio clip that showed a vehicle matching the same description entering Cedar Valley Park and multiple gunshots being fired.

Childress admitted being present a the scene when Johnson was shot, according to the complaint. He was also recently identified by a witness as the person who shot and killed Johnson.

The complaints don’t provide a motive or the connection, if any, between the two victims or Childress.

Maybanks said his office believes there are individuals that have more information of the facts and circumstances of both shootings and wants to encourage those individuals to come forward and cooperate with the police.

The U.S. Marshals Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force became involved when Cedar Rapids police investigators contacted them May 12, asking for assistance in finding Childress, according to a U.S. Marshals news release. By the next day, marshals developed information indicating Childress was no longer in Cedar Rapids and began to follow leads and coordinated with the fugitive task force of the Southern District of Iowa.

The combined task forces helped narrowed the search to an address in the 7000 block of Hillandale Road in Davenport. Tuesday afternoon, marshals identified Childress as he was getting out of a vehicle and going into a home. The marshals with the assistance of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and the Davenport Police Department, shortly after 5 p.m., took Childress into custody without incident.

Childress was taken to the Scott County Jail.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com