Cedar Rapids man sentenced to 25 years for 2023 fatal shooting in drug deal

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man was sentenced last week to 25 years for fatally shooting another man during an argument over a drug deal in 2023.

Paris Michael Diamond, 23, originally charged with first-degree murder, pleaded in August in Linn County District Court to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Valerie Clay, during sentencing last Friday, ran all the convictions consecutively for up to 25 years in prison.

Diamond’s other charge of first-degree robbery was dismissed Friday as part of the plea agreement.

Clay also ordered Diamond to pay victim restitution of $150,000 to heirs of the victim, Mohammad Tawfik.

Diamond, during his plea in August, admitted to intentionally shooting Tawfik, 22, as a result of a “sudden, violent and irresistible passion caused by serious provocation” on Jan. 8, 2023. He and Tawfik were in an argument over a drug deal, and Diamond shot him twice inside the vehicle. Diamond also admitted to being armed and having a specific intent to cause injury.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier previously said this case evolved over time as authorities got more information and evidence that showed the shooting happened during an argument but that no robbery was involved, as investigators initially believed.

Schier said the facts of the case justify the voluntary manslaughter charge.

Charges of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery for another man, Jeremiah Coop, 23, who was accused of being a lookout for Diamond, were dismissed in August.

Coop, Diamond’s cousin, happened to be “in the wrong place at the wrong time” and wasn’t involved in this incident, Schier said after Diamond’s plea hearing.

According to a criminal complaint, Tawfik had been texting Diamond just before they planned to meet at Eagle’s Point Apartments at 5504 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, where Diamond would buy drugs from Tawfik.

A witness at the scene told police that Tawfik and another man had been shouting at each other, and the other man approached Tawfik’s vehicle before Tawfik attempted to drive away. Tawfik, after being shot, then drove off the road in the 5600 block of Kirkwood Blvd. SW.

Police found an “SS” emblem that appeared to have fallen off a car in the area where the shooter was believed to have parked before the incident. Diamond had a 2008 Chevrolet Impala SS registered in his name. When police found the vehicle at the address where it was registered, the SS emblem was missing on one side.

Officers obtained a search warrant at the address and they said they found a Taurus G3 9 mm pistol that matched two shell casings that were found inside Tawfik’s car.

There was also a large amount of marijuana in a backpack in Tawfik’s car, the complaint stated.

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