116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Cedar Rapids teen turns down another plea in fatal shooting of Michael McCune
Tramontez Lockett’s trial will start Feb. 4
Jan. 24, 2025 4:42 pm, Updated: Jan. 27, 2025 2:28 pm
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids teen — accused of planning with three other teens to kill 16-year-old Michael Alexander McCune in 2023 — turned down a plea offer Friday for the second time and will go to trial Feb. 4.
Tramontez Lockett, 18, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, first-degree theft, and going armed with intent. If convicted, he faces life in prison with the possibility of parole because he was a juvenile on Feb. 18, 2023, when McCune was fatally shot.
Assistant Linn County Attorney Ryan Decker offered Lockett a plea to second-degree murder and an open sentencing. Lockett would have faced up to 50 years and he could argue for probation or no mandatory minimum, which would be up to a judge. Decker said the plea would expire at the conclusion of Friday’s hearing.
Lockett told 6th Judicial District Chief Judge Lars Anderson that he wanted to go to trial, after Anderson explained his options.
Decker and Webb Wassmer, Lockett’s lawyer, said they would be ready for trial on Feb. 4, the date set before Lockett filed notice of his planned plea. The trial is expected to last four to five days in Linn County District Court.
The other teens involved have been convicted for their roles in the “targeted” fatal shooting of McCune over past conflicts stemming from their rival gang affiliations and the time some of them spent together at the State Training School in Eldora.
- Dante Irvin, now 17, of Cedar Rapids, pleaded in June 2023 to first-degree murder as a youthful offender. He was incarcerated at a juvenile facility, and his sentencing was delayed until he turns 18.
- Baynon “BJ” Berry, now 17, of Marion, originally charged with first-degree murder and other charges as an adult, pleaded earlier this month to second-degree murder and his sentencing will be April 28. He faces up to 50 years in prison.
- Devin Gardner, now 19, of Maquoketa, pleaded Thursday to first-degree theft, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and accessory after the fact and will be sentenced Feb. 18. He faces up to 22 years in prison.
According to hearings and criminal complaints in the case, Lockett, who was 16 on Feb. 18, 2023, started the deadly chain of events that night, as he messaged McCune through Snapchat, according to court documents.
Lockett knew McCune was on a home visit from the Eldora training school and arranged to pick up McCune at the Tan Tara Apartments, 1640 F Ave. NW in Cedar Rapids.
Lockett and Gardner, 17 at the time, were identified on a video surveillance as stealing a vehicle earlier in the day and picking up Irvin, 15 at the time, and Berry, 16 at the time, before heading over to the apartments.
When they got to the apartment building and saw McCune, Irvin and Berry started shooting at him, according to court hearings. One of them ran into the apartment building, continuing to shoot at McCune at close range.
Cedar Rapids police found McCune with eight gunshot wounds about 11:30 a.m. Feb. 18 inside the entryway of one of the apartment buildings. The fatal shot was to the top of his head, according to the complaint.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
Daily Newsletters