Cedar Rapids woman, Davenport man will be tried together in teen’s fatal shooting

CEDAR RAPIDS — A judge ruled last week that a Cedar Rapids woman and Davenport man, both charged with killing Cordal Lewis during a robbery in January 2022, will be tried together.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks asked the judge to combine the cases of Kazius Childress, 22, and Pierra T. Baugh, 33, because they are accused of participating in the same act — fatally shooting Lewis, 19, on Jan. 27.

“The victim, the course of the investigation and any potential legal and factual issues and defenses are essentially identical,” Maybanks argued in his motion.

Nearly all the witnesses are the same for both cases, according to the motion, and no prejudice would result from the two being tried together.

Childress is charged with first-degree murder and going armed with intent.

Baugh is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, going armed with intent, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and accessory after the fact.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Christopher Bruns granted Maybanks’ motion, which the defense didn’t resist. However, Bruns is reserving the defense’s right to file a motion to sever the cases at a later date, if warranted.

Maybanks will file amended trial information charging Childress and Baugh together, and their trials likely will be reset.

Lewis was shot and killed Jan. 27, 2022, in the 300 block of 31st Street Drive SE in Cedar Rapids, according to a complaint. Police found his body at 2:39 p.m. with one or more gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.

An investigation revealed Lewis had been at 309 31st St. Dr. SE with others, including Childress, and the murder weapon was found during a search at that home, the complaint stated.

Investigators said they recently received surveillance video from the home that showed Childress shooting Lewis. The video showed Lewis running away as Childress shot at him several times.

According to Baugh’s criminal complaint, police later acquired another surveillance video that showed Baugh was directly involved in the robbery that led to Childress fatally shooting Lewis.

Baugh searched and took property from Lewis while Childress assaulted, threatened and “put him in fear of immediate serious injury while armed with a firearm,” according to the complaint.

Baugh also helped Childress avoid arrest by telling police she had no knowledge of who killed Lewis, the complaint stated.

A video showed Baugh being near Lewis and Childress when Childress pulled the trigger, according to a complaint. The video also showed Baugh attempting to conceal the handgun, the complaint stated.

Childress also is charged in the fatal shooting of Kavon I. Johnson, 22, on Jan. 28, the day after Lewis was shot.

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