Federal prison term added to man convicted in unintentional shooting death in Cedar Rapids

He was convicted in 2020 of shooting an 18-year-old woman

CEDAR RAPIDS — A man convicted of unintentionally shooting an 18-year-old Cedar Rapids woman in 2020 was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison this week for a firearms conviction.

Larenzo Burnett, 22, who now lives in Battle Creek, Mich., pleaded guilty in January to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He fled during a traffic stop and had a 9-mm pistol two days after shooting Marisa Doolin in the face on Dec. 22, 2020.

During the plea hearing, Burnett admitted he had the Taurus 9-mm pistol on Dec. 24, 2020. He had the gun illegally because he is an unlawful user of marijuana and was previously convicted of intimidation with a dangerous weapon in Doolin’s shooting.

At sentencing, evidence showed that Burnett also attempted to obstruct justice by attempting to influence a witness.

U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams Thursday sentenced Burnett to 99 months and 14 days in prison. He also ordered Burnett to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Burnett was sentenced in Linn County District Court to 10 years for involuntary manslaughter and tampering with a witness in 2021 for Doolin’s death. His probation was revoked on the intimidation with a dangerous weapon conviction.

Burnett, in a written plea, admitted to recklessly discharging a gun Dec. 22, 2020, and unintentionally causing the death of Doolin.

She was shot in the face and died Dec. 26, 2020, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

A criminal complaint stated Burnett was waving a weapon around Doolin’s face, and the gun discharged when she tried to push it away while she and Burnett were in an apartment at 2110 Westdale Drive SW.

Burnett and another person in the apartment fled after Doolin was shot. Doolin was found at 3:25 p.m., lying on the couch, according to the criminal complaint.

Burnett and the witness, who wasn’t identified, initially told police Doolin was shot through a window by an unknown person, according to the complaint. But police said there was no damage to any windows and a single shell casing was found inside the apartment.

Two days after the shooting, Burnett, in a phone call from the Linn County Jail, threatened the witness, warning him to not talk to police and “to be ready for whatever is coming to him,” according to police.

Burnett also has a pending burglary charge out of Michigan and has waived extradition. He would serve his Iowa prison term and possibly time on the federal charge before being sent back to Michigan.

Burnett remains in jail under the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force, which includes Cedar Rapids officers and FBI agents.

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