Iowa City man pleads to fatally shooting 19-year-old last year during robbery

IOWA CITY — An Iowa City man pleaded guilty Friday to fatally shooting a 19-year-old man last year during a robbery.

Sammy Imaedeen Hamed, 23, originally charged with first-degree murder, pleaded to second-degree murder and faces up to 50 years in prison.

He admitted during the plea hearing to shooting Quincy Russom in an apartment at 615 S. Governor St. on Feb. 12, 2021.

Police identified Hamed, a transient, as among the multiple people inside the apartment when Russom was killed. Police also learned the shooting had happened more than 30 minutes before it was reported.

Hamed was found near the crime scene “within hours” of the 911 call, police said. He had items belonging to Russom, including his phone, according to the criminal complaint.

An analysis of a shell casing found inside Russom's apartment matched a firearm found on Hamed, police said.

Hamed must serve a minimum of 35 years of the 50-year sentence before being eligible for parole. He also was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to Russom’s estate.

His sentencing will be May 6 in Johnson County District Court.

Related charge

In connection with the shooting, Mazin M. Mohamedali, 21, a Black Lives Matter movement leader, who lived at the apartment where Russom was killed, initially faced drug charges but was later charged with trying to interfere with the investigation.

According to a criminal complaint, Mohamedali knew Hamed had killed Russom and waited to call 911.

Police said Mohamedali lied during questioning, gave false descriptions of the people involved and withheld other information that would have led police to Hamed more quickly.

The criminal complaint stated Mohamedali deleted the call history and Snapchat from his phone.

In a recorded conversation, Mohamedali allegedly admitted to lying to police about who was involved so police would not learn the origin of guns tied to the investigation, police said.

Mohamedali faces one count of accessory after the fact, an aggravated misdemeanor. His trial is set May 10.

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