Judge convicts Davenport man of fatally shooting ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend

CEDAR RAPIDS — A judge on Wednesday ruled a Davenport man was not justified in fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend, who was unarmed, during an early morning confrontation at a Cedar Rapids convenience store in 2019.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover found Todd Ricky Jenkins, 26, guilty of first-degree murder and going armed with intent.

Jenkins waived his right to jury trial and had a bench — non-jury — trial in May. He claimed self-defense at trial.

Some of Jenkins’ family members, who were in the courtroom for the reading of the verdict Wednesday, ran out sobbing and yelling after the judge announced the guilty verdict on both charges.

Ward’s family and friends also were in the courtroom but remained calm.

Hoover, in her ruling, said there was no justified reason for Jenkins to shoot Reginald Ward, 27, of Moline, Ill., Oct. 30, 2019, in the parking of the Kum & Go, 3132 First Ave. NE.

According to testimony, Jenkins came to Cedar Rapids in the early morning hours that day and parked his vehicle, which was his sister’s, near the apartment of his former girlfriend, Kiara Morrise, 23, of Cedar Rapids. He waited for Morrise and Ward to leave and then followed them.

Morrise admitted Jenkins had sent her flowers with a card saying he loved her sometime before Oct. 30. They stayed in touch by text or calling, Hoover said in her written ruling.

Hoover said investigators recovered surveillance footage from area businesses of Jenkins following Ward and in the Kum & Go parking lot of the incident, which she viewed at trial.

Investigators also used the GPS from the car Jenkins was driving to track his movements that day. At some point when the cars were moving, Ward and Morrise saw that Jenkins was following them, and Ward sent him a text, threatening to beat him up, Morrise said.

Jenkins got out of his car in the convenience store parking lot and confronted Ward, who also got out of his car. Morrise testified that Jenkins was armed with a handgun and told Ward, “Get back, get back,” as Ward was walking backward toward Jenkins, saying, “Shoot it, shoot it.”

Ward then reached for Jenkins’ gun, and Jenkins fired three shots and possibly two more, Morrise said.

Hoover, in her ruling, noted other witnesses in the parking lot or in the store saw Jenkins with a gun, heard gunshots and offered aid to Ward or called police.

One witness, James Meggers, who was parked at the store, had a clear view and said he saw the two men, heard them yelling and then heard a shot.

Meggers said the man in a white shirt, later identified as Ward, threw a “roundhouse” punch in the direction of the other man but missed and fell down. Then the other man with a gun — Jenkins — fired three or four shots at Ward.

Ward died the next day from a gunshot wound after a bullet shattered in his right thigh, severing the femoral artery, an autopsy showed.

Kimberly Sue Smith, the owner of the G & G Retailer gun shop in Davenport said Jenkins had bought four Glock pistols and ammunition from the shop in 2016, 2018 and on Aug. 30 and Oct. 21 of 2019, Hoover noted.

Smith said Jenkins bought different 9 millimeter ammunition on Oct. 21 than he had previously. The “RIP 9 millimeter” ammunition, Smith said, is designed to break apart upon impact and create no fewer than nine wound paths. This ammunition, according to testimony, is designed to “stop another human by creating massive injury.”

In her ruling, Hoover noted Jenkins fled the state and was found by Cedar Rapids police on March 27, 2020, in an Aurora, Ill., hotel with Morrise.

Jenkins attempted to jump out a hotel window to avoid being arrested. In an interview with police, he denied being in Cedar Rapids on Oct. 30, 2019, and denied knowing Ward. He also denied any knowledge of the fatal shooting.

Hoover said the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Jenkins shot Ward and that he acted willfully, with premeditation, deliberation and malice aforethought and that he had specific intent to kill Ward.

Jenkins faces life in prison without parole. Sentencing is set for Nov. 5 in Linn County District Court.

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