Judge convicts Iowa City man of robbing, trying to kill woman on UI campus in 2022

IOWA CITY — A judge convicted an Iowa City man of robbing and trying to kill a woman on the University of Iowa campus in April of 2022, ruling the prosecution proved the man had “specific intent” to kill.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Kevin McKeever found Ali Younes, 22, guilty of attempted murder, first-degree robbery and first-degree theft. McKeever presided over the two-day bench trial in July.

According to McKeever’s written analysis, Younes took Anne Rizzo, 63, of Iowa City, to the ground, got on top of her and began to strangle her. She begged for mercy and told him she would give him anything he wanted but Younes continued to strangle her until she was unconscious.

Younes’ actions make it clear he intended to kill Rizzo, McKeever said in his verdict. In support of his conclusion, the judge noted Younes waited until Rizzo was isolated and alone, he then overpowered and strangled her.

“The court believes beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intended to kill Anne Rizzo,” according to the ruling. “If not for some amount of good fortune and two very brave young ladies, Anne Rizzo very well may have died as a result of the defendant’s attack.”

McKeever also said Younes, in finding him guilty of first-degree robbery, had specific intent to take her diamond earrings valued at $25,000 and cause her serious injury. Younes is also guilty of theft because he took control of Rizzo’s property without any legal right to do so, depriving her of the property.

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The judge also accepted Younes’ guilty plea in a separate but related case of escape by a felon regarding Younes fleeing to Jordan while on pretrial release in this case.

Younes will be sentenced Feb. 27 in Johnson County District Court on both cases. He faces up to 60 years in attack on the woman and up to five for the escape conviction.

Victim ‘sensed’ someone was following her

According to testimony, Younes followed Rizzo on foot on April 25, 2022, tackling her near the UI Art Building West and choking her until she lost consciousness. He then stole her earrings valued at more than $25,000.

During the trial in July, Rizzo testified she “sensed” someone was following her that night, after walking across the Iowa Memorial Union pedestrian bridge. She was walking home late from her family business, Hands Jewelers. She tried to speed up, but the man, later identified as Younes, caught up to her quickly.

She tried to scream but nothing came out, Rizzo testified. Younes tackled her from behind “like a football player.” She fell and he was on top of her, moving her over on her back, “straddling me” and then he started “strangling” her.

“I will never forget him on top of me,” Rizzo testified.

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She was in and out of consciousness, then the next thing she recalled was leaning against someone — a woman who found her after the attack.

Rizzo said she feared for her life. Her neck and throat hurt and she couldn’t speak and was confused. Rizzo had been wearing diamond earrings — a gift from her husband — but she didn’t realize they were missing until she was in the emergency room.

She also didn’t remember being punched in the eye, but photos of Rizzo taken about 10 days after the attack showed the black eye. Rizzo also had red “finger” marks around her neck, and bruising and abrasions on the right side of her face and temporal area.

Witnesses found victim, called 911

Two UI students testified about seeing a woman, later identified as Rizzo, unresponsive and lying on the ground and a man, later identified as Younes, standing over her.

Madeline Amos testified that when Younes saw her and her friend, Katherine Kavars, approaching, he pointed at Rizzo, saying she was walking and fell down. Younes told them he would call 911 and then ran off.

Amos said Rizzo was breathing but unconscious. Kavars called 911.

When Rizzo regained consciousness, Amos said she was disoriented and had difficulty speaking.

Kavars said Rizzo told a paramedic she was “strangled.”

UI Police Detective Ian Mallory identified surveillance video taken from various cameras that showed Younes on campus that night after he left Burge Residence Hall at 9:56 p.m.

He walked west across the Hancher Auditorium footbridge, headed down Riverside Drive and seemed to be following a woman going across the Iowa Memorial Union footbridge. The video then showed Rizzo walking across the bridge in the opposite direction. After she passed Younes, he changed direction and started following Rizzo.

Younes started jogging behind Rizzo, about 94 feet from her, said Mallory, who measured and calculated the distance based on the footage. Rizzo cut off the bridge, and Younes was seen looking in her direction as he approached the area.

The video next picked up Younes leaving the area after the assault.

Mallory said after Younes fled to Jordan he stayed in contact with Younes through email and other communication apps. Mallory tried to talk Younes into coming back to Iowa on his own because there is no extradition treaty between the United States and Jordan.

The communications continued about a year before Younes agreed to self-surrender in Chicago in August 2024. He was then extradited back to Iowa.

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Mallory testified that Younes, during an interview, confessed to the assault and robbery. Younes recalled the first woman he was following, but he wasn’t interested in her. He then saw Rizzo and attacked her. Younes admitted to putting his hands around her neck.

He told Mallory it wasn’t a sexually based attack. He thought Rizzo had money. He saw her earrings but thought they were fake and said he was going to give them to his girlfriend.

Younes’ former girlfriend, Maria Ortiz, testified he also confessed the crime to her, saying he “choked her out,” in reference to Rizzo.

Younes didn’t have any witnesses and he didn’t testify in his own defense.

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Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com