One of two murder trials for Cedar Rapids man moved to January

CEDAR RAPIDS — One of the murder trials for a Cedar Rapids man, charged with killing two men within 24 hours of each other in 2022, has been bumped to next year.

Kazius Childress, 22, is charged with first-degree murder and going armed with intent in the Jan. 28, 2022, fatal shooting of Kavon I. Johnson, 22. The victim was found dead at 7:25 a.m. in the parking lot of Cedar Valley Park, 2250 Blakely Blvd. SE, according to a criminal complaint.

During the investigation, police found surveillance video that showed Johnson had been at the Kum & Go at 1420 Mount Vernon Rd. SE in a vehicle with Childress within minutes of another video and audio clip that showed a vehicle matching the same description entering Cedar Valley Park and captured multiple gunshots being fired.

Childress admitted being at the scene when Johnson was shot, according to the complaint. He was also recently identified by a witness as the person who shot and killed Johnson.

Childress also is charged with first-degree murder and going armed with intent in the Jan. 27, 2022, fatal shooting of Cordal Lewis, 19. Lewis was found at 2:39 p.m. in the 300 block of 31st Street Drive SE with one or more gunshot wounds. He died at the scene, according to a criminal complaint.

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 of 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.

Prosecutors haven’t provided a motive or the connection, if any, between the two victims or Childress. Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said last May that Childress, Johnson and Lewis were “associates” but declined to provide further information.

The only known connection between Lewis and Johnson is that Lewis and two other men were charged with assaulting Johnson on June 17, 2020. Lewis pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor, and served time in the Linn County Jail.

Christian Emedi and Marshawn Jeffries also were charged in that assault of Johnson. Emedi and Jeffries were convicted in the June 2020 murder of Malik Sheets.

A co-defendant, Pierra T. Baugh, 33, also will be tried for her participation in Lewis’ killing. A judge combined trials for Childress and Baugh and it’s set for Sept. 12.

Childress will stand trial Jan. 16, 2024 for the murder of Johnson.

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