Video led to arrests this week of two women in relation to January murder

CEDAR RAPIDS — The arrest of two women Thursday — charged in the January fatal shooting of a Cedar Rapids man found dead in the street in southeast Cedar Rapids — has been part of a continuing investigation for months.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said Friday he had been working with police investigators in identifying other suspects after the man suspected as being the shooter was charged in May. Investigators, he said, used surveillance videos to pursue the other arrests.

Kazius Childress, 22, was arrested in Davenport in May and charged with first-degree murder and going armed with intent in the death of Cordal Lewis, 19, on Jan. 27.

According to a criminal complaint, Childress fatally shot Lewis in the 300 block of 31st St. Dr. SE. Police found Lewis with a gunshot injury, lying in the street outside that residence about 2:39 p.m. He died at the scene.

A subsequent investigation revealed Lewis had been at 309 31st St. Dr. SE with other individuals — now revealed as Pierra Tanee Baugh, 33, and Qiuinyana Nare Jones, 23, both arrested Wednesday.

When Childress was arrested in May, police had just received surveillance video from the home that showed Childress shooting Lewis during a robbery. Lewis was running away as Childress shot at him several times, according to athe criminal complaint.

The gun used in the shooting was found during a search of the home at 309 31st St. Dr. SE, according to the criminal complaint.

Childress also is charged in the fatal shooting of Kavon I. Johnson, 22, which happened the day after Lewis was shot, Jan. 28.

His trial is set for April 18 in Lewis’ murder and May 16 in Johnson’s slaying.

Women’s role

The criminal complaint filed Thursday for Jones stated she was aiding and abetting Childress and Baugh by driving them to the 309 address to rob Lewis. The robbery took place in the residence, which Jones witnessed, according to the complaint.

Jones, according to video surveillance, was standing by Childress, who was armed with a handgun and arguing with Lewis when Childress shot him, the complaint stated.

A video showed Jones driving Childress away from the residence and then returning to Lewis’ body in the street so Childress could remove evidence from him. She then drove Childress from the scene and concealed his whereabouts after the murder.

The criminal complaint for Baugh hasn’t been filed because she was arrested in Alsip, Ill., and is being held in the Cook County Jail, awaiting extradition to Iowa. Once she is extradited, she will have an initial appearance in Linn County District Court and be charged with first-degree murder.

Jones was charged Thursday with first-degree robbery/inflict or attempt serious injury or armed with dangerous weapon, a felony, and accessory after the fact, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Maybanks said he didn’t know if Baugh had waived extradition. He hoped he won’t encouter any difficulties bringing her back to Iowa from Illinois, such as he encountered in the extradition of Dimione Walker, whose first-degree murder trial started this week in Linn County.

Walker was arrested in Illinois, but his extradition to Iowa took months because Illinois authorities made him serve time for a parole violation on a weapons conviction before transferring him to Iowa. Maybanks had to obtain a governor’s warrant to return him to Iowa to face the murder charge.

Maybanks declined to comment about whether he expected any more arrests in this case.

Marshals’ role

U.S. marshals arrested Jones and Baugh in Iowa and Illinois on Wednesday after Cedar Rapids police requested their assistance in locating the women. The marshals said Thursday they coordinated the arrests to happen at the same time.

Jones was arrested at about 3 p.m. Wednesday in Cedar Rapids while leaving a home and getting into a vehicle in the 3400 block of Queen Drive SW. Her arrest also led to the recovery of two firearms, narcotics and a vehicle stolen in Chicago, which are connected to a recent homicide in Illinois, according to U.S. marshals.

Davaughn Redmond, 30, of El Mirage, Ariz., and Shimund Jones, 24, of Chicago, were arrested for firearms, narcotics and a stolen vehicle violations, according to U.S. marshals.

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