Judge postpones trial for Kendu Petties, accused of double homicide in 2014, by two days

A judge ruled Friday to allow a short delay in a trial for a man accused of killing two people while they were baby-sitting in 2014 because the defense and prosecution learned some new information and need time to review it.

Sixth Judicial District Senior Judge Robert Sosalla said he would delay the trial for Kendu Petties, 32, that was set to start Monday but will now begin Wednesday in Linn County District Court.

Sara Smith, Petties lawyer, requested the two day delay and Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said he didn't object to the delay. Smith didn't say what the information concerned.    

Smith and Maybanks talked to Sosalla about the issue in chambers before the hearing.   

Petties is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. He is accused of fatally shooting Quintrell Perkins, 22, and Sierrah Simmons, 20, in a house at 1708 Fourth Ave. SE on April 2, 2014.

Petties is also accused of conspiring with others to shoot inside the home that day with the intent to provoke fear or intimidation of the occupants, the complaint shows.

Petties fired multiple shots into the house and Perkins and Simmons were found dead inside the house when police responded that night, the complaint shows.

A family friend told The Gazette after Petties was charged that Perkins and Simmons were at the house baby-sitting Perkins' younger siblings that night.

The complaint shows Perkins and Simmons were not the targets that night. Petties had planned to 'shoot and kill two other subjects inside the residence,” but they were not home. Petties fired a full, 10-round magazine of bullets into the house, as well as a single round that was in the chamber of the gun. Two of the bullets hit Perkins and Simmons, who were in the living room.

Witnesses verified Petties was the shooter, and he admitted to more than one person that he fired the shots, the complaint shows.

A warrant in the double homicide was issued Aug. 14, 2014, and U.S. Marshals tracked Petties to Mesa, Ariz., where he was found Aug. 21, 2015, living with a girlfriend. He then was extradited to Cedar Rapids.

Petties remains in the Linn County Jail on a $2 million bail. If convicted of both charges, he faces two life sentences without parole.

The trial is expected to last nearly two weeks.   

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