Tajh Ross sentenced to life in prison for Latasha Roundtree's death

CEDAR RAPIDS — Reginald Williams said in a victim's impact statement Friday that Tajh Ross will never understand what this 'senseless' tragedy has done to his family — 'a death that never had to happen.'

Williams, in the statement read by a Horizons' victim advocate, said since Ross took away his daughter, Latasha's, life, he prays they will eventually find peace and be together some day. He hopes his family can regain a sense of safety.

He said as he was walking down the street the other day, a little boy asked him if he would see 'Tasha' again. Williams told the boy if he was good then one day he would go to heaven and see her, and she would buy him ice cream just like she had in the past.

Williams said he ran into Ross' mother in an elevator during the trial and she said she knew he hated her. Williams couldn't answer her at the time but told her Friday that he didn't hate her. She did nothing wrong.

Ross, 20, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for shooting and killing Latasha Roundtree, 19, on Sept. 22, 2012. He was convicted of first-degree murder, going armed with intent and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in August following bench trial.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Robert Sosalla in his verdict said Ross made a series of deliberate acts that day when he crossed the street, pointed a gun at the car Roundtree was a passenger in and then fired it. 

Ross shot and killed Roundtree while she was a passenger in her friend's car, according to trial testimony. She and her friends were headed to a party where Ross was also that night. Roundtree wasn't targeted that night but Ross admitted during the trial to shooting at the car. According to evidence, Ross was the only one with the .40 caliber weapon that night and that gun, recovered at the scene, was the murder weapon.

Sosalla denied motion for a new trial, saying the verdict was supported by the facts and the law. Ross said his actions were cowardly, as Roundtree's sister said in a victim impact statement, and if he could go back in time and change it he would.

'I wish I would have made better choices in my life,' Ross said. 'I'm sorry for the actions that led to this moment. I never considered Latasha a threat. I considered her a friend.'

Ross also apologized to his family.

Sosalla ran the other sentences for going armed with intent and intimidation with a dangerous weapon concurrently and suspended the fines. He also ordered Ross pay $150,000 to Roundtree's estate and $7,500 to the crime victim's assistance program.

Ross told his family in the courtroom that he loved them as deputies escorted him out after the hearing. 

The other defendants in this case have pleaded guilty to lesser charges and three were sentenced to prison time, one received probation and one hasn't been sentenced at this time.