IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A parolee accused of two Iowa City killings has been has been convicted in the first of them. Johnson County court records say a jury found 42-year-old Curtis Jones guilty Tuesday of first-degree murder in the June 2017 slaying of a cab driver, 46-year-old Ricky Lillie. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 4 to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

He’s also accused of killing a 34-year-old bail bondsman, Jonathan Wieseler, in April 2017. His trial in that case is scheduled to begin Jan. 11. Both homicides occurred just months after Jones left prison in November 2016, years early on a robbery sentence. The parole board paroled Jones despite assessments that warned he was a high risk for committing additional violence.

Sheriff’s officials in Taylor County report the arrest on numerous charges today (Wednesday), of 23-year old Edward Davis, of Lenox. Davis was taken into custody in the 400 block of West Temple St, in Lenox, for felony possession with intent to deliver/marijuana, felony possession of a controlled substance (3rd offense), carrying weapons while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and assault causing bodily injury. Davis’ possession charges were enhanced due to the offenses being within 1000 feet of a public park and using a weapon during the commission of the crime. His bond was set at $12,000. 

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A January trial has been scheduled for a 28-year-old man accused of killing two brothers who lived in Fort Dodge. Webster County court records say Tanner King, of Fort Dodge, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder. He’s accused of fatally shooting 37-year-old Marion and 34-year-old Eldominic Rhodes. A criminal complaint says the younger man’s body was found in an alley Oct. 22 and his older brother’s body was found in a nearby apartment parking lot.

Police say King fired a shot at another man but missed. King’s trial is set to begin Jan. 15.

Two people died and another was injured during two separate crashes Tuesday night in eastern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 17-year old male died in a rollover accident in southeast Iowa’s Marion County. The Patrol says the teen was driving a 2000 Chevy S-10 pickup too fast on a 90% ice and snow packed road south of Pleasantville at around 7:50-p.m., when the vehicle went out of control and rolled into a ditch before landing on its top. The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and died at the scene. His name was not immediately released.

The second accident happened in Marshall County, when a 1998 Chevy K-1500 pickup driven by 21-year old Kyle Borota, of Garwin, went out of control on a gravel road and entered a farm field before rolling over. Borota was ejected from the truck as it rolled. He was not wearing a seat belt. His passenger, 18-year old Cole Purdy, of Marshalltown, was injured and transported to Unity Point by ambulance. Purdy was also not wearing a seat belt.

An electric space heater is “highly suspected” as the cause of a house fire Tuesday night, in Atlantic. Firefighters were called to 1308 Birch at around 7:44-p.m. Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN when they arrived, flames were shooting out of a window. Crews got a quick knock-down from the outside before entry was made into the rental home. For a time, it was unclear whether the persons who lived there – Dean Barber and his adult son – were home or not, but McNees said they learned the two were on the way to eastern Iowa where they planned to have Thanksgiving with Barber’s daughter. The pair were planning on returning to Atlantic sometime today.

Ric Hanson/photos

McNees said one of two electric space heaters is the likely cause of the blaze, which caused substantial damage to the inside of the home. The State Fire Marshal’s Office will be contacted to get a second opinion on which of the devices are to blame. One of the heaters, McNees said, was near a couch. The contents of the home were a substantial loss, but McNees said Barber has rental insurance. The Red Cross will be contacted today to offer assistance as needed.

Crews were on the scene until about 10-p.m. Atlantic Fire and Rescue was assisted at the scene by Atlantic Police, Medivac Ambulance, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies, Atlantic Municipal Utilities, ce and the Cass County Emergency Management Agency.