An ongoing investigation by the Cedar Rapids Police Department into the murder of 20-year-old Malik Sheets that occurred on Thursday, June 18 around 5 AM has resulted in the arrest of two suspects. With the assistance of the Linn County Attorney’s Office, the following individuals have been arrested:
• Christian Dider Emedi, DOB/05-14-2003, age 17, is charged with Murder-1st Degree and Obstructing Prosecution. Emedi is currently in custody at the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center on unrelated charges and has been served with charges for the murder of Malik Sheets.
• Marshawn Ladarius Jeffries, DOB/10-03-2003, age 16, is charged with Murder-1st Degree and Obstructing Prosecution. Jeffries was taken into custody in Davenport, Iowa and transported to the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center with charges for the murder of Malik Sheets.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Linn County Attorney, peace officers were dispatched to the residence at 1058 Regent Street NE regarding a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers found Malik Sheets on the floor of the living room suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead and an autopsy revealed he died from gunshot wounds to his neck and chest. Officers interviewed witnesses to the shooting and learned an argument had ensued between several people at the residence during which time subjects later identified as Christian Emedi and Marshawn Jeffries produced handguns. Based on witness accounts, investigators determined Christian Emedi initially fired several shots at Malik Sheets. After Sheets fell to the floor, Jeffries fired several more shots into Sheets. The defendants all fled the scene after the shooting. A 24-year old male drove the two defendants, along with one of the defendant’s 17-year old girlfriend, to a residence in North Liberty where they took showers, changed clothing, and arranged to discard the clothing they were wearing at the scene of the shooting. The two defendants and the 24-year old male were later apprehended together in Gurnee, Illinois. When interviewed by police, all three initially denied being at the residence but later admitted they were present when Sheets was shot but denied doing the shooting. Police also interviewed the 17-year old female (girlfriend of one of the defendants) who obstructed officers’ efforts to locate evidence and the defendants who had fled the state to avoid arrest and prosecution.
The investigation is still active and ongoing.
