Iowa man charged with murder of girlfriend; police say she pleaded with him to “take your hands off my neck”

IOWA CITY – An Iowa woman whom police say had pleaded with her alleged attacker to stop choking her was found deceased after his latest rage, and the man she lived with is now facing a charge of first-degree murder.

At 9:19 AM on Monday, January 6, 2025, the Iowa City Police Department responded to a residence in the 300 block of Camden Road for a medical incident. The incident was under investigation as a suspicious death. The deceased was identified as 33-year-old Victoria A. Skarda of Iowa City. The cause and manner of death remained under investigation by the Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Today, police announced that 34-year-old Joshua Perry of Iowa City has been charged with First Degree Murder for the death of Victoria Skarda.

According to police, on January 6, 2025, Perry called 911 to report that a girl was passed out and cold inside his residence. Upon arrival of emergency medical services and law enforcement, the female was identified as Victoria Skarda and was pronounced deceased. Skarda lived at the residence with Perry and was the mother of his minor child. An autopsy was performed and Skarda’s death was ruled a homicide, listing the cause of death as Cardiorespiratory arrest in the setting of recent physical assault.

The investigation into Skarda’s death revealed that the defendant (Perry, pictured at top) assaulted Skarda on the morning of January 6, 2025. Personnel from the Iowa City Police Department previously responded to the same address for reports of domestic altercations, including one instance on December 7, 2021, where Skarda was heard yelling that she could not breathe and “take your hands off my neck.”

This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department with assistance from the Johnson County Attorney’s Office and Johnson County Medical Examiner.

According to an obituary at Lensing Funeral Home:

Victoria was born on October 1, 1991, in Iowa City, IA the daughter of Gary and Anna (Vodrazkova) Skarda. She was 2010 Iowa City West High graduate and a perioperative clerk at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. Victoria loved spending time with her family and her son Elijah, was her entire world. Victoria loved to travel; especially summers in the Czech Republic. She could make the little things in life feel special. Victoria was the sparkle and sunshine that this world needed more of. She was warm and engaging and could get anyone to open up to her.

Victoria is survived by her parents, Gary Skarda of Iowa City and Anna and Igor Bielecki of Iowa City; her son, Elijah Perry; and many extended family. Victoria was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Val and Marilyn Skarda, and maternal grandparents, Jan and Anna Vodrazkovi.