Charges Filed in Cedar Rapids Murder of 15-Year-Old Girl

The Cedar Rapids Police Department has announced charges have been filed in the shooting death of a 15-year-old girl on the city's southwest side.

Just before 6:20 a.m. on the morning of Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Cedar Rapids Police responded to a report of a one-vehicle accident at Hawthorne Hills Apartments. The apartment complex is located in the 2200 block of C Street S.W. Officers arrived on the scene that morning and found a deceased 15-year-old female behind the wheel of a vehicle that was badly damaged. As we reported at the time, she had been shot.

The following day, Cedar Rapids police identified the victim as Tyliyah L. Whitis of Peoria, Illinois, formerly of Cedar Rapids. KCRG reported last summer that Whitis was staying in town with her older sister. According to her obituary, Whitis was a straight-A student and AAU basketball player.

In today's media release, it was revealed that an autopsy by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner determined that Whitis had died of a gunshot wound to the chest. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Following an investigation, 19-year-old Marshawn R. Jackson (photo below) was charged with 1st Degree Murder in Whitis' death. He's also been charged with Intimidation with a Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Jackson was already in the Linn County Jail on other charges when the new charges were filed against him. The Cedar Rapids Police Department says the investigation in the case continues.

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