Crime & Safety
Cousins Split up for Linn County Murder Trial
A judge ruled Wednesday that Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha cousins Justin Ross and Donovan Ross will be tried separately for the murder of Andre Herron.
Donovan Ross, the 19-year-old from Hiawatha, was originally charged with first-degree murder in the death of Cedar Rapids resident Andre Herron last December.
As more details surfaced, a man held by police as a material witness, Justin Ross, who is Donovan Ross' cousin, was also charged with first-degree murder in the case.
The Ross cousins are accused of committing murder together, but will stand trial apart. A judge ruled Wednesday to split the case into two trials, according to the Gazette.
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The incident started when Justin Ross, from Cedar Rapids allegedly shot Herron with a .45 caliber revolver on Nov. 26. According to police records, Herron was found lying in the street in the southern downtown area of Cedar Rapids.
A story in the Gazette also says that Donovan Ross is accused of causing or contributed to Herron's death.
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