A Des Moines man was found guilty of first-degree murder for shooting a 22-year-old during what prosecutors said was a botched robbery attempt.
Cedrick Charles Thomas Jr., 28, was found guilty Friday of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and possession and control of a firearm by a felon in the July 22 death of Charles Russian Lovelady. Prosecutors have said Thomas and co-defendants Violet Terry and Darion Hermes arranged to buy marijuana from Lovelady with the intent to rob him, during which time Lovelady was fatally injured.
Polk County Judge Celene Gogerty handed down the sentence after a trial.
Prosecutors alleged that Thomas stayed at Terry’s apartment while they were in a romantic relationship. Thomas needed money to buy work boots and devised a plan to commit a robbery.
Evidence showed that Thomas had sent messages to Terry to plan the robbery. Terry was friends with Lovelady on Snapchat, a social media platform, where Lovelady posted herself with a large amount of cash.
That’s when Thomas decided he was going to rob Lovelady, according to evidence presented to the court. Terry and Thomas agreed to lure Lovelady by offering to buy 3 ounces of marijuana from him for $390.
Thomas and Hermes had also exchanged text messages in which they hatched a plan to rob Lovelady.
Lovelady was eventually shot during the drug deal. He was taken to Broadlawns Medical Center and later died from his injuries.
Thomas will be sentenced on March 6.
Terry was charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree murder. She pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery on Jan. 17 and will be sentenced in March.
Hermes pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and first-degree robbery and was sentenced to 35 years in prison in March. He admitted that he helped plan the robbery and provided firearms, but that he did not fire the fatal shot.
José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com or follow him at X @mendiola_news.
This article originally appeared in the Des Moines Register: Des Moines man guilty of first-degree murder in fatal drug robbery