Lang
4/2/25
The suspect in an Iowa City murder case has previous Johnson County kidnapping and other felony charges against him.
44 year-old Antavis Watson is accused of shooting 38-year-old Elijah Williams of Iowa City as Williams and another subject were in a car parked on the 1800 block of South Gilbert Street just before midnight on March 29th. Witnesses say Watson fired several rounds into the vehicle, and phone records indicate Watson and Williams had been feuding leading up to the shooting.
In 2011, Watson was arrested on theft, kidnapping, and numerous other charges in connection with a series of incidents in Johnson County. The victim told investigators she’d tried to flee the couple’s shared apartment in Hills multiple times, but each time Watson would drag her back inside. Watson eventually placed the woman into his car and drove her to an apartment on the 1100 block of 12th Avenue in Coralville.
Coralville Police say Watson later stole a Ford Ranger from Magellan Midstream Partners LP in the 900 block of 1st Avenue and drove it back to the 12th Avenue residence.
When Coralville Police finally arrived at the apartment, the woman had multiple severe bruises, contusions, swelling and lacerations on her head, neck, arms and back.
As part of a plea deal, Watson was given a ten-year prison sentence on charges of 1st Degree Theft and Domestic Abuse Assault Involving a Weapon. All other criminal counts, including kidnapping, were dismissed. Robbery and weapons charges out of Lee, Henry and Des Moines counties have also been dismissed in the past due to plea deals.
If convicted on the current murder charge, Watson faces life in prison.