In the early morning hours of November 22, 2017, the body of 34-year-old Leland Joseph Harris, a White/Caucasian male, was discovered in an alley in the 500 block of 10th Street SW in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Police were dispatched to the scene at approximately 7:24 a.m. and found that Harris had sustained fatal traumatic injuries. An autopsy conducted by the Linn County Medical Examiner's Office would later confirm that he died from gunshot wounds.
Investigators believe he was likely killed late in the evening on November 21, 2017.
The investigation into the homicide continued for over a year before a significant break in the case. In early April 2019, the Cedar Rapids Police Department announced the first arrest in connection with Harris's death. James Stephan Phillips, who was 19 years old at the time, was charged with Murder in the First Degree, Theft in the First Degree, Conspiracy to Commit a Forcible Felony, and Going Armed with Intent. At the time the charges were filed, Phillips was already incarcerated at the Linn County Jail on unrelated charges.
Several months later, in October 2019, a second suspect was charged in the murder of Leland Harris. Lloyd Koger, Jr., age 42, was charged with Murder in the First Degree, Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, Conspiracy to Commit a Forcible Felony, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Accessory After the Fact, and Driving While Barred. Authorities stated that Koger was believed to have aided and abetted James Phillips in the commission of the crime. Koger was also already in custody on unrelated federal charges when he was served with the warrant for Harris's murder.
The legal proceedings against the two men brought some resolution to the case. On February 23, 2021, James Phillips pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder for his role in the shooting death of Leland Harris. This plea marked a significant development in bringing a conclusion to the nearly four-year-old homicide case. The investigation was a collaborative effort by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, leading to the accountability of those involved in the death of Leland Harris.
