In the summer of 2017, the community of Iowa City was shaken by the tragic death of Ricky Ray Lillie, a 46-year-old White male who worked as a driver for Yellow Cab. In the early morning hours of June 28, 2017, a concerned fellow taxi driver went to check on Lillie at the Alexis Park Inn on South Riverside Drive. There, in the driver's seat of his cab, Lillie was found unresponsive. The initial call to the Iowa City Police at approximately 3:42 a.m.
treated the situation as a suspicious death.
The investigation quickly escalated when the Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Lillie's death a homicide. It was determined that he had sustained gunshot wounds to the head. As investigators pieced together the events leading to his death, they discovered that Lillie had picked up a passenger on June 27 for a ride that concluded in the 500 block of Ernest Street, a residential area behind the motel where his body was later discovered.
Within days, law enforcement identified a person of interest, Curtis Cortez Jones. Jones was already in custody on unrelated charges of a parole violation and theft. The investigation into Lillie's murder continued, and on July 19, 2017, an arrest warrant was issued for Jones, charging him with first-degree murder. Surveillance footage played a crucial role, allegedly capturing Jones leaving the area where Lillie's cab was found. Investigators stated that Jones had taken an uninterrupted cab ride with Lillie before shooting him. Several of Lillie's belongings were also reported missing from the vehicle.
Curtis Cortez Jones, who had a significant criminal history, was subsequently tried for the murder of Ricky Ray Lillie. Following the legal proceedings, he was found guilty of first-degree murder. The motive for the killing was not extensively detailed in the immediate reports, but the charge of first-degree murder suggests a deliberate and premeditated act. Lillie was remembered by his employer as a well-liked and professional driver who enjoyed his work, and his sudden and violent death left a significant void in the lives of his family, friends, and colleagues.
