In the early morning hours of a summer day in Davenport, Iowa, the life of Ada Sue Abbott, a 25-year-old White female, was tragically cut short. On June 22, 2013, she was found inside a duplex on West First Street, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound. The discovery of her body in a chair marked the beginning of a homicide investigation that would soon lead authorities across state lines.
Later that same morning, investigators located 22-year-old A.J.
Coats at a trailer park in Milan, Illinois. Following a brief standoff, Coats surrendered to the police and was taken into custody. Initially, he faced a charge of second-degree murder in connection with Abbott's death. Friends of both Abbott and Coats were shocked, with some contending that the shooting must have been a tragic accident, describing the two as friends. One account suggested that the gun discharged accidentally while Coats was attempting to clear a jammed bullet from the weapon's chamber.
As the legal process unfolded, the Scott County Attorney's Office reviewed the evidence, which included statements from several eyewitnesses. Based on these accounts, prosecutors determined there was an absence of evidence to suggest that Coats had acted with premeditation, specific intent to kill, or the malice aforethought required to support a murder charge. Consequently, the second-degree murder charge was reduced. Coats was instead indicted on felony counts of involuntary manslaughter and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, as well as a misdemeanor charge of third-degree burglary. He was ultimately sentenced to a term of up to twelve years in prison for his role in the death of Ada Sue Abbott.
