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Man gets 20 years for Cedar Rapids drug robbery slaying

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November 29th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of fatally stabbing a Cedar Rapids resident during a drug robbery has been imprisoned. A judge gave 20-year-old Darius Alexander two 10-year terms Wednesday, to be served consecutively. Linn County District Court records say Alexander had pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting voluntary manslaughter and aiding and abetting robbery. Prosecutors dropped a murder charge in exchange for Alexander’s pleas.

Prosecutors say he killed 18-year-old Christopher Arteberry Jr. on Sept. 30, 2016, during an attempt to steal marijuana from Arteberry. Police say Arteberry was stabbed in the parking lot of a Cedar Rapids apartment complex and later found inside an apartment. A woman driving Alexander, Emily Young, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19. She’s pleaded guilty to an accessory charge.