Clinton woman accused of abuse of a corpse sentenced to probation
Dec. 7—CLINTON — A Clinton woman has been sentenced to probation in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at Hawthorne Woods apartments in February 2021.
Jessica Vaughn, 36, was accused of abuse of a corpse, a Class D felony punishable under Iowa Code by up to five years imprisonment and a fine of between $1,025 and $10,245, after Clinton Police Department officers were dispatched to Apartment 12 at 847 Gateway Ave. on Feb. 24, 2021, for a welfare check.
According to court documents, the property manager there had received a note that said a shooting had occurred in the apartment and not to notify the police.
Officers received no response at the door when attempting to make contact at the apartment. They were subsequently able to apply for and obtain a search warrant. Upon execution of the warrant and entry into the apartment, documents state that the officers discovered "a violent crime scene."
An initial investigation disclosed that Khalil Pugh was with Jessica's husband and the maintenance man of the Hawthorne Woods apartments Lewis Vaughn Sr., 45, on Feb. 23, 2021. Friends and family had not heard from Pugh, nor had he reported to work, and no financial activity related to him had occurred. Investigators did, however, locate his vehicle outside of the Hawthorn Woods apartment of Ja'Kwane Polidore, 28, on Feb. 24, 2021.
Neighbors reported during a neighborhood canvas that three subjects had been at the apartment and there had been sounds of an altercation and gunshots. Neighbors reported afterwards seeing Lewis' truck backed into the parking lot at 847 Gateway Ave.
Phone records indicated that Lewis traveled from Gateway Avenue to 700 South 32nd St., about a mile and a half north of Valley Oaks Golf Course, where he had contact with residents about having a dead animal that he needed to dispose of in the dumpster.
Residents there reported seeing him depart and stop at the commercial dumpster located at the entrance of the property. A second vehicle later identified as being Jessica's was reported as being in the area of the dumpster before leaving the property. Residents denied, though, knowing what had been placed into the dumpster.
On Feb. 27, 2021, investigators were granted consent to search the dumpster that had been emptied by the garbage service company the day before and found blood evidence confirmed to be human blood. A DNA profile of the blood recovered from the dumpster matched a DNA profile recovered from 847 Gateway Ave, Apartment 12, as well as a DNA profile recovered from the back of Lewis' truck. The profile also matched that of Pugh.
Coworkers of Lewis had told investigators that he had spent some time cleaning blood out of the back of his truck on Feb. 24, 2021.
When investigators spoke with Jessica, she admitted to leaving her residence and traveling to 847 Gateway Ave. to look for Lewis. When she arrived, she stated, she observed him leaving the apartments and followed him to 700 South 32nd St. She denied knowing what had happened at either address.
It was learned through investigation that Lewis had contacted Jessica after he had a physical altercation with Pugh. He had shot Pugh twice, causing his death. Jessica had arrived at the apartment and helped to remove the body and put it into Lewis' truck. She then followed Lewis in her car as they left and went to 700 South 32nd St.
Jessica was served an arrest warrant on Aug. 31, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the charge of abuse of a corpse. The $5,000 cash-only bond for her release from jail was posted two days later.
On Sept. 14 of this year, her plea was changed to guilty per a negotiated plea agreement.
She was given a suspended sentence on Nov. 15 by Seventh Judicial District of Iowa Associate Judge Kimberly Shepherd of prison for a period not to exceed five years with credit for time spent in County Jail in connection with the case. She was placed on probation for two years under the specified conditions that she maintain employment and abide by any other conditions set by the probation officer.
A fine of $1,025 was also suspended.
Lewis was sentenced on Aug. 10 to prison for up to 10 years, abuse of a corpse which is Class D felony that he was sentenced to prison for up to five years, and first-degree burglary, a Class B felony that he was sentenced to prison for up to 25 years.
He is currently serving the sentences consecutively at the Iowa Medical Classification Center Correctional Facility at Oakdale, Iowa.
Lewis was further sentenced to pay fines totaling $2,395 which has been suspended. He also has been sentenced to pay $150,000 restitution to Pugh's son, Kharier Pugh, who is a minor.
