Case Against Man Who Confessed to Cedar Rapids Murder Dismissed

Mykel Roberts who confessed to killing Cedar Rapids man Dexter Meeks in 2011 has had his case dismissed by a judge. The 29-year old man who says he committed the murder of Meeks on June 26, 2011, was in custody in a Clinton County Jail at the time of the homicide, according to a KWWL report. Meeks was shot and killed outside of his apartment at 211 15th St. SE that evening by a now still unknown assailant.

Roberts gave a lengthy confession to officers in 2020

In April 2020, Mykel Roberts gave Cedar Rapids police a lengthy and detailed confession, according to the KWWL report. He had previously pleaded not guilty to the murder one month earlier. After changing his story and confessing, Roberts was able to corroborate a good amount of details of the murder that police were privy to.

During the early morning of the homicide, at around 3 a.m., Meeks was sitting on the porch of his apartment with his brother Andrew. Meeks' brother had just returned to the home from a Cedar Rapids bar; when he says a man emerged from a nearby alley close to the apartment building and open fire on the two men. Andrew was able to escape injury, but Dexter was shot in the head. He collapsed and was pronounced dead a short time later at an area hospital. At the time of the murder, Andrew was the only witness.

He was not able to identify the suspect. Andrew Meeks was murdered in 2017 after an unrelated shooting.

Roberts will be sent back to California

Roberts is likely to be sent back to California where he is serving a prison sentence for an unrelated case. The murder of Dexter Meeks considered a cold case in 2012, is now again cold, and police will continue to search for Meeks' killer.