Updated on May 12,2026 for corrections.
A Wapello County jury on Friday found 62-year old Joseph Lewis guilty of three out of for charges.
The verdict stems from a September 10, 2024 incident in which 32-year-old Demetric Edwards suffered multiple stab wounds during an altercation in Ottumwa. According to investigators, Edwards was able to drive himself to Ottumwa Regional Health Center before later being transferred to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for additional treatment because of the severity of his injuries.
Court records show Lewis was charged with willful injury causing serious injury, a Class C felony; assault while participating in a felony resulting in serious injury, also a Class C felony; going armed with intent; and attempted murder. Ottumwa Police arrested Lewis on September 12, 2024, two days after the stabbing.
After hearing testimony during the trial, jurors found Lewis not guilty of attempted murder but returned guilty verdicts on the remaining charges tied to the stabbing.
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2026.
