Jury Convicts Man in Beating Death of Marcellus Andrews, Who Was Reportedly Taunted by Anti-Gay Slurs

A Black Hawk county jury has convicted a man for beating to death a college-bound teen who witnesses said was taunted by anti-gay slurs.

Paris Anding was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

He was charged in the August beating death of 19-year-old Marcellus Andrews in a fight on Cottage Street.

Andrews’ mother, Velma Andrews, said she harbors no hatred, but misses her son.

“I put it in God’s hands, and God took care of it,” she told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier following the verdict.

Andrews died after being removed from life support at an Iowa City hospital.

His case drew national attention when witnesses said he was taunted by anti-gay slurs. His family said he was not gay. The death was not charged as a hate crime.

Andrews had been slated to start studying interior design at Hawkeye Community College.