Iowa man convicted of murder after killing woman who ignored his 'cat-calls' | Law Enforcement Today

DES MOINES, IA - In July 2024, 42-year-old Nikki Loffredo was shot multiple times on a residential sidewalk and died several days later in the hospital after 43-year-old James Johnson killed her in an unprovoked attack.

According to reports, Johnson has no connection to Loffredo before the shooting and claims he was aiming at the ground, denying that his intentions were to kill her. Polk County prosecutors argued otherwise, and proved their case to the satisfaction of a jury. On Wednesday, April 9th, the jury convicted Johnson of first-degree murder for Loffredo's death.

Loffredo was shot in the early morning hours while walking home from buying some snacks. After being shot, she was able to describe her attacker and his vehicle to responding officers. Police had identified Johnson as the suspect within an hour of the shooting. According to the New York Post, Johnson was arrested on August 2nd after investigators uncovered text messages between him and his girlfriend where he admitted that he'd "popped" somebody earlier.

Jurors saw numerous videos from surveillance and doorbell cameras showing a gold-colored SUV circling the area, then pulling up beside Loffredo, pausing for a few seconds, then speeding away as she fell to the ground.

Investigators also learned that a friend of Johnson's had pawned a handgun for him. His DNA was found on the pistol and ballistics testing matched it to bullet casings found at the scene. 

Levi Grove, the prosecutor on the case said, "he was trolling the neighborhood looking for a reason to use that gun." The sole witness for the defense was Johnson himself, who testified that he was a lifelong marijuana and cocaine user. He said that on the night of the shooting, he'd been out smoking week and making food deliveries with a friend and had had an argument by phone with his girlfriend. 

He said, "I didn't want to go home and argue and fight," adding that he began to drive around aimlessly. He passed Loffredo several times while driving and although a stranger, he said he thought she might be interested in getting high or hooking up. At an intersection, he rolled down his window and "told her to come check it out." He said she responded with profanity. He said, "It pissed me off. I felt disrespected."

Johnson said she pulled up next to her and fired four shots with a gun he was not supposed to be in possession of due to prior drug felony convictions. He said he was aiming at the sidewalk with the intent to scare Loffredo, then he drove away not realizing that the woman had been hit in both thighs, including one that pierced her femoral artery, causing catastrophic blood loss.

He teared up at one point and said, "I never wanted to be responsible for something like that. I feel bad. I feel terrible. I didn't mean to hurt her, I certainly didn't mean to kill her."

Johnson was high on cocaine and marijuana the day of the shooting, but it is unclear if he was intoxicated when he pulled the trigger. Johnson's sentencing has been scheduled for June 20th. He faces up to life in prison.