Lang
9/20/25
A suspect has pleaded guilty in an Iowa City arson case.
44-year-old Kenneth Davis was allegedly seen on surveillance footage behind DC’s Bar on South Dubuque Street at around 10:30 on the night of October 28th, 2024. He reportedly pulled out a lighter, set an air conditioning unit on fire, and walked away.
Davis, who lives on 480th Street between Sharon Center and Hills, was later apprehended and allegedly admitted to setting the fire. The air conditioning unit suffered heavy, non-repairable damage. The cost to replace the unit was estimated at approximately $6,000.
Davis was charged with 1st Degree Arson and 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief. If convicted on both counts, he could have been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Online records show Davis entered a guilty plea on Friday, and a new charge of 4th Degree Criminal Mischief has been added to his case. A conviction on that count carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail. A sentencing date is not yet listed.
Just over three weeks before the arson incident, Davis was fined $855 for placing religious reading materials on the steps of the Johnson County Courthouse in July of 2024, then calling 9-1-1 to report “destructive” materials had been placed there, leading to a response from the Johnson County Metro Bomb Team.