A Burlington woman convicted of fatally stabbing her cousin in 2025 has been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison.
50-year-old Tisha Bounds was sentenced Monday by District Court Judge Wyatt Peterson after a Des Moines County jury found her guilty of second-degree murder in February. The conviction stems from the death of 33-year-old Derius Lashaun Moore of Chicago. Under Iowa law, Bounds must serve 70% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole or work release. That amounts to 35 years.
The judge also ordered Bounds to pay $150,000 in restitution to Moore’s two children. During the hearing, a victim impact statement described the lasting emotional and financial toll Moore’s death has had on his family, including the loss of stability and support.
The Hawk Eye reports Bounds addressed the court, expressing remorse and maintaining she acted in self-defense, calling the incident a tragedy and apologizing to her family.
The case dates back to an altercation in 2025 at a Burlington apartment, where an argument escalated and ended with Moore being stabbed.
