FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 03/11/2025 Contact: Rachel Zimmermann Smith, Johnson County Attorney Phone: 319-339-6100
Update: Iowa City man charged with murder in beating death of his partner
Joshua Perry, 34, of Iowa City, has been charged with First Degree Murder for the death of Victoria Skarda, 33.
On Jan. 6, 2025, Perry called 911 to report that a girl was passed out and cold inside his residence. Upon arrival of emergency medical services and law enforcement, the female was identified as Victoria Skarda and was pronounced deceased. Skarda lived at the residence with Perry and was the mother of his minor child. An autopsy was performed and Skarda’s death was ruled a homicide, listing the cause of death as Cardiorespiratory arrest in the setting of recent physical assault.
The investigation into Skarda’s death revealed that the defendant assaulted Skarda on the morning of January 6, 2025. Personnel from the Iowa City Police Department previously responded to the same address for reports of domestic altercations, including one instance on December 7, 2021, where Skarda was heard yelling that she could not breathe and “take your hands off my neck.”
This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department with assistance from the Johnson County Attorney's Office and Johnson County Medical Examiner.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
If you or someone you know is being abused by an intimate partner, please contact DVIP/RVAP at 800-373-1043 or 800-228-1625. You can also visit their website at www.dvipiowa.org.
Original press release from Jan. 6, 2025:
At 9:19 a.m., Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, the Iowa City Police Department responded to a residence in the 300 Block of Camden Road for a medical incident. The incident is under investigation as a suspicious death.
The identity of the deceased is being withheld, pending notification of next of kin. No further information is available.
