Iowa’s 6th Judicial Court sentenced former University of Iowa student Ali Younes to 50 years in prison during a sentencing hearing on April 27, four years after he strangled and robbed an Iowa City woman outside of the UI’s Art Building West.

Younes was found guilty of attempted murder, theft, robbery, and escape from custody in December 2025. 

According to previous reporting by The Daily Iowan, Younes began following a woman, Anne Rizzo, who was 63 at the time, on the Iowa Memorial Union footbridge. Younes tackled Rizzo outside of the UI’s Art Building West and began strangling her, leaving her unconscious. 

Younes took Rizzo’s $20,000 earrings and was interrupted by two witnesses while he was standing over her body. 

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The escape from custody charge came after Younes, who, after being arrested and placed under house arrest with an ankle monitor at his parents’ home in Sutherland, Iowa, broke the ankle monitor and fled to Jordan with the help of his parents. 

Alfred and Lima Younes received five years in prison for aiding and abetting escape from custody in November and September 2023, respectively. 

The escape from custody charge was merged into the robbery, theft, and attempted murder charges, and Younes will serve two consecutive 25-year sentences. According to court documents, each sentence has a minimum of 17 years and six months.