Lang
2/20/21
A new trial date has been set for an Iowa City man accused of killing his wife.
On Friday, Judge Kevin McKeever set a date of August 10th for the jury trial of 68-year-old Roy Browning Jr. Trial was originally scheduled to start last October, but Browning’s attorney, Leon Spies, argued that the spike in Johnson County COVID-19 cases at the time had not allowed him and his client to go over documents in a confidential setting.
Browning is charged with first-degree murder in the April 5th, 2019 stabbing death of JoEllen Browning. Police say Browning killed his wife at the couple’s Green Mountain Drive home after she noticed inconsistencies with the couple’s finances and scheduled a meeting with their banker to discuss them.
A representative from the financial institution has told police that they were prepared to tell JoEllen that one of their savings accounts had been depleted, Roy had taken out loans without her knowledge, and an account JoEllen thought was active never actually existed.
Roy Browning stood to inherit over $2 million in retirement accounts and other assets in the event of JoEllen Browning’s death.
If convicted, Browning faces life in prison. A case management conference is set for July 23rd.