Trial date set for man accused of killing wife JoEllen Browning

Photo of Roy C. Browning contributed by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

Kayli Reese, Managing News Editor

A trial date has been set for Roy Browning, the man accused of murdering his wife, University of Iowa Health Care budget official JoEllen Browning.

The trial will begin at 9 a.m. on March 10 at the Johnson County Courthouse. Browning has been charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty.

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A case management conference date has also been set for 9 a.m. on Feb. 14. At the conference, Browning will either reaffirm his not guilty plea, change his plea to guilty, or offer to plead guilty in order to come to a plea deal, according to court documents.

JoEllen Browning was found dead in her home April 5, and autopsy results show that she died from sharp-force injuries. Her husband was then arrest for her murder on Oct. 28. Court documents show JoEllen Browning was asking her husband questions about discrepancies in their financial records days before her death.

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A hearing date for Browning was previously scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 9.