Michelle Boat took the stand today in defense of her killing of Tracy Mondabaugh, attempting to convince the jury that the First Degree Murder charge is too severe.

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Attorney Jill Eimermann: “In the opening statement I had said that you were not a scorned woman, at some point did you use the word scorned in your interview with police?”

Boat: “I did, I did…because he just threw me away like trash, and like I’d never been his wife, like I didn’t have his two kids, like he never loved me — he looked right through me and everything, it was horrible.”
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The Pella resident shared her version of the events of May 18th, 2020, claiming she was only trying to convince her husband Nicholas to come home. Boat followed Mondabaugh for nearly an hour before confronting her outside of an apartment on 101 Glenwood Street. From there, Boat claims Tracy started the physical confrontation, and the killing was in self defense and because she lost control of her emotions. In her initial statements, Michelle says she never intended to kill Mondabaugh, and only attempted to convince her to leave Nicholas so he would come back to live with her.

“She was just hitting me and hitting me and hitting me, and I had my hands up, and she’s yelling at me, and I just snapped and I grabbed the knife and I just stabbed her and I dropped the knife,” Boat said through tears.
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Upon cross-examination from Marion County Attorney Ed Bull, Boat admitted to sending Facebook messages to Tracy’s ex-boyfriend and eventually to Mondabaugh herself, trying to find out where Nicholas went after leaving their shared home on Prairie Street and where Tracy had previously lived. She had also previously confronted Tracy at Vermeer Corporation prior to May 18th in April. Bull had shared the messages and re-read them for Boat and details from their previous encounter, and also the words Michelle said to police upon learning that Mondabaugh was seriously hurt from their confrontation.

Marion County Attorney Ed Bull: “And then the police tell you, Tracy has been hurt seriously, right?”

Boat: “Yes, yes.”

Bull: “And your response was, ‘God works in mysterious ways, doesn’t he?'”

Boat: “Yes, I said that.”
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In reference to a voicemail she left Nicholas (audio censored for profanity), the defense said it was around the time Michelle admitted for mental health treatment.

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Upon closing their case, the defense requested another motion for acquittal, which was denied. Closing arguments begin Tuesday morning. Stay tuned to 92.1 KRLS for updates from the trial of Michelle Boat.

Click here and here for a recap of previous coverage.