Photo by Court TV (Pool Reporter)

The trial of Michelle Boat resumes in Marion County District Court today, with the defense scheduled to present its case that the 56-year-old Pella resident is not guilty of First Degree Murder, but instead of a lesser charge.

Boat admitted through attorneys that she was responsible for the death of Tracy Mondabaugh on May 18th, 2020, but is arguing that she did not intend to kill the girlfriend of her estranged husband Nicholas. As part of Friday’s testimony by Marion County Sheriff’s Lt. Reed Kious, Marion County Attorney Ed Bull presented a voicemail left by Michelle on her husband’s cell phone in March of 2020, directed at Tracy. Profanity from the audio has been censored:

“Oh, and tell the b****, you know, the f****** w**** that you’re sleeping with, that she messed with the wrong mama [sic].”

The Marion County Attorney’s Office brought several witnesses to the stand Thursday and Friday, including Nicholas, eyewitnesses from the incident, investigators from the Pella Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, as well as forensic experts from the State Crime Lab and Medical Examiner’s Office.

Boat’s attorneys made a motion for acquittal Friday, which was denied. Stay tuned to 92.1 KRLS for continuing coverage.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More