Helen Showalter, Gregory Showalter (Courtesy Iowa Department of Public Safety)
A day after skipping out on the reading of his guilty verdict in the murder of his wife, an Iowa man free on bail who reportedly cut his GPS-equipped ankle monitor and shut off his cellphone was re-arrested on Saturday.
Bond for Gregory Allen Showalter Sr., 63, was canceled, and he was placed back into custody while he awaits his sentencing set for Oct. 16. A jury was about to read his guilty verdict on Friday in the strangulation killing of his wife, Helen Showalter, 60. Jurors found him guilty of first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, willful injury causing serious injury, and domestic abuse assault by strangulation or impeding blood circulation. He faces life in prison without parole.
Showalter’s lawyer called him on Friday, letting him know jurors had reached a verdict, the Ottumwa Courier reported.
“When that did not occur and substantial time had passed, I became concerned about his welfare [and] contacted the judge and law enforcement asking that a welfare check be done at Mr. Showalter’s home,” the attorney, Robert Breckenridge, said, the Courier reported.
Police did not find him at home Friday, but authorities announced his arrest on Saturday without revealing details, saying they would be released in a news conference set for Monday, according to a post from Ottumwa police on Facebook.
Jurors began deliberating Thursday afternoon after four days of testimony, including from Showalter, who took the stand in his own defense.
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On July 31, 2021, prosecutors said he killed his wife of 40 years during their divorce, luring her to a job site, killing her and dumping her body in the Des Moines River river.
Someone walking in the area found her body in the river the next day, police said. He surrendered to authorities on Aug. 3, 2021, police said. He was granted bail, with the condition he wears an ankle monitor, which police told the Courier he cut.
According to court records, both Greg and Helen have criminal histories. Greg’s includes multiple traffic and moving violations, as well as reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. He was also convicted of marijuana possession and unlawfully carrying weapons. In 2001, he was convicted of failing to properly restrain his dog.
Helen had faced multiple traffic charges and moving violations over the years and a charge of keeping dangerous animals, a misdemeanor, in 2000.
Law&Crime’s Marisa Sarnoff contributed to this report.
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