Joshua Royer
As expected, Joshua Royer was sentenced yesterday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the August killing of 50 year old Eddie Cooper Martin.
Judge Mary Ann Brown handed down the sentence as required by Iowa law for all First-Degree Murder convictions. In addition to the life sentence, Royer must pay the Martin family $150,000 in restitution.
The Hawk Eye reports that as Royer was being led away in handcuffs to begin his life sentence, he denied killing Eddie Martin–the first time he denied his involvement. He did not testify at the two-week long trial that ended last month.
During that trial, assistant county attorney Ty Stonebrook successfully argued that Royer shot Martin on August 6th as Martin sat on his bicycle at the corner of Gunnison and Aetna, after deciding that “For whatever reason…he did not like him”. He said that premeditation existed because Royer clearly stopped his car and deliberately shot Martin. One witness testified that Royer had told him he shot Martin “because he was wearing red”.
Royer’s Public Defense Attorney, James Beres, had asked for a new trial. His movement was denied.
