CHELSEA DAVIS
Courier Staff Writer
OTTUMWA —
The trial date has been set for a man accused of murdering his pregnant wife.
Seth Techel, 22, was charged with first-degree murder and non-consensual termination of a human pregnancy in the death of his wife, Lisa Techel, at their rural Agency home in May.
His trial has been set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.
Lisa Techel was a reserve deputy sheriff with Wapello County and had served as a correctional officer in Washington County.
Seth Techel was arrested a few days after her death. Investigators from the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation say Lisa Techel was shot once with a shotgun. Authorities say they have possession of the weapon used in the shooting.
First-degree murder is a Class A felony and carries a life sentence in prison. Non-consensual termination of a human pregnancy, a Class B felony, carries a sentence of up to 25 years.
Techel is currently being held on $750,000 cash-only bail.
