Onawa, Iowa murder trial will be moved out of Monona County

Judge ruled that jury would not be fair and impartial
Published: Jul. 16, 2025 at 10:49 AM CDT

ONAWA, Iowa (KTIV) - The man charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed his wife will have his trial moved.

The trial of 50-year-old Jamie Allen of Onawa will be granted a change of venue. On the trial’s first scheduled day, potential jurors were given questionnaires. After those questionnaires were reviewed, the defence made a motion for a change of venue.

Jamie Allen faces on count of first degree murder(Monona County Jail)

The state resisted the motion for a change, but the court ruled that, based on the extent of knowledge or opinion of the case by prospective jurors, a substantial number of potential jurors could not be impartial.

According to court documents, there would be a substantial likelihood that a fair and impartial trial could not be preserved with a jury selected from Monona County. The judge then dismissed all potential jurors.

The trial will be rescheduled to a later date, not yet determined.

Allen is facing one count of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Stacey Allen.

The investigation was handled by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, which concluded, “On May 10, 2024, at approximately [5:40 p.m.], Jamie Lee Allen, having malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation killed his wife, Stacey Maria Jean Allen, with a firearm, outside of their home.”

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