A judge on April 17 decided to permanently deny bail for the 50-year-old Jacksonville man accused of killing his girlfriend in December. The man will remain at the Marion County Jail until his case is resolved.
Here’s what we know:
Defendant: Michael Mickey Rowland.
Judge: Circuit Judge Timothy McCourt.
Charges: Second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.
Lawyers: Assistant State Attorney Drew Brandies and Assistant Public Defender Chad Hutcheson.
About the case: Diane German, 72, former owner of Wolfy’s restaurant on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, was found floating in her swimming pool by Rowland at her northeast Ocala home on Dec. 28, according to the Ocala Police Department.
Rowland told police he left German’s residence for work in Jacksonville on Dec. 27. He said he returned the morning of Dec. 28 and found her body in the pool.
Detectives said Rowland’s inconsistent statements and other evidence linked him to the death. The victim and the defendant were in a romantic relationship, which she broke off, authorities said.
Local officials said anyone who suspects domestic violence can call CASA Marion at (352) 722-2272.
Reason for the hearing: The state asked the judge to order pre-trial detention for Rowland, who has been in custody since April 6 and at the Marion jail since April 10.
If found guilty, what’s the sentence? Up to life in prison.
What happened at the hearing? Lead Detective Dylan Grosso testified the defendant told him he was at German’s residence on Dec. 27 and they were talking outside. Grosso said Rowland told him he went to work and, when he returned on Dec. 28, he found the victim deceased.
Surveillance video footage showed Rowland arriving at the residence shortly after 9:35 p.m. Dec. 27 and leaving about 10 p.m., according to court testimony. The detective said no one else was seen at the home after that time.
The cause and manner of death was strangulation and homicide, according to a Medical Examiner’s Office report.
Friends and family members told the detective that German was ending the relationship. In court, Rowland kept shaking his head from side to side, indicating the testimony was untrue. At one point, he uttered that’s a lie, which the judge told him not to do.
Cross-examined by the defense, the detective said it was possible that someone could have entered the property without being seen or recorded on video. The Medical Examiner’s Office could not pinpoint an exact time of death, the detective said.
The detective said the autopsy report mentions scratches on the victim’s neck from side to side, plus hemorrhaging on both sides of the muscles. Doctors indicate drowning was a contributing factor, as German may have been in the pool for awhile.
A toxicology report showed only caffeine in her system at the time of death.
When it was the defense’s turn, Rowland was prepared to testify. However, his testimony was interrupted a few minutes later when other assistant public defenders sitting nearby consulted and it was determined that Rowland should not testify for fear his statements could harm his case.
Providing background to the court, Rowland said he has never lived in Marion County. He has only visited the area when seeing German and pursuing some work opportunities. He has lived in Jacksonville since 2009 and owns a plumbing and electrical business.
He does have a criminal conviction from Jacksonville: aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in 2015.
Defense request: Defense attorney Hutcheson asked the court to set a reasonable bail amount. He noted that no one can say when the victim died and it’s possible that someone else could have entered the property without detection.
Judge’s ruling: The judge denied the defense request, citing Rowland’s limited ties to Marion County, evidence presented in court, the need for community safety, and the concern about Rowland fleeing prosecution if allowed to leave jail.
What’s next: Rowland’s next court date is an arraignment scheduled for May 12. The judge told Rowland he doesn’t have to be there because the defense will file a notice to waive his appearance.
He said the next court appearance after that is a pre-trial hearing slated for mid-June.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: No bail for man accused of killing former Wolfy’s restaurant owner
Reporting by Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
