Murder accused Joanna Findlay remains behind bars in America
The Blairgowrie woman accused of murdering her husband at their home in the US is facing Christmas behind bars, it has emerged.
- By Mark Mackay
- Published in the Courier : 23.12.10
- Published online : 23.12.10 @ 10.39am
University lecturer Joanna Findlay has been held in custody since the alleged shooting of Gary Trogdon in Hollywood, Maryland, on October 30.
Bail, set for $100,000 (£63,000) following a hearing at St Mary's County District Court on November 24, has not yet been posted by her family.
It has emerged that when Findlay returns to the court on January 7 she will be faced with two new charges in addition to the second-degree murder charge she has already denied.
The 40-year-old will be accused of first-degree assault and felony handgun use at an arraignment hearing, when the indictment will be read to her.
She will then be asked to enter a plea to the three charges.
Having been offered the chance of her freedom on bail last month, lawyer John Ray said it would be a matter for the family whether she took up the offer.
Two weeks later, he said the family were expected to post Findlay's bail bond "any day now," but she currently remains in custody.
"She's hanging in there and is as well as she can be under the circumstances," Mr Ray said.
The additional charges will be further heartache for parents Thomas and Freda, who have been in the US to offer support to their daughter, whom they believe is innocent.
It's claimed that the accused argued with Mr Trogdon (55) when child pornography was discovered on his home computer, leading him to shoot himself.
St Mary's County Sheriff's Department received an emergency call from the couple's home at around 10.50pm on October 30.
Findlay initially called to report a domestic assault before hanging-up. When dispatchers returned the call, Mr Trogdon is said to have answered and reported that he had been shot by his wife.
When officers arrived at the house they are said to have found Findlay outside with blood on her clothing and Mr Trogdon dead in a living room chair, having sustained a gunshot wound to his chest.
Findlay, who grew up in Aberdeen and studied at Dundee College, moved to the US 15 years ago on a student exchange programme.
She never returned to Scotland, and settled in the US after meeting Mr Trogdon, a lecturer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
She had been lecturing in English within the arts and humanities department at Maryland University.
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