Case Description

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Summary based on 8 sources

In the small Iowa town of Onawa, the life of Stacey Maria Jean Allen, a 47-year-old White female, was cut short on the evening of Friday, May 10, 2024. The incident unfolded at her residence, sending a shock through the community. That evening, at approximately 5:40 p.m., the Monona County Communication Center received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the 1900 block of Granite Street.

Deputies from the Monona County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the home, where they discovered Stacey Allen deceased outside. She had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was called to assist local law enforcement with the homicide investigation. At the scene, authorities took a suspect into custody without incident. The man arrested was Stacey’s husband, 48-year-old Jamie Allen.

Jamie Allen was transported to the Monona County Jail and charged with Murder in the 1st Degree. Court documents alleged that Jamie Lee Allen acted with “malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation” when he killed his wife with a firearm. On May 23, 2024, he pleaded not guilty to the charge and waived his right to a speedy trial.

The trial was initially scheduled to begin in Monona County. However, after potential jurors were given questionnaires, the defense made a motion for a change of venue. The court granted the request, ruling that based on the jurors' extensive knowledge of the case, there was a substantial likelihood that a fair and impartial trial could not be held in the county. The trial was subsequently moved to neighboring Woodbury County.

In February 2026, a Woodbury County jury found Jamie Allen guilty of first-degree murder. The following month, in a Monona County courtroom, Judge Zachary Hindman sentenced the 50-year-old to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The judge had previously rejected several defense motions for a new trial. At his sentencing, Allen declined to make a statement. As of March 2026, he is serving his life sentence.