In the late summer of 2014, the life of Eddie Cooper Martin, a 50-year-old Black or African American man, was tragically cut short in Burlington, Iowa. On August 6th, while sitting on his bicycle at the corner of Gunnison and Aetna streets, Martin was shot. He was transported to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, where he ultimately died.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to Joshua Royer.
Eyewitnesses placed Royer's vehicle at the scene of the crime, with one witness testifying they saw his car pull up at an angle next to Martin just before the sound of gunshots. Further testimony came from two teenagers who spoke with Royer near the location shortly before the incident. A friend of Royer's also testified that Royer had admitted to shooting someone.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that the act was premeditated, stating that Royer had deliberately stopped his car to shoot Martin for no clear reason, with one witness claiming Royer said he did it "because he was wearing red". The defense pointed to a lack of eyewitnesses to the shooting itself and the fact that the murder weapon was never recovered. They argued there was no established motive for the killing.
Ultimately, Joshua Royer was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In addition to the life sentence, Royer was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to Martin's family. As he was led from the courtroom, Royer denied his involvement in the murder for the first time.
