$1 million bail set for Hiawatha man charged with killing mother

CEDAR RAPIDS - A judge set bail at $1 million for a Hiawatha man formally charged Wednesday with killing his 56-year-old mother.

Deborah Roman was found dead in her Hiawatha mobile home on Friday, Dec. 2.

Sixth Judicial Associate District Judge Nicholas Scott set the cash-only bail for Joseph D. Hubbard, 32, charged with second-degree murder, second-degree arson, third-degree burglary and assault causing bodily injury, during his initial appearance in Linn County District Court.

Scott also appointed a public defender for Hubbard, who appeared by video for the hearing. An arraignment is to be set for a later date.

Hiawatha police were called to the 700 block of North Center Point Road at 8:40 a.m. Dec. 2 for a 'naked man running at large,” a criminal complaint shows. Police found Hubbard attempting to get into several vehicles before getting into a construction van.

Hiawatha officers made contact with Hubbard and said he 'appeared to be in an altered state of mind,” the complaint states. Hubbard told officers he found his mother dead that morning.

The complaint shows officers took him to a hospital for examination and he confessed that he killed Roman by shoving a rotten apple down her throat. Police then went to Roman's mobile home at 213 Sunset Lane and found her body inside.

During an autopsy, a state medical examiner found large chunks of apple in Roman's throat and ruled she died from asphyxiation, the complaint shows.

Hubbard, before police found him at the construction van, had forced his way into a storage shed of the nearby New Beginnings Church, took off his clothes and soaked them with gasoline, the complaint shows.

Hubbard is also charged with assaulting Steven Behrens before getting into the van. Scott also set a no-contact order against Hubbard for Behrens.

Kirk Findley, Roman's fiancé, previously told The Gazette that Roman owned the mobile home, but Hubbard had been living in it, alone, for a couple of months.

Hubbard had moved back to the area from Florida about two months ago after losing his job in Fort Lauderdale, Findley said, adding Hubbard was unemployed and had a drinking problem, which caused issues between him and his mother, he said.

Roman went over to the mobile home the Wednesday before her death, Findley said. During the day, Hubbard was verbally abusive toward his mother and raised his hand toward her, but never hit her, Findley said.

The next night, Findley said he came home and learned Hubbard had been 'harassing” Roman on the phone. She left Findley's Cedar Rapids residence around 8 p.m. that night to go to the mobile home in Hiawatha. Findley said that was the last time he saw or spoke to his fiancé.

If convicted on all charges, Hubbard faces up to 66 years in prison, with a mandatory 35 years to serve before being eligible for parole.

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com