Case of Waterloo man accused of murder, arson now in judge's hands

A judge will now decide the fate of a Waterloo man accused of killing his roommate and then setting their house on fire.

Attorneys submitted Glen Jackson's case for a decision on Tuesday morning as his bench trial began. The 51-year-old Waterloo man waived his right to a jury trial.

The Black Hawk County Attorney said the judge would decide the verdict based on court documents and previous witness statements. There will not be any testimony.

Jackson faces first-degree murder and arson charges. Prosecutors said he beat Sandra Nash, 57, to death in January 2011, then set the house on fire.

Nash and Jackson lived there together. Firefighters discovered Nash's body as they put out the fire. Police arrested Jackson shortly thereafter.

This trial took a while to get under way. Jackson's attorney asked for a competency evaluation last April. That put it on hold. In January, a judge ruled Jackson was fit to stand trial.

Jackson's attorney said he has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.  There's no word on when District Court Judge Bradley Harrison will reach a verdict. Attorneys said decisions like these typically take a week or two.