Son of Hiawatha woman found dead charged with murder

HIAWATHA — The son of a woman found dead in a Hiawatha mobile home earlier this month has been charged in her death.

The Hiawatha Police Department said on Tuesday that 32-year-old Joseph D. Hubbard had been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old Deborah Roman.

Hiawatha police said they would not release any additional details about the alleged crime, but court documents filed Tuesday provide more information.

According to the criminal complaint:

Hiawatha police were called to the 700 block of North Center Point Road at 8:40 a.m. Dec. 2 for a report of a 'naked man running at large.' There, police found Hubbard attempting to gain access to several vehicles before entering a construction van.

Authorities said officers made contact with Hubbard who 'appeared to be in an altered state of mind.' Hubbard told police he found his mother dead that morning. He was taken to a hospital for examination. There, Hubbard allegedly told authorities that he killed his mother by shoving a rotten apple down her throat.

Police responded to 213 Sunset Lane and found Roman's body inside. Authorities said large chunks of apple were found in Roman's throat and the State Medical Examiner's Office ruled she died from asphyxiation.

At some point before he was found by police, authorities said Hubbard forced his way into a storage shed belonging to the nearby New Beginnings Church, took off his clothes and soaked them with gasoline.

Police said Hubbard also assaulted a man before entering the construction van.

Kirk Findley, Roman's fiancé, said 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, Fla., Findley said. According to Findley, Hubbard was unemployed and had a drinking problem, which caused issues between him and his mother.

Roman had gone over to the mobile home the Wednesday before her death, Findley said. During the day, Hubbard became 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.

In addition to the second-degree murder charge, which is punishable by up to 50 years in prison; Hubbard also faces charges of second-degree arson, third-degree burglary and assault causing bodily injury for the incidents that allegedly occurred before his arrest.