A southwest Iowa man accused of killing a Manning woman earlier this month has formally pleaded not guilty to first‑degree murder.
Twenty‑seven‑year‑old Joshua Lehman of Shenandoah entered the written plea during his initial court appearance Thursday, where he also waived a preliminary hearing. Lehman’s arraignment is now set for 9 a.m. on Aug. 31, and Judge Angela Doyle has been specially appointed to preside over the case.
Lehman is charged in the Aug. 2 shooting death of 27‑year‑old Dr. Rylie‑Shea Muhlbauer at a home on East Shore Drive in Lake View. Investigators say a 911 call came in just before 10:30 a.m., and responding officers found Muhlbauer deceased inside the residence. Court documents allege she was shot in the head while lying in bed. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation identified Lehman as the suspect later that day, and he was taken into custody without incident.
First‑degree murder is Iowa’s most serious criminal charge — a Class A felony punishable by life in prison without parole.
Lehman is currently being held without bond in the Sac County Jail.
