OTTUMWA — An Ottumwa man who failed to appear for the verdict in his murder trial has been taken into custody.

The Ottumwa Police Department and the Iowa Department of Public Safety asked for the public’s help over the weekend in locating Gregory Allen Showalter, who had been convicted of first degree murder. The case was being held in the Wapello County District Court and Showalter was not present on Friday when the jury found him guilty of murdering his wife in August of 2021. 

Showalter’s absence and status as being considered armed and dangerous resulted in the Ottumwa Community School District making the decision to call off their home football game versus Marshalltown at halftime, citing an abundance of caution despite there being no immediate threat inside the stadium. 

On Saturday morning, authorities reported that Showalter had been found and taken into custody. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says that more details will be released at a later time.