The victim in a 2018 attempted murder case was charged last week with assaulting the defendant in that case, and she was held at Linn County Jail Monday accused of violating her release agreement.
Michael Speck, 59, was arraigned Friday, July 5, in Linn County Circuit Court on two counts of fourth-degree assault and menacing, class A misdemeanors and tampering with a witness, a class C felony.
Linn County Sheriff’s Office arrested Edwards July 2 at Bates Bridge on McDowell Creek Road near Pleasant Valley Road, according to court documents. Deputies had responded to a report of a female screaming that a male had a gun.
Deputies located Nancy Edwards, 57, who was visibly upset and shaking, with bruises and blood on her face and arms, according to a police report.
She told deputies that she had been at Speck’s house in the 28000 block of Pleasant Valley Road, where he allegedly hit her in the face multiple times, according to the report.
She left on foot and, afraid that he intended to kill her, hid from him when she heard his truck, according to the report.
She claimed Speck also had assaulted her on June 8, but she didn’t report it because she had a release agreement that prohibited her from contacting Speck, according to the report.
She told police that he was pressuring her to invite a friend into a threesome, according to the report, and he became angry when she declined.
Deputies took Edwards into custody for violating her release agreement, and the Linn County District Attorney’s Office on July 3 filed to revoke the release agreement and enter a judgment for the full amount of the security, $250,000, in the case against her, according to court records.
Edwards is scheduled for a four-day trial on a charge of attempted murder and first-degree assault beginning on Nov. 4. On April 25, she notified the court of her intention to claim self-defense.
Speck is charged with tampering with a witness in connection to an incident on April 24. According to the police report, Edwards claimed Speck told her she needed to continue to have sex with him or he would testify in the attempted murder case and have her sent to prison.
He is charged with fourth-degree assault in connection to the incidents on June 8 and July 2 and an additional charge of menacing in connection to the incident on July 2.
The charges against Edwards stem from an incident on July 29, 2018 when Speck called 9-1-1 to report he had been stabbed, puncturing his lung, by his ex-girlfriend.
Speck and Edwards had ended their relationship, but he was allowing her to temporarily stay in an outbuilding on the property, Undersheriff Paul Timm said last year in a statement.
The two had argued early in the morning because Speck wanted Edwards to move off his property and find another place to live, according to a Sheriff’s statement.
After being stabbed, Speck locked himself inside the house and called 9-1-1, Timm said.
While on the phone with 9-1-1 dispatchers, Edwards allegedly broke through a sliding glass door in an attempt to attack Speck again, according to the statement.