Pre-trial ruling made in Jeremiah Peacemaker murder case (Audio)

September 5, 2023
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–A win in court Tuesday for the prosecution in the pending murder trial of Jeremiah Peacemaker (pictured) of Watertown.

He’s charged with killing Kendra Owen in her Watertown apartment in the 300-block of North Broadway on September 2nd, 2020.

Peacemaker’s defense team filed a motion to have all references to Kendra Owen’s blood found on a tube of toothpaste and on a black hooded sweatshirt excluded as evidence at trial.

They argued that three different tests on those two items were “presumptive” tests, showing the possible presence of blood, but that the tests were not definitive.

But Judge Carmen Means denied the motion.

Attorney General Marty Jackley is prosecuting the case…

Jackley says there’ll be more pre-trial motions and arguments before then…

Owen’s body was in a severely decomposed state when she was found. She appeared to have been dead for several days.