An Iowa City man on trial for murder intends to argue that he allegedly killed his child's mother in self-defense.

The inicident first gained traction following a "suspicious" death in January . A day later, Iowa City Police identified 33-year-old Victoria Skarda as the deceased, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Joshua Perry, 35, was initially arrested and charged with domestic abuse assault and child endangerment a day after the death was reported. In March, Perry's assault charge was dropped and he was charged with first-degree murder .

He has since pleaded not guilty.

Iowa man accused of murder will argue 'self-defense'

Perry's attorneys filed court documents indicating that he will argue at least three defenses at his trial in January 2026.

In one filing, Perry's attorne

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