Charges upgraded after Centerville child's death ruled homicide

Kyle Ocker, Ottumwa Courier, Iowa
·2 min read

May 23—CENTERVILLE — Medical examiners have concluded the death of a two-year-old child in January was a homicide caused by blunt force trauma, leaving authorities to upgrade charges filed against her caretaker to murder.

Roger Gillespie, 48, of Centerville, now faces charges of first-degree murder in the death of two-year-old Journey Lane Marberry. He was originally charged with child endangerment causing death.

An investigator with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation filed the charge Thursday, a day after authorities received a final autopsy report that ruled her death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma. The autopsy was completed by the Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Gillespie would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The original charge carried a possible sentence of up to 50 years.

The investigation began when first responders were called to a Drake Avenue residence in Centerville for the report of an injured child. The child, later identified as Marberry, was taken to MercyOne Centerville Medical Center and later transported to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City where she ultimately died.

Marberry had been left in Gillespie's custody on Jan. 19 and had been reported to be in good health before being left in his care.

According to prior court filings, Gillespie told police he had given the child a bath and had left her unattended. He told police he heard a loud noise and returned to the bathroom to find the child unresponsive.

Doctors said the child had suffered a skull fracture, multiple multi-layer retinal hemorrhages and petechiae. Physicians told police the injuries would have been the result of non-accidental trauma.

Gillespie was arrested on a warrant on Jan. 27, the day Marberry died. He has remained in custody since, and police said he was informed of the additional charge while in jail on Thursday.

Kyle Ocker is the editor of the Ottumwa Courier and the Oskaloosa Herald. He can be reached at kocker@ottumwacourier.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, and on Threads @Kyle_Ocker.