Man accused of murdering Lu Verne bank employee pleads not guilty

LU VERNE — A Johnson County man accused of murdering an Algona woman at a bank in the Kossuth County town of Lu Verne has pleaded not guilty.

35-year-old Valentino Williams of Coralville was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the December 4th killing of 43-year-old Jessica Weisharr of Algona. Williams is accused of shooting Weisharr multiple times outside of the Security State Bank. Weisharr died at the scene. Prosecutors say Williams was on parole, drove across the state in a rental car, and fatally shot Weisharr during the bank robbery.

Williams was scheduled to have his arraignment hearing next Monday in Kossuth County District Court, but online court records indicate that he filed a written plea of not guilty to the charges on Wednesday. District Judge Don Courtney scheduled Williams’ trial to start on February 11th.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Williams would face life in prison without the opportunity for parole.