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PROVO — An Orem man accused in the shooting death of his wife pleaded not guilty Monday before a judge denied a request to lower his $1 million bail.
Conrad Mark Truman, 32, is charged with murder, a first-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, in 4th District Court. Heidy Wagner Truman, 25, was shot and killed in the couple's Orem home in 2012.
"Even though he pleaded not guilty, this process will move forward," her mother, Janet Wagner, said after the hearing. "We will move forward and be strong."
Deputy Utah County attorney Craig Johnson said his office will seek a speedy trial in the case "so the victim's family can get some closure on this." It is anticipated a trial will take two to three weeks.
Truman's attorney, Ronald Yengich, has argued that the case is circumstantial and asked Judge Samuel McVey to reduce his client's bail Monday. He assured the judge his client would stay in Utah County, stay away from alcohol and firearms and agree to GPS monitoring.
The judge denied the request.
Police officers testified they were initially called to 220 S. 1180 West in Orem on reports of a shooting. Conrad Truman apparently told them he and his wife had been drinking and got into an argument before his wife went to take a shower.
Soon after, he told them he heard a pop.
He told police his wife wasn't suicidal or depressed and that a bullet must have come through the bathroom wall. But police say no evidence supported that theory. After Conrad Truman offered confusing explanations and timelines and threatened to kill emergency responders if they didn't save his wife, officers testified that they began to suspect they were at a crime scene.
Later, Truman allegedly told a victim's advocate that his wife had been murdered and said he had heard someone yelling outside his home prior to the shooting. But he also questioned whether Heidy Truman had killed herself.
Dr. Edward Leis, Utah's chief deputy medical examiner, said the physical evidence pointed to either murder or suicide, but not an accident. The gun was apparently fired at a close range.
Responding officers said they found two guns in the home.
Police and prosecutors have said money was Conrad Truman's "primary motive" in killing his wife. Several life insurance policies had been taken out for Heidy Truman, and combined with other benefits he stood to receive $878,767 in the case of his wife's death, despite her $43,000 annual salary, charging documents state.
