Plea hearing now set for Titonka man accused of murdering Ventura woman

GARNER — Updating a story we told you about first late last week, a plea change hearing has now been scheduled for a Titonka man accused of murdering a Ventura woman in Britt in March of last year.

58-year-old Monte Eckels was charged with first-degree murder after being accused of fatally stabbing Leallen Bergman while inside a residence at 275 4th Street Southeast in Britt on the night of March 4th 2023.

Eckels was originally ruled to be incompetent to stand trial in a ruling this past May, but a district court judge last month found that his competency had been restored through medical treatment and scheduled his murder trial to start on December 9th.

In a document filed in Hancock County District Court last week, Eckels’ lawyer Parker Thirnbeck stated that the parties have reached a plea agreement in this matter.

District Judge DeDra Schroeder on Friday filed an order setting a plea change hearing for October 29th in Hancock County District Court.