Jury selection starts Monday for woman accused of killing her boyfriend

DAVENPORT – Jury selection starts Monday in the murder trial of the third co-conspirator charged in the beating death of a Marengo man in 2009.

Denise Frei, 45, of Marengo, charged with first-degree murder, is accused for her part in the brutal slaying of her former boyfriend Curtis Bailey, 33, who was beaten to death with a rock and other items July 18, 2009 in his home. Bailey died from blunt force injuries.

A change of venue from Iowa to Scott County was granted earlier this year.

A jury was seated Monday and opening statements will likely start 9 a.m. Tuesday in Scott County District Court. Reporter Trish Mehaffey will provide live coverage from the courtroom when testimony begins. Viewers can follow along, ask questions and provide comments.

The trial is expected to last about a week and a half. The state will call about 17 or 18 witnesses and the defense will have about nine.

The defense indicated earlier this month that Frei may take the stand. She plans to claim self-defense and insanity, according to court information previously filed. She claims Bailey was physically abusive to her.

The state claims Frei, along with her son Jacob Hilgendorf, 21, and his friend, Jessica Dayton, 21, both of Belle Plaine, planned to kill Bailey that night by promising him a menage a trois with Frei and Dayton if he played a drinking game, according to testimony from Hildgendorf's and Dayton's trials.

Their plan included getting Bailey drunk, so they could make his death look like an accident, according to testimony. The plan went awry when he awoke and began fighting with Hilgendorf.

Evidence from Dayton's trial revealed she hit Bailey in the head with the rock and in Hilgendorf's trial there was evidence that Hilgendorf confessed to beating and killing Bailey with the rock and other objects.

Dayton and

Hilgendorf were convicted of first-degree murder and are serving life in prison without parole.