Venue For Joshua Pendelton’s Murder Trial Has Been Changed

The venue for the murder trial of a Fort Dodge man accused of killing a pastor in October in Fort Dodge has been changed. The attorney for Joshua Pendelton filed a motion that was granted to change the venue and move the trial away from Webster County. The case is a high profile case and their were concerns about being able to assemble an impartial jury in Webster County. Pendelton is facing charges of  1st degree murder and 1st degree robbery. He is accused of the murder of Rev. Al Henderson on October 2nd outside St. Paul Lutheran Church here in Fort Dodge. Pendelton was found competent to stand trial last month after undergoing months of treatment at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center. His trial has now been moved to Scott County and will be held in Davenport. The Iowa Supreme Court has suspended criminal jury trials until September due to covid-19.