Popp Venue Hearing Set for November 24
A judge will decide whether Thomas Popp's second murder trial in the 1983 death of Terri McCauley should be moved from Woodbury County.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Crime — General
District Judge Tod Deck has scheduled a hearing on November 24 in Woodbury County District Court on Thomas Popp's motion for a change of venue. Popp's second trial for the 1983 death of Terri McCauley is set to begin March 2 at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center.
Why it matters
Popp's first trial ended in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict, and his defense argues that extensive media coverage has made a fair trial in Woodbury County difficult. The ruling could determine where the case is ultimately heard in Sioux City and the surrounding county.
Thomas Popp, 63, faces a first-degree murder charge after a January 2025 grand jury indictment, and his second trial is scheduled for March 2, 2026. His defense's change of venue motion will be heard November 24, while the county attorney has filed a resistance to it.
The players
Thomas Popp
Thomas Popp is a 63-year-old man charged with first-degree murder in the 1983 death of Terri McCauley, whose first trial ended in a mistrial.
Tod Deck
Tod Deck is the District Judge in Woodbury County, Iowa, who scheduled the hearing on the change of venue motion.
James Loomis
James Loomis is the Woodbury County Attorney who filed a resistance to the defense's motion to move the trial.
The details
Terri McCauley was last seen alive in the early morning of September 27, 1983, and her decomposing body was found near 33rd and Pavonia streets on October 6, 1983. Popp was questioned as a suspect in 1984 but was not arrested or charged at that time; he was later arrested in Washington and returned to Sioux City.
Timeline
September 27, 1983: Terri McCauley was last seen alive.
October 6, 1983: McCauley's body was found near 33rd and Pavonia streets.
January 2025: A grand jury indicted Popp for first-degree murder.
November 24: Hearing on Popp's change of venue motion in Woodbury County District Court.
March 2, 2026: Popp's second trial is scheduled to begin.
Legal Context
Change of venue motions in Iowa allow defendants to seek a trial in another county when pretrial publicity may compromise a fair jury. Popp's request follows a mistrial, an outcome that often prompts renewed debate over whether local juries can remain impartial in high-profile cases.
Residents of Woodbury County may be called for jury service if the trial stays local, and the venue ruling will determine where the proceedings take place. The outcome affects how the case moves through the local courts over the coming months.
The takeaway
Pretrial publicity and a hung jury can both shape where and how a criminal case is decided, which is why venue rulings often matter as much as the trial itself. Readers following the case can watch for the November 24 hearing outcome to see where the trial will be held.
What happens next
A hearing on the change of venue motion is scheduled for November 24, 2026 in Woodbury County District Court, and Popp's second trial is set to begin March 2, 2026 at the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center.
Further reading
For more on local court proceedings, see Crime — General coverage in Sioux City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sioux City Journal.
