The first-degree murder trial has been rescheduled to begin July 8.

It is being held in Dickinson County on a change of venue. Its delay was triggered by ongoing flooding in Dickinson County

Ricke’s public defender Matthew L. Pittenger, of the Mason City Public Defender’s office, filed for the delay earlier this week.

In that filing he listed ways the flooding has impacted the commencement of the trial:

“Dickinson County has been declared a disaster by Governor Reynolds,” the filing states. “Highway 9 remains closed between Lake Park and Spirit Lake. A continuance will allow for the community to fix the homes and businesses that have been affected.

“One of the defendant’s attorney(s) had her home flooded and should be allowed time to take care of those matters.

“The potential jurors could be affected by the flooding and should be allowed to focus on their homes and businesses. There is a concern about sitting a jury that will be focused on this trial instead of being focused on the flooding that has affected the Community.”

The court instructed the Algona County Sheriff’s Office to return Ricke to the Hamilton County Jail.

Ricke was apprehended near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, late on Sept. 13, 2023, following a four-hour manhunt after he allegedly shot and killed Cram while the officer was attempting to serve an arrest warrant.

Cram, 33, was located by law enforcement and emergency medical services shortly after the shooting and transported to Kossuth Regional Health Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Ricke had an active warrant for third-degree harassment, a simple misdemeanor, out of Palo Alto County, court documents show. He had allegedly been harassing a former partner with text messages and phone calls between April and August, according to online court records.

After being apprehended in Minnesota, Ricke was extradited back to the Kossuth County Jail. He pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge on Oct. 6.

During Ricke’s initial appearance in Kossuth County Magistrate Court in September, prosecutor Scott Brown, with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, said the shooting was captured “at least partially, if not fully” on video.

If convicted, Ricke faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.