NASHVILLE – Mark Anthony Bowling and Rose Deloris Parker Vincent made their first appearance in N.C. District Court in Nash County on Tuesday, where they were told they could face the death penalty if found guilty of the Friday shooting of Bowling's wife, Julie.

Mark Bowling, owner of Bowling Funeral Homes, and Vincent, 27, of Middlesex are being held under no bond and appeared Tuesday for separate arraignments. They have been charged with first-degree murder.

Telegram photo / Jason Ivester (ENLARGE)

Rose Vincent is led out of the courtroom Tuesday by Nash County deputies at the Nash County Courthouse in Nashville.

"That is, of course, a very serious charge. It carries with it the possibility of the death penalty," Judge William Stewart said.

Attorney Joe Hester said he and attorney Duncan McMillan plan to represent Mark Bowling, who turned 36 on Tuesday, but that arrangement has not been finalized. Vincent requested that counsel be appointed for her.

Nash County Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner is the prosecuting attorney.

Hester said he hopes people will wait until the outcome of the trial before forming an opinion.

"I just hope that everybody waits for the court system to (run) its course," he said.

Werner had no comment.

Their next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 2.

Julie Bowling, 45, was found dead in her garage Friday morning. She had been shot multiple times, authorities said.

Authorities said they believe Vincent was the shooter. Mark Bowling was on vacation in Crystal Lake, Fla., when his wife was shot.

Mark Bowling was transferred from the Nash County jail to the mental health ward of Central Prison in Raleigh this weekend because he was "extremely suicidal" after his arrest, according to a written request for a transfer by Nash County Sheriff Dick Jenkins.

"The defendant has medical problems (extremely suicidal) that is outside the capability of the Nash County Detention Facility to handle," Jenkins' request stated.

Lt. Pat Joyner of the Nash County Sheriff's Office said Bowling did not attempt suicide while in the Nash County jail, but declined to comment as to whether he threatened to.

Investigators still are waiting for a ballistics report on the suspected murder weapon to be released, Jenkins said. Authorities also believe Bowling and Vincent were having an affair for about a year, which could have been a possible motive in the murder.

Bowling and his wife did not have children. Vincent has three children, Jenkins said.