NASHVILLE – Accused killer Mark Bowling made his first appearance in N.C. Superior Court in Nash County on Monday.

Judge Quentin Sumner directed Indigent Defense Services to appoint legal counsel for Bowling after the defendant was declared indigent, which means he is unable to afford to hire an attorney for this type of case; Bowling has been indicted for first-degree murder. That clears the way for his provisional counsel, Thomas Moore, to continue serving as his defense attorney.

Moore said he "fully (intends) on staying on the case" and expects he will be appointed to serve for the remainder of the case.

Bowling, 36, had tried to hire Attorney Joe Hester, said Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner. Hester was not available for comment.

The next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26.

"We're planning to seek the death penalty, but that decision will be made on that day, or announced on that day, anyway," Werner said.

Bowling and his alleged lover, Rose Delores Vincent, were indicted Jan. 8 by a grand jury on first-degree murder charges. They are accused of killing his wife, Julie Bowling, who was shot Dec. 8 in the garage of the Bowlings' home.

Vincent, 27, will appear in court on Wednesday. According to search warrants, Vincent confessed to shooting Julie Bowling.

Julie Bowling's body was discovered by one of her co-workers from Nash General Hospital, where Bowling worked as a radiation oncology therapist.

Mark Bowling was arrested after he flew back to Rocky Mount. He had been on vacation in Florida when his wife was killed.

Less than two hours after his arrest, Bowling was transferred to the mental health ward of Central Prison in Raleigh after authorities found him to be "extremely suicidal," according to an order signed by Nash County Sheriff Dick Jenkins.

Bowling and Vincent met eight years ago when he was the funeral director for Vincent's stepmother's funeral. The two began a brief romantic relationship at the time, and reconnected about a year before the murder of Bowling's wife, authorities have said.

The Bowlings owned Bowling Funeral Homes, which has locations in Rocky Mount, Enfield and Scotland Neck. The Tarboro branch was closed in October.