Belongings of Funeral Home Owner, Slain Wife Up for Sale

Possessions belonging to Mark and Julie Bowling will be sold at auction starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. The items include antiques, furniture, vehicles, boats and equipment at their estate.

The couple once owned a chain of mortuaries in eastern North Carolina.

Julie Bowling was found shot to death inside the garage of the Rocky Mount home on Dec. 8.

Mark Bowling has been charged with her murder. Another woman, Rose Vincent, who authorities said had been involved in a romantic relationship with Mark Bowling for about a year, also faces a murder charge in the case.

Investigators said that, although Mark Bowling was out of town, he and Vincent had planned together to kill his wife.

A steady stream of people came by the house Friday to check out items to be auctioned.

"It was sad, real sad. You couldn't help but think when you walked in the door that it was a loving couple that lived here and what went wrong," Christine Peace said. "You can't imagine what happened that all of this would have to go."

Meanwhile, others admitted they just came by to see the house behind the terrible story. Markings on the doors where investigators searched for fingerprints are still visible.

"I was just curious to come see what was here," Antoinette Harrison said.

Julie Bowling's family said they want to buy back her personal items at the auction.

The money raised from the auction will go toward settling the couple's debts. The couple's funeral home in Rocky Mount was recently sold for $2.5 million.