The parents of Blairgowrie murder accused Joanna Findlay have flown to the US to be with their daughter as she seeks bail.
Joanna Findlay (40) was arrested on suspicion of shooting dead her husband, Gary Trogdon (55), at their home in Hollywood, St Mary’s County, Maryland, earlier this month.
The university professor was denied bail at an initial hearing, at which she appeared without legal representation, and has been in police custody for a fortnight.
No date has yet been set for her second bail hearing and she is being held in a facility close to her home. Her scrap metal dealer father Thomas and mother Frieda, from Rattray, arrived in the US earlier in the week.
It is believed they brought another family member who is a solicitor in a bid to ease them through the American legal system.
It is unclear whether they have been given access to their daughter yet. They have refused to speak publicly about her ordeal.
A source close to the family said, “Joanna’s parents were in Tenerife on holiday when they heard what had happened.”
“They have had an awful time because their flight home was delayed and then they had to get together the money to get to America.”
“Now they are there, it’s not clear exactly what they can do but they felt they had to be there to support Joanna.
“The American justice system seems to be all about paying money up front and the lawyers want paid before they will do anything and the money for any bail has to be found as well. But her father is prepared to stay as long as possible for her.”
The family has stated they believe Joanna is innocent, insisting Mr Trogdon committed suicide following an argument.
The family alleges the couple got involved in a dispute after child pornography was found on Mr Trogdon’s home computer.
They say he called police to allege he was being assaulted before turning a gun on himself.
St Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office has refused to comment further on the matter.
A former Dundee College student and Aberdeen University graduate, Joanna Findlay left Scotland in the mid-90s on a student exchange to Nebraska-Lincoln University, where she met Mr Trogdon. They were married 13 years ago.