Teen to stay in custody in slaying of Mo. girl

Discussion

October 28, 2009

Anonymous The News Courier Wed Oct 28, 2009, 02:32 PM CDT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A teenage suspect in the slaying of a 9-year-old Missouri girl will remain in juvenile custody until a judge decides next month whether the first-degree murder case should be tried in adult court.

Funeral services for Elizabeth Olten, who disappeared on the way home from a friend’s house last week, were scheduled for Wednesday. She was found dead Friday in a wooded area near her St. Martins home in central Missouri.

An attorney for the 15-year-old suspect, who has not been identified, waived a scheduled detention hearing Wednesday that was to be closed to the public.

Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem did open the courtroom for arguments on whether people should be allowed to observe a Nov. 18 hearing to determine whether the teen should be tried as an adult. Beetem said he would announce his decision in writing.

Kurt Valentine, the teen’s lawyer, said Elizabeth’s death has put Jefferson City in “turmoil” and that opening the hearing could hamper the chances for a fair trial.

“There’s been a lot of speculation, but now we will have in giant headlines my client’s name,” Valentine said. “There is no way in the world that could possibly be in the best interest of this particular juvenile.”

Samantha Green, the attorney for the juvenile office, argued that the state Supreme Court has ruled that hearings can be open for juveniles accused of crimes that would be the most serious felonies if committed by an adult. She said court records and the exhibits to be presented could be closed or sealed to protect the suspect’s privacy.

The 15-year-old was arrested Friday after leading authorities to Elizabeth’s body just west of Jefferson City. Hundreds of people had searched the area last week after she disappeared.

The Cole County Sheriff’s Department has said Elizabeth was well concealed, but have not said how she was believed to have encountered the teenager or where she was thought to have been killed. Sheriff Greg White said previously that the two lived in the same area and were acquainted but not related.

Valentine said the community needed time to absorb what happened. “In the local high school, friends of both sides have been getting into arguments and had fights over this case,” Valentine said.

David Luther, a spokesman for Jefferson City Public Schools, said the district has no information or disciplinary reports about fights, but that officials would not know about every argument.

Text Only

State and Nation

Sinkhole shuts down westbound I-20 in Alabama
Westbound traffic is being routed off Interstate 20 in eastern Alabama because of a sinkhole that's formed in the highway in Calhoun County.

February 10, 2012
Embalmer takes speech case to Mass. high court
Troy Schoeller admits he could have chosen his words more carefully when he talked to a reporter about bodies he worked on as an embalmer at a funeral home.

February 10, 2012
Los Angeles school reopens amid sex abuse scandal
The teachers union president assailed the reassignment of teachers as a stunt, about 100 parents and students blasted the move, and some of the new teachers needed a bit of help from their charges.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
APNewsBreak: Powell had 'incestuous' images
Authorities say the images depicted "incestuous" sex and were disconcerting enough that they prompted a psychologist to recommend that Powell undergo an intensive psychosexual evaluation.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
NYC sewage plant to offer Valentine's Day tours
It may not smell like a rose but a New York City sewage plant is offering tours for lovers on Valentine's Day.

February 10, 2012
Mississippi bill renames Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America
State Rep. Steve Holland says the measure aims to mock anti-immigrant legislation that he finds mean-spirited and insignificant.

February 9, 2012
AG: Mortgage deal offers relief to Alabama borrowers
The deal also puts a stop to many of the bad behaviors that contributed to the mortgage mess in Alabama and across the U.S.

February 9, 2012
States, Feds to announce mortgage settlement
February 9, 2012
Unemployment aid applications near a 4-year low
February 9, 2012
Remlap woman dies after struck by car after crash
February 9, 2012
More State and Nation Headlines

State and Nation

Search Results

Discussion

Teen to stay in custody in slaying of Mo. girl

What is the most important issue state legislators will tackle this session?

Site Map

Contact Us