While a lot of motions have been filed and their responses returned by both parties, more litigation is on the way in the case of Landon Stinson — a Trigg County man charged with the 2021 Cerulean Road double murder of familial victims Sue Faris and Matthew Blakeley.
At the top of the stack, however, will be a notice of intent for change of venue.
In Wednesday afternoon’s Trigg County Circuit Court session, defense attorney Bill Deatherage told Division II Circuit Judge Natalie White and Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins his plans to file such a request — one that, if granted, would move his client’s scheduled September 18-29 trial to another jurisdiction outside of Cadiz.
White said while Trigg’s court is well-stocked and prepared for a lengthy jury trial, any other west Kentucky county legally needs a cursory 45 days prior to the trial’s beginning, in order to properly account for the number of citizens needed for fair and due process.
Because of this, White mandated Deatherage’s motion be filed by July 21. Ovey-Wiggins and the Commonwealth will have until July 28 to respond, and the two sides will return to the court room at 1 PM Monday, July 31, to hear change of venue status.
Furthermore, White will also use this day to review the possibility of releasing some discovery to the defense that’s under seal from the Commonwealth.
If allowed, this won’t include any body camera footage from former Cadiz Police Chief Duncan Wiggins — whom Ovey-Wiggins said responded to the scene of the crime under personal circumstances.
Deatherage argued his team needed to see those sealed files, or otherwise they would be “left in the dark.”
White also agreed that both the Commonwealth and Deatherage needed ample time to have all motions and all responses filed before trial. In turn, she ordered all remaining motions should be filed by July 31, all responses to those motions be filed by August 18, and all replies to those motions due by August 25.
Then, at 1 PM August 28, everything will be heard in one fell swoop, before jury selection begins in Trigg County — or perhaps elsewhere — in mid-September.
At this time, Stinson’s bond remains at $2 million, and he’s incarcerated at the Christian County Jail following his extradition from California. Autopsies determined that the 76-year-old Faris and 28-year-old Blakeley both died from gunshot wounds.
