Homicide trial set for April in Greene, posted Jan. 21
Jury selection for the trial of a Fayette County man charged in the June 2006 strangulation death of a 12-year-old girl was scheduled to begin April 23 in Greene County Court. The trial for Jeffery Robert Martin, 50, of New Geneva, who was charged in the death of Gabriel Bechen of Dunkard Township, will begin after the jury is chosen.
District Attorney Marjorie J. Fox said jury selection could take several days.
Judge William R. Nalitz set the date in a Friday meeting with county prosecutors and Martin’s attorney, Greene County Public Defender Harry Cancelmi.
Martin has been charged with homicide, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, statutory sexual assault and abuse of a corpse.
He led state police to the shallow grave in which he allegedly buried the girl on June 17, 2006, according to court records. Her family reported her missing on June 13.
Police said Martin also buried the all-terrain vehicle Bechen was riding when she was last seen. He allegedly buried the ATV on the farm where he worked. The girl lived near the farm.
Nalitz has already ruled on several pre-trial motions filed in the case.
He denied a defense motion to not allow a confession Martin made to police to be used as evidence in the trial, according to court records.
Motions arguing police did not have probable cause to arrest him, prosecutors did not establish a case for each offense and there was too long of a delay between Martin’s arrest and preliminary hearing were denied, according to court records.
Cancelmi also has petitioned for a change of venue.