BEND, Ore. (KOIN) – A Deschutes County Circuit Court judge in the murder case of Edwin Lara said October 10, 2017 is “a very firm trial date.”
In a letter to council filed earlier this month, Judge A. Michael Adler said the current trial date is “a very firm trial date.” He warned both the district attorney’s office and Lara’s defense team that “requests to continue the trial date will be denied.”
Lara is charged with 4 counts of aggravated murder in connection with the death of Kaylee Sawyer. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lara, who was a public safety officer at Central Oregon Community College in Bend, allegedly kidnapped the 23-year-old woman, tried to sexually assault her, killed her and then dumped her body on or around July 24.
Authorities also say Lara then traveled to Salem, kidnapped another woman and took her to California, where he shot a man and carjacked a vehicle with 3 people inside. After a chase over 100 mph on the main freeway along the West Coast, the California Highway Patrol arrested Lara.
In court filing, Deschutes County prosecutors allege Lara kidnapped Sawyer and attempted to sexually abuse her. In the course of both crimes, he killed her, authorities said.
Investigators have not said how Sawyer was killed.
Filed under: Crime, Editor's Pick, Oregon
