By Matt Unruh ~ Great Bend Post

Jury selection got underway Monday in Barton County District Court in the Adam Longoria Jury Trial, the man accused of killing 14-year-old Great Bend resident Alicia Debolt. Ron Keefover, the Education Information Officer for the Kansas Judicial Office, says that 19 potential jurors “passed for cause” in jury selection.

36 potential jurors were called to Barton County District Court Monday, and Keefover said 36 more potential jurors expect to be reviewed Tuesday. The process will continue until there’s a total of 42 potential jurors passed for cause, and then that group will be narrowed to 14 jurors that will make up the jury for the trial. At that point, the presentation of evidence will begin in the trial. Keefover estimated that they could have a jury selected by Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

Original Story

About 500 prospective jurors have been summoned to Barton County Court for the trial of a man suspected of killing a 14-year-old Great Bend girl whose charred body was found at an asphalt plant.

Jury selection begins Monday for Adam Joseph Longoria. The 38-year-old man is accused of capital murder in the August 2010 death of Alicia DeBolt. He is also charged with attempted rape and criminal solicitation of a minor, among other charges.

A court spokesman says about 90 people were excused from jury service before the start of trial proceedings. Attorneys will question the first 36 prospective jurors Monday in the courtroom.

Jury selection is expected to take two to four days.