Continuance Granted In Crider Murder Trial Over State's Objection:

-

Eugene Crider (mug shot SCSO)

The murder trial of a man accused of killing Carl Anderson in 2012 has been postponed at the request of defense attorney Frank Yankoviz.

Eugene Crider had been scheduled to stand trial next month in Newton County, where the case was moved on a change of venue.

Carl Anderson

Anderson went missing from Teri Dean-Morrison's home near Hootentown in February of 2012. His charred dismembered remains were recovered near a pond on property belonging to Dean-Morrison's employer and former boyfriend near Reeds Spring several weeks later. 

 Dean-Morrison is also scheduled to stand trial for murder next year in Jasper County.

Cheryl Crawford, who was also facing murder charges connected to Anderson's death, pleaded guilty last month to two counts of tampering with physical evidence.  She was sentenced to four years in prison and prosecutors plan to call her as a witness at the upcoming murder trials.

Another woman, Krystal Buras, who is charged with tampering with physical evidence for allegedly removing evidence from Crider's vehicle, is set for a bench trial in December.

Assistant prosecutor Dayrell Scrivner told Judge Alan Blankenship that the state was "ready to go" and asked that the continuance not be granted.  "Any delay would be a problem.  We've made hotel reservations, have witnesses lined up....a year is plenty of time to have prepared for trial."

Prosecutor Matt Selby says repeated delays in getting the cases to trial have been hard on the family.  "There have already been two witnesses that have died since this prosecution began...additional delays prejudice the state's case."