Lawyers for 1974 murder suspect John H. Horton told a judge today that they need more time to prepare for a preliminary hearing.
Assistant Public Defender Michael McCulloch said the defense was still trying to obtain police reports and other evidence from prosecutors.
Horton, who was arrested last week in the killing of 13-year-old Lizabeth Wilson, did not speak during today's court appearance in Johnson County District Court.
The 56-year-old eastern Missouri man is charged with felony first-degree murder in the death of Lizabeth, who disappeared while walking home from a Prairie Village swimming pool.
Horton was a janitor at Shawnee Mission East High School and Lizabeth was last seen walking through the school's parking lot. Her remains were found six months later in a Lenexa field.
Today was Horton's first court appearance in front of District Judge James Franklin Davis, who will preside over the case.
Davis scheduled another hearing for Nov. 14. The preliminary hearing could be scheduled at that time.
At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors present evidence for the judge to decide whether there is probable cause for the case to go to trial.
McCulloch also asked that prosecutors not release or destroy any evidence before then without first notifying Horton.
Horton is being held in the Johnson County jail with a bond of $1 million.
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