By Benita Heath

The Tribune

PORTSMOUTH — A trial date has been set in the murder case of Kara Garvin, the woman accused in the Dec. 22, 2008, triple homicide in Franklin Furnace.

Garvin, who could face the death penalty, will stand trial in the courtroom of Scioto County Common Pleas Judge Howard H. Harcha III on Nov. 2.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

Garvin, 29, of Franklin Furnace, is accused in the shooting deaths of Ed Mollett, 46, Juanita Mollett, 43, and their daughter, Christina Mollett, 20.

The young woman turned herself into authorities Dec. 22, hours after the bodies of the three were found at the couple’s trailer on Snook Road in Franklin Furnace. Authorities have said all three appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.

The couple’s 6-year-old grandson was in the trailer at the time of the shootings and ran to a neighbor for help.

In early January Garvin appeared in Harcha’s courtroom making a plea of not guilty through one of her attorneys, Charles Knight of Pomeroy.

Knight and William Eachus of Gallipolis, were appointed by Harcha to represent Garvin. Both attorneys are licensed to try capital crimes in the state of Ohio.

Garvin faces 18 counts including aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, theft of drugs and tampering of evidence. She was also indicted on a separate 8-count indictment on charges that include attempted murder, aggravated burglary and robbery in an incident that occurred Nov. 26, 2008, involving other members of the Mollett family.

Garvin, through her attorney, has denied any involvement in the homicides, including being at the scene of the crime.