Garvin trial postponed
Published 11:09 pm Saturday, October 31, 2009
PORTSMOUTH — The trial of Kara Garvin, the woman accused of killing three people in Franklin Furnace on Dec. 22, 2008, has been postponed.
Garvin, who could face the death penalty, was to have stood trial starting Monday in the courtroom of the Scioto Common Pleas Judge Howard H. Harcha III. However, it has been continued as the prosecutor’s office waits on test results on evidence.
“We are waiting on the testing of certain items submitted to BCI&I in London,” Pat Apel, assistant prosecutor, said.
Apel declined to elaborate on what the items of evidence are.
Garvin, 30, of Franklin Furnace, is accused in the shooting deaths of husband and wife, Ed Mollett, 46 and Juanita Mollett, 43, and their daughter, Christina Mollett, 20.
Garvin went to authorities hours after the bodies of the three were found at the couple’s trailer on Snook Road in Franklin Furnace.
She was then charged with the crimes.
Authorities have said all three appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.
Garvin faces 18 counts including aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, theft of drugs and tampering of evidence.
In early January, Garvin made a plea of not guilty through her attorney, Charles Knight of Pomeroy. Knight and William Eachus of Gallipolis, were appointed by Harcha to represent Garvin. Both attorneys are licensed to try capital cases in the state of Ohio.
Authorities say the grandson of the murdered couple was in their trailer at the time of the shootings and ran to a neighbor for help.
There will be a competency hearing before Harcha on Wednesday concerning whether the grandson, now 7 years old, will testify at the trial.
There will be a hearing the following week on a motion, also before Harcha, to suppress a photo lineup identification of Garvin, Apel said.
A new trial date has yet to be set.