TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Three of the eight suspects charged in the murder of Hoyt Birge were in court Tuesday.
The state attorney’s office says this was a brutal murder and a complicated case, with eight defendants and eight attorneys. The case will require much time and coordination to sort through all the evidence.
Prosecutors say they hope to get justice for the family of Hoyt Birge.
Tuesday morning, Patrick Berrane and Jesse Fox were in court while their attorneys and those representing three co-defendants asked the judge for more time.
They say “the amount of discovery is enormous," around 1,300 written pages and 50 CD’s.
Birge was found dead inside the trunk of a car at the U-Club Apartments on may ninth, but investigators traced the murder back to a home on Mission Road. One of the suspects, Paige Vowell, had a bond hearing Tuesday afternoon.
The state says she allegedly played a key role in Birge’s death and is being charged with first-degree murder.
“She is alleged to have set up the crime, assisted in having Hoyt Birge, the victim, lured over to the residence as well as the second victim who survived," said Georgia Cappleman, the assistant state attorney. "She’s also alleged to have participated in the crime by hitting the victim and then cleaning up afterwards.”
The judge agreed to schedule a hearing on January 16th to go over the cases of Berrane, Fox, David Howard, Paige Vowell, Vicki Strickland, Page Briggs and Stanley West.
Not shown is Brittany Guthrie, the eighth suspect. She’s due in court on December 15th for her hearing.
The state says grand jury testimony from Jesse Fox was used in indicting Paige Vowell with first-degree murder. Her bond hearing will continue Thursday after the judge and her attorney review that statement.
