TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Trial for one of the men accused in the murder of FSU law professor Dan Markel has been pushed back.
Sigfredo Garcia's trial has been pushed back six months, according to his attorney Saam Zangeneh.
Garcia is expected to be back in court Jan. 3 so attorneys can come to an agreement regarding an official trial date. The date was pushed back so that attorneys could have more time to look over the large amount of evidence that's been collected.
His attorney says that they are looking for a mid to end of summer trial date.
"Sigfredo Garcia stands by his plea and looks forward to his day in court," said Zangeneh.
Luis Rivera and Katherine Magbanua, and Garcia were indicted in Markel's murder. Rivera was sentenced in October 2016 to 19 years in state prison for his role in the professor's death. Magbanua is due back in court on January 22, 2018.
Markel was shot and killed in the driveway of his Tallahassee home in July of 2014.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It took just a few minutes Tuesday morning, but a trial date has been set for Sigfredo Garcia.
His attorneys and the state agreed to start trial early next year, on January 22nd.
It's been three years since FSU professor Dan Markel was killed. Garcia and Luis Rivera were charged in his murder.
Rivera was sentenced in October of last year, but Garcia has yet to stand trial.
Garcia's attorneys said Rivera got a "very good deal on a first-degree murder case," and they're working to strengthen their own case.
"We might need more time even as it goes along. Obviously, it's a first-degree murder case, so it's a lot of investigation that's needed, but we're going to push to have it resolved by then -- to have a trial date by then," said Mutaqee Akbar, Garcia's defense attorney.
Prosecutors say they wanted trial to start next month but Garcia's attorneys said they needed more time to build their case.
