TEEN FACES TRAIL IN DEATH OF GRANDMOTHER

A 16-year-old boy suspected in the shooting death of his grandmother was certified Friday by Judge Scott Thomsen to be tried as an adult.

Joshua Wolf likely will appear within the next week before Circuit Judge Gary Kamp to be bound over for trial on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree arson and armed criminal action, said Abbie Crites-Leoni, attorney for the 32nd Judicial District's juvenile office.

Considering the nature of the evidence presented during Friday's closed hearing, the judge had no other choice based on state statutes but to move Wolf into adult court, Crites-Leoni said.

"We were very satisfied with the result," she said.

Wolf was taken into custody following the discovery of Carol Lindley's body after a house fire May 8. It was determined that Lindley, Wolf's grandmother, had died of a gunshot wound to her head.

Wolf had moved with Lindley from Columbus, Ohio, and had lived in the area since the end of April.

Seven witnesses had been called to appear by Crites-Leoni, while only one appeared in Wolf's defense. However, defense attorney Jeffrey Dix presented other evidence besides the one witness, Crites-Leoni said.

The hearing had been scheduled for two partial days in court on Friday and Monday. But based on the evidence developed, the juvenile-office attorney said it was decided to use fewer witnesses than originally planned.

Prosecution of Wolf now will be the responsibility of the Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney's office.

The location of the hearing had been moved from the courthouse in Jackson to Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau on Friday to accommodate judges and other Jackson court activities, a court official said.

Wolf will now be held at the Cape Girardeau County Jail instead of the juvenile detention center. Wolf will be kept with the general population of prisoners but with certain precautions, a law enforcement official said.

"He's not going to be put in there with any rapists," the official said. "But it would not be unusual to put him in a cell with others charged with murder."

Since Wolf was taken into custody, he has been kept occupied with schoolwork at the detention center, Crites-Leoni said.