Knoxville — Eric Boyd, the fifth person indicted in the 2007 murders of Chris Newsom and Channon Christian, had a status hearing at the City County building on Wednesday regarding the case.
He was present in court, and both families were there as well.
The trial date was scheduled for January 3, 2019. He'll next be in court on December 5 for the motions hearing. Prosecutors said that they will not seek the death penalty in the case. The defense asked that Boyd return to federal prison while awaiting the trial.
A Knox County Grand Jury indicted Boyd in April on 36 counts, including first degree felony murder, more than 11 years after the murders.
Four others were tried and convicted for charges related to the murders --- Lemaricus Davidson, his brother Latalvis Cobbins, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman.
Christian was a 21-year-old West Knoxville resident and a senior majoring in sociology at the University of Tennessee.
Newsom was a 23-year-old Halls resident, a former high school baseball stand-out and a carpenter.