A trial has been scheduled for Christopher Grimmett, 30, Warsaw, who is accused of killing a 2-year-old girl.
After a status conference on Monday in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Judge Michael Reed scheduled a four-day jury trial to begin Oct. 24.
Grimmett faces a murder charge in connection with the Nov. 11 death of Adalin Stamper.
The trial scheduling comes amid Grimmett trying to get a new attorney. Grimmett was assigned public defender Jay Rigdon. In a handwritten motion filed May 25, Grimmett told Reed that he didn’t believe Rigdon was fighting for his case or had his best interests in mind.
“I have asked (for a new lawyer) multiple times. Failure to grant this request would be cause for mistrial,” Grimmett wrote in the motion.
During Monday’s status conference, Reed said he would scheduled a “contested hearing” on the motion if necessary based on the results of the psychiatric evaluations. If the evaluations say Grimmett is deemed insane, his motion would not have legal merit.
Reed previously ordered two psychiatric evaluations in the case.
Police say Grimmett confessed to beating the toddler he was babysitting to death with his bare hands.
Stamper’s body was found buried in the back yard of Grimmett’s brother’s house on Sue Avenue, covered in trash bags.
The brother is not suspected of being involved in the crime.
Law enforcement traced the toddler to Sue Avenue after responding to a missing child report at 10:30 p.m Nov. 10 near Chapman Lake.
Officers met with Grimmett, who told them he had left the toddler with her maternal grandmother. Officers determined this was false by contacting the taxi driver that took Grimmett home. The driver told police he remembered seeing blood on Grimmett’s pants, the affidavit said.
Once inside, officers found a substantial amount of blood in the home, the affidavit states.
The Kosciusko County Coroner’s Office determined the girl died from multiple blunt force traumatic injuries.
Grimmett has been in the Kosciusko County Jail since his arrest without bond.
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