Elizabeth Olten -- Found Deceased 10/23/09 -- Alyssa Bustamante Sentenced To Life With The Possibility Of Parole

Early Show interview with Alyssa Bustamante's best friend, Jennifer Meyer


Watch CBS News Videos Online

J4A, thanks for posting these, I found them earlier today, how disturbing! There is one picture where you can see evidence of cutting on her inner forearm, scars, multiple scars. It is apparent this girl has many issues. I'm just devastated it went so far to actually carry out a murder on a child.

Cole County murder indictment against Alyssa Dailen Bustamante. http://www.colecopa.com/news/091118%20indictment.pdf

okay.. please dont throw shoes at me, BUT...


in this day and age, teenages being "troubled" is in... "cutting" as they call it (self mutilation) makes these children interesting.. there is so many "goth" and "emo" children, it has become COOL to do these stupid things... YES.. this girl had issues.. however, these issues dont seem to have any effect at all, due to the reports that she is a straight A student, and seemed to have no "issues" with schooling.. .


IMHO.. this was a girl . . trying to FIT IN.. i worked at a juvenile detention facility for a good while, and the kids that were truly "troubled" and cut themselves, didnt make it a point to let people know they were doing it... in fact, they hid it as much as possible .. this girl advertised this on her "whatever page" ... cutting is not a hobby, it is a mental illness ... she was wanting to be seen as "cool" and mysterious...

as far as an insanity defense... this girl cut school (allegedly) and dug the graves several days before the murder took place... showing prethought and premeditation...

is she stupid.. yes.. does she show a complete lack of empathy for other human life, yes... is she "insane" ... NO.. she is a psychopath, this does not translate into insanity... she knew she was wrong, she just didnt care...

that her parents/guardian DID not take the time to see what this "child" was doing on the internet... if they would have taken that little amount of initiative, this innocent girl would not have lost her life.. i have a daughter.. it does not take THAT much effort to check in on them to make sure everything they are doing online is on the up and up... just pure ignorance and laziness IMHO...

Good point Randi. I agree that being a psychopath does not translate into being insane. I think that Bustamante's lawyer will try to use the insanity defense anyway since she already confessed and there is no other possible way to try to defend this case, but I don't think it will work.

It looks like Bustamante and her brothers were rarely supervised by their parents/guardians judging from what they were doing in the videos, and the fact that the videos were allowed to be posted online.

I agree with you both, Randi and J4A..... this girl is not insane... but her defense attorney will try to sell that to the jury... he has no other defense.

And you're right. It doesn't take that much effort to know what our kids are doing..... and our kids are worth the effort!

Bustamante pleaded not guilty today. That doesn't make any sense considering she has already confessed to police.

It drives me crazy when criminals that KNOW they did it (she did lead LE to her body as well) plead not guilty. All that does is cost everyone, not only more money for all the "defense" moves (motions, etc.) but it also causes the poor victims family more grief. How sad.

Alyssa Bustamante's attorney, Jan King, has filed a change of venue motion. In the motion, she argues that Bustamante would not receive a fair trial in Cole County due to residents being prejudiced by the pretrial publicity. The motion sites comments made in response to news articles on various websites.

You can read the motion by clicking the following link. http://www.colecountycourts.com/documents%20for%20Alyssa%20Dailen%20Bustamante/Application%20for%20Change%20of%20Venue%20filed%20by%20Public%20Defender%20with%20attachments.pdf

I don't know how it can be proven that those comments were made by residents of Cole County. I'm sure that many of those comments came from out of state readers who were interested in the case.

The change of venue motion was a gim-me really. They just had to have a reason.

I wonder if they pulled the ips of the comment writers to support the motion? I haven't read it yet, so forgive if that was a stupid question.

It doesn't look like they pulled IPs to support their conclusion that comments on the newspaper's website demonstrated the prejudice of the Cole County population. Most of the motion is screenshots of the news articles and the comments under them. Here is part of the motion.

Missouri 15-year-old charged with murder gets new lawyers

http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11712617

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri teenager charged with killing her 9-year-old neighbor has new lawyers.

The Jefferson City News Tribune reported that Alyssa Bustamante is now represented by the state Public Defender System's "Capital Litigation" division office in Columbia.

The 15-year-old is charged in Cole County as an adult with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Oct. 21 killing of Elizabeth Kay Olten.

Attorneys Donald Catlett and Charles Moreland of the Columbia office filed their appearance in the case this past week.

Bustamante previously had been represented by Jan King, who heads the Public Defenders' Cole County office.

If convicted of the murder charge, the maximum punishment available for Bustamante is life in prison without any possibility for parole.

Coming to Grips with Bizarre Murder Case

Reported by: Keith King
Feb. 15, 2010

EXCLUSIVE Interview with Elizabeth Olten's Father

Father of Elizabeth Olten Speaks Out About Her Death

Video of Bustamante on School Bus Shared By Lindsey Jones

Friends Shed Different Light on Alyssa Bustamante

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Many community and family members, struck hard by the death of Elizabeth Olten, are struggling to make sense of the fact that a local teenager is charged with Elizabeth's murder.

A grand jury indictment says 16-year-old Alyssa Bustamante killed her 9-year-old acquaintance by strangulation, cutting her throat and stabbing her. Bustamante is charged as an adult.

Family and friends shared intimate details with us about both girls, answering some of the many unanswered questions about how such a thing could happen.

In exclusive video her friends shared with NBC Action News, Alyssa Bustamante looks like a typical teen riding on a school bus, laughing, joking and sometimes hamming it up for the camera held by a classmate.

She says to another student on the bus, “I’m gonna pop a cap in your ass.” It’s something a lot of kids jokingly say to others these days.

But when that kid is Alyssa Bustamante, now accused of murdering for the thrill of it, that statement raises eyebrows.

Lindsey Jones showed us the video she took of her friend Alyssa nearly a year ago. Jones wanted us to see a different side of Bustamante. Besides that one statement, most of the video shows Bustamante as an outgoing, loud and joking kid.

"I want to remember Alyssa as I know her, as I think she still is. I believe she’s a troubled girl who made a decision and didn’t really think it out.” Jones said.

Alyssa's public image is much different. Some have called her a teenaged monster after learning that she is charged with murdering Elizabeth Olten. Others have said Bustamante had been planning to hurt someone.

During police interrogations, Bustamante made a startling admission according to sworn court testimony by the Missouri highway patrol sergeant who questioned her.

According to his testimony, Bustamante killed 9-year old Olten simply because "she wanted to know what it felt like."

Experts have also testified that Bustamante was on Prozac. At the time of Elizabeth Olten's murder, Bustamante was living with her grandmother. The grandmother had tried to help Alyssa cope with depression and a recent suicide attempt.

Alyssa Bustamante and Elizabeth Olten lived several houses apart in St. Martins, a small town just west of Jefferson City.

Authorities say Bustamante plotted Elizabeth's murder for months.

Sources close to the investigation say Bustamante intended to kill and bury only one person that October afternoon.

That leaves this question unanswered: Why did she dig two graves in the wooded area near her home?

Global news outlets are now covering the story. So are student reporters with the Jefferson City High School student paper, "The Red and Black".

Bustamante is supposed to be a sophomore at Jefferson City High.

In covering the story, student reporters say they have learned about a regular kid, with a sweet side, who hid emotional scars.

Alyssa was known to cut herself and even attempted suicide.

“I know that she had been to therapy before. I know that she had the history with the cutting and that she had tried to kill herself,” says Julie Blankenship, the lead student reporter on the story for "The Red and Black".

Blankenship says the murder has had a great impact on students at the high school. She says many students became upset and angry when the news broke. Now, the tone inside school hallways is returning back to normal.

Elizabeth Olten was outgoing. She loved animals and playing with Barbie dolls.

Elizabeth's biological father spoke exclusively to NBC Action News about his daughter.

“She’s my bug. She’s my heart,” says Dale Olten

Olten is no stranger to the law. He’s currently behind bars in a Missouri prison serving time on drug charges.

Olten explains he regrets being in prison instead of being at home to protect his daughter.

“I have my guilt, OK. I’ve done wrong,” Olten says.

“Don't feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for my daughter. Feel sorry for her siblings. Feel sorry for the world because they're missing out on a beautiful child,” Olten says.

Bustamante’s attorneys are expected to ask a judge for a change of venue due to the media attention to her case.

Bustamante is in the Cole County Jail, and she is expected to remain there until her trial date.

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/mostpopular/story/Coming-to-Grips-with-Bizarre-Murder-Case/tNp71Xn6-kiZbI9zWOt8rg.cspx

Teen murder suspect case moves closer to trial

By Newsdesk KRCG
Monday, February 15, 2010 at 4:25 p.m.

Read more: Local, Crime, Alyssa Bustamante, Elizabeth Olten, Murder

COLE COUNTY, MO. -- The case against a teen murder suspect is moving closer to trial.

A status hearing is scheduled Tuesday morning for Alyssa Bustamante.

Bustamante has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten and has pleaded not guilty.

The judge has excused Bustamante from appearing at the status hearing.

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=416720

Out-of-town jury will hear trial of Missouri teen accused of murder

Posted on Tue, Feb. 16, 2010 04:30 PM

JEFFERSON CITY | An out-of-town jury will hear the murder trial of a central Missouri teenager accused of slaying a 9-year-old neighbor girl because she wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone.

A judge decided today to select a jury from outside of Cole County as an alternative to a request by Alyssa Bustamante's attorneys to move the trial elsewhere.

Bustamante, who was 15 at the time of the crime, is charged as an adult with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Oct. 21 slaying of Elizabeth Olten. She has pleaded not guilty.

Authorities say Bustamante plotted Elizabeth's death — digging two holes several days in advance — then strangled her without provocation, cut the girl's throat and stabbed her. They say Bustamante confessed in a police interview to slaying Elizabeth because she wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone.

Hundreds of volunteers helped during a two-day search for the missing fourth-grader. Authorities say Bustamante ultimately led them to Elizabeth's body, which was concealed in a wooded area near the girls' homes just west of Jefferson City.

Bustamante's attorneys asked in December that her trial be moved because local residents “are so prejudiced against the defendant that a fair trial cannot be had in this county.”

Prosecutor Mark Richardson objected Tuesday to moving the trial and suggested the alternative of bringing in jurors from elsewhere. Richardson said he expects to call a large number of witnesses and said it would be burdensome on Elizabeth's family — some of whom were in court Tuesday — to force them to travel for the trial.

Bustamante's attorneys agreed to using an out-of-town jury. Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce set a March 8 hearing to decide from which county the jurors will be selected.

There is no date scheduled yet for Bustamante's trial. She is being held in jail without bond and did not appear in court for Tuesday's brief hearing.

Defense attorney Donald Catlett said he still is waiting to receive copies of police reports and other evidence needed for a trial.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1752592.html

I've read that bringing in an out-of-town jury instead of moving the trial is also a possibility in the Anthony case. It makes more sense to inconvenience 12 jurors than it does to inconvenience hundreds of witnesses.

Murder Suspect Asks to Wear Own Clothing

Posted by: Ryan Martin
Published: Friday, March 5, 2010 at 5:27 AM

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) - Lawyers for a central Missouri teenager charged with killing her 9-year-old neighbor want the suspect to appear in court in her own clothes.

Sixteen-year-old Alyssa Bustamante has a pretrial hearing scheduled Monday in Cole County Circuit Court in Jefferson City.

Defense lawyers filed a motion this week seeking to let Bustamante wear her own clothing at all court appearances. They say pretrial images of the teen in jail clothing would impair the presumption of innocence. Bustamante is charged as an adult with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in last October's killing of Elizabeth Olten, whose body was found in a wooded area just west of Jefferson City. Bustamante has pleaded not guilty.

http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/ba8a4513-c0a8-2f11-0063-9bd94c70b769/2e14f138-80ce-0971-013c-1ea0ecc45933

You can't judge a book by it's cover....she could stand there in all her "innocence" naked and she'd still be guilty JMO...What do they want a "Dress for Success" model???

well, personally, i've seen her personal clothing and she would be better presumed innocent in jail house blues as opposed to GOTH!!!! just sayin'....

You are so right Tish. Though I don't think it will matter much. She did confess and with what she had on her myspace, facebook & twitter...GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY.

Maybe they would rather go for this look than the jailhouse look.



It doesn't matter how they dress her up. I think the fact that she told police she killed Elizabeth "to find out what it would feel like to kill someone" will impair the presumption of innocence.

Lawyers for Bustamante Ask for Privacy

Court documents filed this week ask a judge to keep private aspects of the defense's strategy.

Posted on Tue Mar 30, 2010

Lawyers for a St. Martins teen accused of killing a 9-year-old girl there last year have asked a Cole County judge to allow them to keep secret their strategies for defending the teen.

According to court documents filed Monday, lawyers for Alyssa Bustamante are seeking to secure interviews and review documents without letting prosecutors know about either.

Lawyers argue in the court documents that disclosing that type of information could hurt the team's strategy it intends to use to defend the teen.

The court documents ask that a Cole County judge make a decision on the request in an April 28 hearing in Jefferson City.

Alyssa is accused of killing 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten in St. Martins in October. According to court documents filed by prosecutors, Alyssa told investigators she committed the crime because "she wanted to know what it felt like" to kill someone.

Alyssa is charged with first-degree murder.

http://www.kmiz.com/news/story.php?id=16556

I don't know what kind of defense they are trying to pull on this one - but this is a no-go in my book... we already have motive, and there are NO other suspects, i'm sure there's DNA as well since we're dealing w/ a teen - she was obviously sloppy in covering up her crime - so even if the judge happens to grant it (which i believe is a far stretch....) it really won't help them. This case is a slam dunk... once they call up her bff that she told she just wanted to know what it's like to kill someone - it'll all be over. They may show SOME sympathy for her in the sentencing phase because of her upbringing - but I don't think that will in any way effect the outcome of her being found guilty.

This case is definitely a slam dunk Tish. She's already admitted the killing to cops and led them to the body.

Lawyers petition that Bustamante finish high school

By Newsdesk KRCG
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 5:46 p.m.

Read more: Local, Crime, Community, Elizabeth Olten, Alyssa Bustamante, High School Court

Attorneys for teenage murder suspect Alyssa Bustamante have petitioned the court to allow the girl to finish her high school education.

Bustamante was 15 last year when arrested in the death of nine-year-old Elizabeth Olten.

Despite being charged as an adult, her lawyers said she still has rights to an education.

They want the court to order that Bustamante have access to on-line education services provided by the University of Missouri and that the county pays for it.

The matter could be taken up at a hearing scheduled for April 28.

Bustamante has been jailed in Morgan County pending trial.

See the full petition here

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=445764

It always seems to be all about the criminal's rights. What about Elizabeth's right to an education and her right to live?

Justice4all wrote:It always seems to be all about the criminal's rights. What about Elizabeth's right to an education and her right to live?

Exactly my thoughts, J4A!!! Whatever happened to the rights of the victim? Why is it always about the rights of the criminal? IMO when someone commits MURDER, they give up their rights to ANYTHING. I certainly hope their motion to allow Bustamante to finish her education is denied. If she wanted an education, maybe she shouldn't have committed murder.

MOTION TO ALLOW ALYSSA TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COLE COUNTY, MISSOURI

Cause No. 09AC-CR03516-01F
Division No. 4

STATE OF MISSOURI,
Plaintiff
V.
ALYSSA D BUSTAMANTE,
Defendant

MOTION TO ALLOW ALYSSA TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL

ALYSSA BUSTAMANTE moves for an opportunity to complete her high school education and, in support of this motion, states as follows:

1. Alyssa is held on a warrant with no bond, in the control and custody of the Cole County Sheriff.

2. When Alyssa was first taken into custody, she was fifteen years of age and a student enrolled in the 10th grade at Jefferson City High School. Alyssa's sixteenth birthday was on January 18, 2010.

3. Every Missouri child is entitled to a free public education. Missouri Constitution, Art. IX, §1(a). Washington v. Ladue School District Board of Education, 564 F. Supp. 2d 1054, 1058 (E.D. Mo 2008),

4. Though Alyssa was certified to face the present charge as an adult, she is still a child. See, State ex rel. Simmons v. Roper, 112 S.W.3d 397 (Mo. bane 2003), §311.325 RSMo (minimum drinking age set at 21), §115.123 RSMo (minimum voting age set at 18), §431.061 RSMo (minimum age for consenting to surgical procedure set at 18), §431.056 RSMo (minimum age for entering into certain contracts set at 16 or 17 only if the minor is homeless, self-supporting and the minor's parents have consented to the minor living independent of the parents), §431.060 RSMo (minimum age for being liable for a debt set at 18), §494.425 RSMo (minimum age for serving on a jury set at 21), §474.310 RSMo (minimum age for making a will set at 18), §451.090 RSMo (minimum age for issuance of a marriage license set at 18, except with parental consent).

In Stanford v. Kentucky, 492 U.S. 361 (1989), the Court noted that "In these and a host of other ways, minors are treated differently from adults in our laws, which reflects the simple truth derived from communal experience that juveniles as a class have not the level of maturation and responsibility that we presume in adults and consider desirable for full participation in the rights and duties of modern life." Id. at 395.

5. The Cole County Sheriff is responsible for Alyssa. In Smook v. Minnehaha County, 457 F.3d 806, 812 (8th Cir. 2006), the Court noted the "State's legitimate responsibility to act in loco parentis with respect to juveniles in lawful state custody."

6. The Cole County Sheriff, having the charge, control and custody of Alyssa, is responsible for enrolling Alyssa in a program of academic instruction which complies with Missouri's Compulsory Attendance Law §167.031RSMo. Even the child's expulsion from school does not relieve the sheriff of his responsibilities to Alyssa's education under Missouri's Compulsory Attendance Law. §167.164.1 RSMo.

7. Alyssa wishes to complete her high school education and she is entitled to receive a high school education. Alyssa has not been convicted of any crime and is presumed innocent. A mere accusation of committing a felony offense does not cause her to forfeit her entitlement to an education.

THEREFORE, Alyssa Bustamante requests that this Court enter orders necessary to compel the Cole County Sheriff to provide the opportunity and resources for Alyssa to continue her high school education and that the Cole County Sheriff be specifically ordered to (1) allow Alyssa's enrollment in MU High School through the University of Missouri Center for Distance and Independent Study or comparable independent study high school educational program, (2) pay the costs of tuition, books and required material for Alyssa's high school diploma education program, (3) allow Alyssa unrestricted access and use of her school books and educational materials and (4) provide a suitable location for testing by examination proctors

Respectfully submitted,

Donald Catlett, Mo Bar No. 29556
Charles Moreland, Mo Bar No. 32040
Attorneys for Defendant

Judge rules on 1 of 3 motions in Bustamante case

By Newsdesk KRCG
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 10:54 a.m.

COLE COUNTY, MO. --

Outside the Cole County Courthouse Wednesday morning, Elizabeth Olten’s family and friends held up signs in memory of Elizabeth.

Inside the courtroom, lawyers in the Alyssa Bustamante case were present for a status hearing to hear rulings from Cole County Judge Patricia Joyce

Judge Joyce ruled on one of three motions filed by defense attorneys.

First motion, the defense wants to make their research in the case and witness list a secret from the prosecution. (Read the story). Judge Joyce said that she will not rule on this yet.

Second motion, Bustamante’s attorneys want her to be allowed to wear her own clothes in court during the trial, instead of an orange jumpsuit. Judge Joyce ruled Bustamante can wear plain clothes

Third motion, Bustamante’s lawyers filed a petition asking the court to let Bustamante finish her high school education. (Read the story)

Bustamante’s attorneys said that just because she is standing trial as an adult does not mean she is an adult. Bustamante has a right to finish her education.

Judge said that the issue of a pre-trial detainee education for a juvenile has not been litigated before in Missouri and is taking it the petition under advisement.

Bustamante is charged with the first-degree murder of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten.

Bustamante's public defenders filed the three motions since Bustamante was certified to stand trial as an adult last November.

A status hearing is scheduled for July 27

The murder trial will not be held in the 2010 calendar year,

The spokesman for the family said that the family will speak loud and clear after Elizabeth’s murderer is found guilty. Read the full statement here

Video from reporter's cell phone of Olten's family and friends:



http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=449728

Teen Murder Suspect Denied Education
MO Teen Murder Suspect Alyssa Bustamante Denied Continuing Education While Awaiting Trial

The Associated Press
3:51 PM CDT, May 11, 2010

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A judge has denied a request for a central Missouri teenager to continue her education while awaiting trial for the killing of her 9-year-old neighbor.

Sixteen-year-old Alyssa Bustamante is charged as an adult with first-degree murder in last October's killing of Elizabeth Olten, whose body was found just west of Jefferson City. The teen's lawyers had requested that the Cole County Sheriff's Office pay for Bustamante to continue her education through a distance learning program.

Cole County Judge Patricia Joyce denied that request Tuesday. But Joyce did allow defense lawyers to file certain court motions that would not be available to prosecutors or the public.

Bustamante has pleaded not guilty and is in jail without bond.

http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-alyssa-bustamante-education-051110,0,701581.story

Missouri teen's murder trial set for May 16

July 27, 2010
BY Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY — A central Missouri teenager accused of killing her 9-year-old neighbor is scheduled to go on trial next spring.

Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce on Tuesday set a May 16 trial for 16-year-old Alyssa Bustamante, who is charged as an adult with first-degree murder for the killing of Elizabeth Olten last fall in a rural area just west of Jefferson City.

Read more: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/07/27/missouri-teens-murder-trial-set-may-16/

Prosecutor wants DNA tests in Alyssa Bustamante murder case

Samples are from knife and clothes.

By T.J. Greaney
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Cole County prosecutor is asking a judge to approve DNA testing on a knife blade, knife handle and jeans related to the murder charges pending against 16-year-old Alyssa Bustamante.

According to an Aug. 12 court filing, a Missouri State Highway Patrol criminalist told the court that the act of testing the DNA material obtained from the items will “consume” most of the DNA samples and make further testing difficult or impossible. It is unclear from whom or where the items were obtained.

Read more: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/aug/31/prosecutor-wants-dna-tests-in-alyssa-bustamante/

New Documents in Alyssa Bustamante Case

Page last updated at 08-31-10 05:38 CDT

JEFFERSON CITY - The Cole County Prosecutor's Office released additional documents in the case against Alyssa Bustamante. Her defense attorney is trying to protest state DNA testing because there is a possiblity there will not be enough DNA evidence for additional independent testing.

Bustamante 8-12-10




Bustamante 7-27-10

Read more: http://www.komu.com/KOMU/d7e2017e-80ce-18b5-00fa-0004d8d229cb/c5c7f4a3-c0a8-4612-010a-a1eaee0d7b23.html

Appeals court denies Bustamante education request

Posted: 09.27.2010 at 3:28 PM



JEFFERSON CITY, MO --

Another setback for the attorneys for teenage murder suspect Alyssa Bustamante.

Bustamante's request for continued education has been denied for the third time.

Read more: http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=517583

I don't think she really needs education where she is going... at least not for the foreseeable future.

Bustamante's lawyer still won't drop the education fight.

Bustamante's lawyers file petition with Supreme Court

by Newsdesk KRCG
Posted: 10.06.2010 at 2:23 PM

~Snipped~

Bustamante's attorney wants the Supreme Court to order authorities to provide an education.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday set an Oct. 12 deadline for the state to respond in opposition.

Read more: http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=522064

I don't understand why the BIG HOUSE can't at least provide a basic GED education for the inmates...I guess they prefer to keep them ignorant and dumb...I know it's not supposed to be "a walk in the park" existance, but come on, if they want to improve their minds give them the opportunity...

Murder trial delayed until Sept. for Missouri teen

Posted: Apr 13, 2011 5:34 PM EDT

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (AP) - The trial of a central Missouri teenager charged with killing a young neighbor has been delayed until September.

Read more: http://www.kait8.com/story/14441100/murder-trial-delayed-until-sept-for-missouri-teen

Lawyers for Alyssa Bustamante Ask For More Time

Tuesday, May 17 2011

(Jefferson City, MO) -- A trial that has seen several pushbacks could be pushed back again if lawyers for Alyssa Bustamante get a favorable ruling on a recent request.

In court documents filed Monday, Bustamante's defense attorneys said they were unable to meet the May 16th deadline for endorseing trial witnesses because the prosecution has not provided its list of witnesses.

Read more: http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=456787

If this is true, the prosecution better step it up if they ever want to get this case tried and get Justice for Elizabeth.

It's so sad that cases like this...where we KNOW she's guilty...get put off. I hope the prosecution doesn't screw it up.

Judge blocks Bustamante's confession and allows her to be moved from jail

by Ladd Egan
6/22/11

JEFFERSON CITY -- Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce has blocked prosecutors from using part of Alyssa Bustamante's statement to police during trial, and allowed the defense to transport Bustamante from jail for "testing".

Bustamante, now 17-years-old, is charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the death of her 9-year-old neighbor.

Read more: http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=632640

Judge's Order

In accordance with the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law filed herewith under Seal, this Court hereby orders that the Defendant's Motion to Suppress is SUSTAINED in part. In so ruling, the Court finds as follows:

1. The interrogation of the Defendant was custodial in nature and, as such, triggered the provisions of §211.271(3) RSMo. making the statements of the defendant to the juvenile officer inadmissible in the subsequent adult criminal proceeding.

2. Tobie Meyer (hereinafter Ms. Meyer), the juvenile officer present during questioning of defendant, disregarded the requirement that she not participate in the questioning. Ms. Meyer engaged actively in the questioning and made numerous statements to defendant despite the fact that she knew that defendant was a suspect in the murder of Elizabeth Often.

3. Ms. Meyer used deceptive tactics during the interrogation of defendant by telling defendant that she was there as the defendant's "advocate". This deception likely mislead the defendant into believing that Ms. Meyer was there to look after her best interests when, in fact, this was not her role.

4. Ms. Meyer suggested that there was an alliance between herself and Detective Rice when there was none, thereby making the atmosphere of the interrogation insufficiently adversarial.

5. Ms. Meyer mislead the defendant by referencing the fact that the Juvenile Court's only focus is "treatment" thereby implying that the defendant would receive treatment for her criminal behavior instead of an adult criminal sentence.

6. Ms. Meyer's participation in the interrogation of defendant went far beyond her statutory role as juvenile officer which is limited to observation and protection of the juvenile's rights.

WHEREFORE, it is hereby ordered that Defendant's Motion to Suppress is SUSTAINED in part, in that all statements made after Transcript of Video Statement page 71, line 14, are deemed inadmissible and are hereby suppressed.

SO ORDERED

Alyssa Bustamante is scheduled to stand trial January 30, 2012. If the Judge accepts the plea deal, then there will be no trial. For security reasons, the trial was going to be held at a Federal Court where the security is "tight" compared to the county court house.
________


Alyssa Bustamante accepts plea deal

by Dori Olmos
KRGG - Jefferson City, MO

Posted: 01.09.2012 at 8:50 PM



Alyssa Bustamante


COLE COUNTY, MO -- Update: Monday 1/9/12 8:45pm

The decision to offer a plea deal may have hinged on a ruling KRCG reported last June.

A confession given by Bustamante to a highway patrol investigator and a juvenile officer was blocked by the court.

Judge Pat Joyce ruled Juvenile Officer Tobie Meyer wrongly participated in a state highway patrol interview of then 15-year-old Bustamante.

The judge said Meyer "used deceptive tactics" while encouraging the teenager to tell the truth about the death of Elizabeth Olten.

Read more:

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=705578



Elizabeth Olten

Missouri Teen Charged With Killing Her 9 Year Old Neighbor Will Accept Plea Deal In Court Tuesday

Leigh Moody
Anchor
KSPR - Springfield, MO

8:43 p.m. CST, January 9, 2012



Alyssa Bustamante


The Cole County prosecutor says the judge still needs to accept the plea deal for Alyssa Bustamante a mid-missouri teen charged with killing a nine year old neighbor will be in court tomorrow for a plea hearing.

Read more:

http://www.kspr.com/news/local/kspr-missouri-teen-charged-with-killing-her-9-year-old-neighbor-will-accept-plea-deal-in-court-tuesday-20120109,0,5489367.story

I read yesterday of the horrible admission of this teenage killer...What she did to Elisabeth shouldn't happen to anyone...Marinade Dave has a good article about this case...marinadedave.com...He explains 'emo personality'....something I still can't wrap my head around....

Girl Who Killed Her Neighbor Sentenced Monday

9:03 am, February 6, 2012, by Michelle Pekarsky
FOX4KC (WDAF) - Kansas City, MO


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri teenager, Alyssa Bustamante is scheduled to be sentence Monday for killing her nine-year-old neighbor by strangling, cutting her throat and then stabbing Elizabeth Olten.

MURDER VICTIM

Elizabeth Olten


Read more:

http://fox4kc.com/2012/02/06/girl-who-killed-her-neighbor-sentenced-monday/

Missouri teenager sentenced to life in prison with possible parole for killing 9-year-old girl

DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press
First Posted: February 08, 2012 - 3:05 am
Last Updated: February 08, 2012 - 9:19 am

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A central Missouri teenager who confessed to strangling, cutting and stabbing a 9-year-old girl because she wanted to know how it felt to kill someone was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Read more:
http://dailyjournal.net/view/story/4066d355eb90459883cd19417ff6dfcb/US--Missouri-Girl-Slain/

~Snipped~
"I strangled them and slit their throat and stabbed them now they're dead," Bustamante wrote in her diary, which was read in court by a handwriting expert. "I don't know how to feel atm. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the 'ohmygawd I can't do this' feeling, it's pretty enjoyable. I'm kinda nervous and shaky though right now. Kay, I gotta go to church now...lol."

Bustamante then headed off to a youth dance at her church while a massive search began for the missing girl.

With the possibility of parole......she didn't do this in a fit of rage! It was cold, evil and calculated. She had dug two graves!! Her age nor Prozac makes any difference. She is a monster and prison will not change her. I hate the thought of her being out on the streets some day. This thing can never be rehabilitated.

Julie, thanks for the update!

Piper, I agree with you. I think Bustamonte is beyond evil and if she is ever paroled, society will be in great danger.

This monster can never be rehabilitated.

This is among the most chilling cases I've ever followed. Just evil, evil, evil! This monster enjoyed killing and it was amazing to her.

Lock the doors and hide the children if Bustamonte is ever paroled!

Just because she will be eligible for parole doesn't mean she will be approved...The Prison will contact the victim's family at parole time and ask if they would like to attend or if they have anything to say yea or nea for parole... At least this happened in the case of my daughter's molester/kiddie porn offender...After giving the inquiring official an earfull I noticed that his parole was denied and he won't be eligible again til 2035...If he lives that long he'll be 96...