Trial for triple murder suspect Andres Avalos Jr. not likely until 2016
MANATEE -- The case against triple-murder suspect Andres "Andy" Avalos Jr. is not expected to go to trial until sometime into 2016.
Avalos is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the Dec. 4 slayings of his wife, Amber Avalos; neighbor, Denise Potter, 46; and the Rev. James "Tripp" Battle, 31.
If Avalos is convicted, prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.
Attorneys in the case appeared before Circuit Judge Deno Econommou on Thursday morning to discuss the progress of the case during a case management hearing. Avalos waived his right to appear.
His next court appearance will for May 15 hearing in which the defense will request that Avalos be transported to Sarasota to undergo a PET scan. PET stands for "positron emission tomograph," which produces three-dimensional images of radioactive substances in the body.
On Thursday, Assistant State Attorney Art Brown expressed concerns about scheduling the next case management hearing for October.
"I never expected it to go in 2015, but I was hoping it would go early 2016," Brown said.
Assistant Public Defender Franklin Roberts explained that there were a few other murder trial cases he is working that are all scheduled to go to trial before October.
Depositions have not even begun, according to Roberts, but he said he hopes to do so before October.
Investigators said Avalos hanged his wife from a cord in the laundry room of their northwest Bradenton home, beat her and then shot her. He also gunned down Potter, who had been visiting his home, investigators said.
After the women were slain, investigators say Avalos dropped his 4-year-old son off at daycare and went to the Walmart Supercenter on State Road 64 where he left his vehicle.
He then took a taxi to Bayshore Baptist Church, 6502 14th St. W., where investigators and witnesses said he shot and killed Battle.
Avalos was arrested Dec. 6 after a 51-hour manhunt led by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and a public plea from his father to turn himself in for the sake of his six children, who were held in a safe house until his capture.
He was arrested in a mobile home park less than two blocks from Bayshore Baptist Church within hours of his father's plea.
After his arrest, Avalos admitted to the slayings, Assistant State Attorney Art Brown said in court Dec. 7.
Avalos was indicted Dec. 16, and prosecutors later announced they would be seeking the death penalty.
Avalos is being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.
Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.
This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Trial for triple murder suspect Andres Avalos Jr. not likely until 2016."