KENNETT, Mo. -- Shawn Morgan, of Senath, accused murderer of three-year-old Breeann Rodriguez, has been scheduled to stand trial beginning, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, according to Missouri court records. Court proceedings will begin at 8:30 a.m., and will continue every day until the conclusion of the trial.
Jury selection will be in Phelps County and will be held at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 14. An additional day, Friday, Nov. 15, has also been slotted if the need arises. The trial will take place in Dunklin County.
In a previous court appearance on Feb. 13, of this year, a change of judge motion was granted to the defendant granting the motion to take Circuit Judge of the 35th Judicial Circuit Robert N. Mayer off of the case, without objection from the defense, and the motion to assign Mayer's predecessor, Judge Stephen R. Sharp as Senior Judge on the case.
Morgan was arrested August 13, 2011, for the disappearance and murder of Rodriguez, who went missing from her neighborhood in Senath on August 6, 2011.
Ten days after Rodriguez went missing, her remains were located near the floodway ditches northeast of Hornersville, Mo., approximately eight miles southeast of her home in Senath.
Morgan is being charged with murder in the first degree, armed criminal action, tampering with physical evidence, child kidnapping, and possession of child pornography.
Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen P. Sokoloff has said he will seek the death penalty.