A judge last week set a date for a man accused of murder in a 26-year-old death of a Houston High School graduate.
Donald R. Nash, 65, of Beaufort, was ordered to trial Sept. 29-Oct. 3 on capital murder charges in connection with the death of Judy Spencer, 21. Nash, who is held on $750,000 bond, was arrested March 28 after authorities said his DNA was uncovered under the fingernails of Spencer. The Missouri State Highway Patrol earlier reopened the case, using technology that was not available at the time of the crime.
During a formal arraignment last week in Dent County Circuit Court, Nash’s attorney, Frank Carlson of Union, complained his client did not have to enter a plea. Judge William Camm Seay decided otherwise, and entered a not guilty plea for the murder suspect.
Earlier, Carlson filed a motion seeking a disqualification of Seay, who he said was prosecutor at the time the crime was committed. Seay told Carlson that wasn’t the case, and he moved on with the arraignment.