Douglas E. Long Jr., a senior judge, is the newest judge appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to hear the capital murder case against Donald “Doc” Nash, according to Crawford County Circuit Court records.
No new court date has been set.
Long, the sixth judge to hear the case, is a retired presiding judge of the 25th Judicial Circuit Court, which is made up of Pulaski, Phelps, Maries and Texas counties.
Long’s appointment came after 42nd Judicial Circuit Court Senior Judge J. Max Price was appointed and recused himself Aug. 15. Price was appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court after Judge Kelly Parker recused himself July 28.
Parker recused himself due to the court’s actual involvement in the case as prosecuting attorney of Dent County and to avoid the appearance of impropriety, according to Crawford County court records.
Nash is charged in the March 10, 1982, murder of Judy Spencer in rural Dent County. He was arrested March 28 at his home in Beaufort. The case is being heard in Crawford County on a change of venue from Dent County.
Law enforcement officials say they used DNA evidence to link Nash to the crime. Nash’s DNA was found underneath Spencer’s fingernails. Spencer was strangled with a shoestring then shot in the neck and her body dumped in an area near the old Bethlehem School on Highway 32 West.
Judge Sandy Ball first arraigned Nash in Dent County Associate Court and Wayne County Associate Judge Randy Schuller was appointed the judge to hear the preliminary hearing.
In Circuit Court, Judge William Camm Seay arraigned Nash, recused himself and assigned the case to Parker.
Nash is being held in the Crawford County jail on a $750,000 cash only bond. He had been in the Dent County jail since his arrest then transferred to Crawford County when the change of venue was granted.
The case had been set for a jury trial Sept. 28 – Oct. 3 but was removed from that setting when Parker was assigned the case. – Salem News