Judge Won’t Move Trial of Man Accused of Killing Girlfriend

CALDWELL, Idaho (AP) — A southwest Idaho judge has rejected a request to move the trial of a man charged with killing his girlfriend and burying her in a cornfield.

The Idaho Press-Tribune reports that 3rd District Judge Molly J. Huskey on Monday declined Alfredo Martinez's request to move the trial out of Caldwell due to local news coverage. Martinez is charged with second-degree murder, destruction of evidence and failure to notify authorities about a death.

Police say Martinez in August hit 36-year-old Selena Thomas with a metal hammer and shoved her into a dresser when she stepped toward him. Court documents say Martinez panicked and put her body in a closet, then buried the body in a cornfield south of Melba with the help of friends.