GREAT BEND, Kan. — Prosecutors said Thursday they would seek the death penalty for the man accused of killing a Kansas teenager whose charred body was found at the Great Bend asphalt plant where he worked.
A plea of not guilty was entered on behalf of Adam Joseph Longoria, 36, of Great Bend on charges of capital murder and criminal sodomy in the August killing of 14-year-old Alicia DeBolt. Details of her death were made public during a hearing in which a Barton County judge found sufficient evidence for trial.
Longoria attended the hearing, listening intently and nodding or shaking his head at times during testimony. No trial date was set.
Prosecutors introduced evidence that included text messages believed exchanged between Longoria and the girl on the day she was killed. DNA evidence from bodily fluids found on the floor mat of the vehicle he was allegedly driving at the time was matched to both Longoria and the teen, investigators said.
Deputy Attorney General Barry Disney said DNA evidence indicated Longoria had the girl perform oral sex on him.
Investigators also testified that Alicia's body was found with duct tape across her mouth and nose, and on her right ankle. Her body, which had to be identified through dental records, was so badly burned that the autopsy could only list "undetermined homicidal violence" as the cause of death.
Longoria's defense attorneys presented no evidence at the hearing, but argued that all the evidence was circumstantial and did not support a charge of capital murder. They also argued that the government did not meet its burden of proof to establish a sexual crime had been committed, because prosecutors' only evidence of such a crime was the DNA mixture in the vehicle.
Investigators said Alicia left her house at about 11 p.m. on Aug. 21 to go to a party, and her family reported her missing the next afternoon. Her body was found three days after she left.
Text messages introduced into evidence at the hearing indicate Longoria allegedly texted her about an hour before she left the house, telling her "I can pick up and we can go out and party we will have fun." Another text message 21 minutes later said, "I have 5 bottles and 5 cases of beer an 1 house and there will be lots of people." She replied, "K." A few minutes later she texted him saying she was ready. She said she was home and gave him her address.
At 10:59 p.m., Longoria texted her again: "B there in 3 mins."
A minute later, came the reply: "I'm here."
The last signal picked up from the girl's phone was noted at 11:40 p.m.
At 12:57 a.m., Longoria texted the girl's phone one last time: "There isnt going 2 b a party never mind."
Surveillance photos from a convenience store showed Longoria there shortly after midnight trying to get a container for gasoline. A store receipt, time-stamped 10 minutes after midnight, showed he bought about a half gallon of gas and paid $1.32.
Eva Brown, who lived with Longoria and acknowledged she had an intimate relationship with him, testified that Longoria left their house shortly before 11 p.m. Brown testified that she talked to him on his cell phone at 12:33 a.m. and that he came home a few minutes later smelling like gasoline.
Brown said Longoria washed his clothes as soon as he came home. The next day she noticed his pants were stained and he said they should be thrown out. She also testified that she saw him clean his tennis shoes that he had worn with bleach. The following day, he tore up the T-shirt he had been wearing that night and told her if she loved him, to throw it away, Brown testified.
Hugo Hernandez, an acquaintance of Longoria, testified Longoria had asked him to be his alibi for the time of the killing.